Tabar Battle Axe

Type Object Region Islamic world Time c. 1191–1200

The tabar was a widely used one- or two-handed battle axe in the 12th-century Islamic world, standard as a sidearm for infantry and Mamluks.

Timeline

c. 1100–1190Damascus–Isfahan · West AsiaIn 11th–12th-century Seljuk and Ayyubid armies, the tabar battle axe stood alongside curved swords and mace as a standard close-combat weapon; axe blades were widened to enhance their effectiveness against chain mail and shields, and handle lengths varied according to infantry or cavalry use.
c. 1191–1200Levantine battlefield · LevantDuring the Crusades of the 1190s, Ayyubid infantry and Mamluks made extensive use of the tabar battle axe in the Siege of Acre and close-quarters field combat, for armor-breaking, door-breaking, and melee fighting after arrow supplies ran low.

Islamic Arms and Armour — Anthony North (1985)
Arms and Armour of the Crusading Era, 1050–1350: Islam, Eastern Europe and Asia — David Nicolle (1999)