Knight's Armor

Lore & Background

The rondel dagger evolved in the 14th century from the early knightly dagger of the 12th to 13th centuries, matching the evolution of full plate armour. By the 15th century it had become the standard side-arm for knights, and was carried into battle, such as the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. The contemporary post-mortem on the remains of King Richard III showed that at the Battle of Bosworth, in 1485, he suffered a sharp blow from a pointed weapon such as a rondel dagger on the crown of the head, before other fatal wounds were administered. They were a knight's backup weapon to be used in hand-to-hand fighting, and as such one of their last lines of defense. Since they were able to penetrate a suit of armour (at the joints, or through the visor of the helmet), rondel daggers could be used to force an unseated or wounded knight to surrender and be kept for ransom. In the 15th century, the rondel dagger also rose to popularity among the emerging middle class. In a scene from a miniature by Girart de Roussillon, depicting the construction of twelve churches in France (c. 1448), merchants and tradesmen can be seen wearing rondel daggers at their waists. Hans Talhoffer, in his combat manuals of the 1440s to 1460s, includes numerous examples of techniques for fighting with the rondel dagger, both in unarmoured combat and in single combat in armour.

In Their Own Story

At the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, King Richard III suffered a sharp blow from a pointed weapon such as a rondel dagger on the crown of his head, before other fatal wounds were administered. The contemporary post-mortem on his remains confirmed this. Earlier, at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, knights carried the rondel dagger as their standard side-arm into battle. In a miniature by Girart de Roussillon from around 1448, merchants and tradesmen are depicted wearing rondel daggers at their waists during the construction of twelve churches in France. Hans Talhoffer's combat manuals from the 1440s to 1460s show numerous techniques for fighting with the rondel dagger, both in unarmoured combat and in single combat in armour.

Reader's Guide

The rondel dagger was designed to be ideal for close-quarter combat which often requires grappling. It was used for puncturing and bursting the links in mail armour and could penetrate the weaker points in plate armour and helmets, such as areas of thinner plate, any gaps and the various joints. The wide, spherical pommel might have assisted by making it easier for the user to push or punch the point of the dagger home. As armour improved, puncturing in such ways was one of the only ways in which the heavy armour of men-at-arms could be breached. The blade is made of steel, and is typically long and slim with a tapering needle point, measuring 12 in (30 cm) or more; the whole dagger can be as long as 20 in (51 cm). The blade's tang extends through the handle, which is cylindrical, normally carved from wood or bone. In cross section, the blade is usually diamond-shaped, lenticular, or triangular. These blades have a sharpened point, and either one or both edges are also sharpened, while some had no sharpened edges at all. They were principally designed for use with a stabbing action, either underarm, or over arm with a reverse grip (reminiscent of an ice pick). The long straight blade does not lend itself to a slashing or sabre action. Examples also exist of four-edged rondel daggers, the blade having a cruciform profile. These blades are not suited for cutting, or use as a general utility tool; they were worn as a side-arm in battle as a thrusting weapon, foreshadowing the appearance of the stiletto in the 16th century.

Did You Know?

• The rondel dagger gets its name from its round (or similarly shaped, e.g. octagonal) hand guard and round or spherical pommel.
• The blade is typically long and slim with a tapering needle point, measuring 12 in (30 cm) or more; the whole dagger can be as long as 20 in (51 cm).
• At the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, King Richard III suffered a sharp blow from a pointed weapon such as a rondel dagger on the crown of his head.
• Hans Talhoffer's combat manuals from the 1440s to 1460s include numerous techniques for fighting with the rondel dagger.
• Four-edged rondel daggers with a cruciform blade profile foreshadowed the appearance of the stiletto in the 16th century.