The lantern shield is a unique weapon that appeared only in medieval Europe. It is a kind of defensive cold weapon created in 16th-century Italy. The love for theatricality and mechanics during the Italian Renaissance defined the preeminent cultural milieu on the Italian peninsula at this time. This trend of Mannerism is reflected in this “hybrid” weapon called the lantern shield, which combines elements of both the shield and the sword. It is the historical representation of a steel shield turned into a Swiss Army knife.
Design of the Lantern Shield
The Blades and the Gauntlet
The blades of the lantern shield are made of two “sword breaker daggers” (known as “Degenbrecher” in German), and the rest of the weapon itself consists of a tiny, buckler-type, plate shield to which an Italian “mitten” glove or a gauntlet is placed inside. The shield is about 12 inches (30 cm) long.
There is also a long sword blade perpendicular to the shield’s edges, which is also 12 inches (30 cm) long. This blade is affixed to the shield in a direction parallel to the user’s arm. From the shield’s edge, the blade reaches out to the user’s elbow. The lantern shields came with various design elements.
The Lantern
Finally, a tiny lantern rounds out this odd collection of equipment, giving the user the option of lighting up the battlefield in the middle of the night.
You would use the lantern to blind your opponents at dawn or during nighttime battles, and it would hook onto the shield part.
To prevent light from escaping all the time, the lantern was attached to the shield with a spring-loaded flap. When opened, the light would shine directly into the eyes of the opponent, temporarily blinding them.
Since there were so many small holes around the central shield boss, the flap had to be slammed shut to close it tightly and prevent the major light from escaping. The interior of some lantern shields was covered with fabric so that the light did not glare on the inside of the shield.
In a way, the lantern shield was one of the first tactical shields in history. They even included a way to let the lantern shine dimly than usual.
The lantern shield is a one-of-a-kind weapon, second only to the Tarch, which was created at the same time in the Grand Duchy of Muscovy (f. 1263), and they look pretty similar.
History of the Lantern Shield
The usefulness of shields like the heater shield as passive defense declined with the arrival of firearms in the 15th century.
However, beginning in the 14th century, European traditional fencing schools became increasingly sophisticated, leading to a return to the use of small shields—such as the buckler shield—in conjunction with swords whose offensive vocation shifted toward thrusts rather than cuts, and their “crossguard” sought to guarantee greater and greater protection for the unprotected hand of the civilian users—such as the rapier or the spada da lato.
As a result of these demands, some “hybrid” weapons, consisting of both a shield and a sword, were created. The Russian Tarch and the Italian lantern shield are the only two known weapons of this kind.
The Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria, is home to the world’s most famous lantern shield, which was created in the 1540s (see the above picture). This specimen features barbs or spikes on it, which could be used like an edged weapon.
The weapon is from the imperial armory of 1678, and the lantern shield belonged to Archduke Ernst (1553–1595). According to the museum, Ernst brought the shield back to Vienna in 1571 from the court of King Philip II (1527–1598) along with his brother, Rudolf II (1552–1612).
Was the Lantern Shield Practical?
According to fencing books from the 16th and 17th centuries, people at the time carried lanterns by wrapping their left hand around them to deflect strikes and blind their opponents.
This practice was especially common in duels made in dark or dimly lit environments such as castle courtyards, forest clearings, tunnels, abandoned buildings, chambers, prisons, or dungeons.
Another complementary technique for swords was the use of cloaks, which was called the cloak-and-sword method.
However, there is no historical record of a lantern shield used in battle. It was probably because this steel shield also weighed around 17 to 26 pounds (8–12 kg) to begin with. The weapon was most practical for patrolling the streets of Italy.
Lantern Shield in Popular Culture
This weapon is relatively less known in popular culture, but it is still well-represented in various cases.
- The Japanese science-fantasy video game Final Fantasy XIV (2010) features various lantern shield designs.
- The anime character “Heindree” from the Mobile Suit Gundam series carries a lantern shield with a pole on its right arm.
The Lantern Shield at a Glance
What is a lantern shield?
The lantern shield is a unique weapon that originated in medieval Europe during the Italian Renaissance. It is a hybrid weapon that combines elements of both a shield and a sword. It features two sword breaker daggers, a small plate shield, a gauntlet, and a tiny lantern attached to the shield.
How was the lantern shield designed?
The lantern shield consists of two sword breaker daggers, a small plate shield known as a buckler, and a gauntlet placed inside the shield. There is also a long sword blade perpendicular to the shield’s edges. A small lantern is attached to the shield with a spring-loaded flap that can be opened to blind opponents temporarily.
Was the lantern shield practical for battle?
While there are historical records of lanterns being used as defensive tools in dimly lit environments, there is no evidence of them being used in actual battles. The weight of the shield, which ranged from 17 to 26 pounds (8-12 kg), likely made it impractical for use in combat. This shield was more suited for patrolling the streets.
Are there any similar weapons to the lantern shield?
This shield is a unique weapon, but the Russian Tarch is a similar weapon that was created around the same time in the Grand Duchy of Muscovy. Both weapons combine the features of a shield and a sword.
References
- A History of Weapons Crossbows, Caltrops, Catapults & Lots of Other Things that Can Seriously Mess You Up – By John O’Bryan, p. 193 – 2013.
- A Cultural History of Sport in the Medieval Age – By Bloomsbury Publishing, p. 102 – 2022
- Lantern Shield | German – The Metropolitan Museum of Art (metmuseum.org)
