Germany, early 16th Century / early 1500s
Estoc
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Estoc as arms and armor (Germany, early 16th Century · early 1500s).
Swords like this one were developed to counteract and pierce the increasingly heavy armor and sophisticated plates that nearly covered a knight.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this arms and armor as steel, wood and leather.
The museum's collection notes: The French word estoc means "thrust" and therefore was adopted as the name for this long thrusting sword. It has a fairly long grip and simple cross-shaped hilt. The rigid blade, designed for thrusting at armored opponents, is three-sided for strength. The estoc was sometimes carried from the saddle. From the early 1300s, it was used by cavalrymen as an auxiliary side arm when a horseman had dismounted.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtEstocOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.