Strange firearms on the battlefields of the “Hungaries”

This is the only handgun found in Hungary (1607) that had eight barrels, it was called “death-organ”:

The “topor”: born in Germany, it has become a typical Central-European weapon

The “topor” is a combination of a short-barrelled gun and an ax/dagger – it came to Hungary from Poland in the 17th century. It was particularly favored by the cavalrymen of the Transylvanian Prince.

We can trace back the development of this combined weapon to the 15th century: according to A. Demmin (Die Kriegswaffen. (Leipzig 1893) you can see the drawing of a similar weapon among the pictures. It was used by a cavalryman against armored opponents. It is basically just a barrel with an ax, it was fired just like a typical hook-gun of the age. In the Museum of Dresden, there is another similar weapon from the first part of the 15th century.

We know that Zwingli Ulrich used to wield a combined ax-gun as well, it is on display in the Schweizer Landesmuseum. The famous reformer carried a small sack of gunpowder and bullets on his saddle but he rather used the ax. He lost it in the Battle of Kappel in 1531.

The full length of the weapon is  86 cm and the barrel is 19 mm, at the end, it is 42.5 mm, though. This Gothic cavalry weapon is thought to have been made at the end of the 15th century. These firearms were quite clumsy to use. The next stage of these weapons began in the 1530s when the rider could already aim with a stretched hand. A side note: it is interesting, that battle-axes in India were called “tabar” in 1556.

Western riders were usually supplied with two „firing barrels” that later were improved with a wheel-lock trigger. It enabled the soldiers to use just one hand to fire it: the pistols were born around 1546-47. As they were not satisfactory firearms, they were used as smashing weapons because reloading took a long time. There is a nice combined weapon like this in Madrid from 1551, it later belonged to King Phillip II. This one is the Axe-pistol of Grand Duke Ferdinand I de’ Medici, 1580 (German, Steel, 70 cm):

There are similar weapons in the Zschille Collection (16th century), and in the Scheremetew Collection (17th century), as well as in the Tower of London (17th. century). There is a topor in the Kuppelmayr Collection in Munich, too. In Western military history, there are no special names for these weapons, unlike in Eastern Europe where they are called “topor”. We, Hungarians most likely borrowed this name from the Polish language in the first part of the 18th century. In old Slavic language, the word “toporu” stands for ax. In Turk, the long-shafted ax is called “teber”.

In the inventory made in 1654 in the castle of Fraknó, a weapon like this was mentioned like this: »egy puska, aki mind csákány, mind pizdulya« meaning: “a rifle that is both battle-ax and pistol”.

When the belongings of the Nádasdy family were listed in Pottendorf in 1669, we can read about two battle axes that “had a rifle in them”. See, they were not called “topor” at that time. When the properties of the Rákóczi-orphans were listed in 1688, we can read about an ax “that had a rifle in its shaft”.

There was an inventory made in the castle of Schwarzburg in 1726, it lists a weapon like this, adding that “it was a battle-ax for walking, ( length 1050 mm, barrel 560 mm), that can be used to fire.” and “it looks like those walking-battle (csákány sétabot) axes that were in fashion in Hungary in the 17th century”. (Source: Kalmár János)

Here are a few more interesting topor-like combined weapons:

Here is a 14mm bore wheel-lock pistol and battle-ax combination from Nuremberg, 1580:

I think they are displayed in Italy:

It is a Hungarian weapon:

Last but not least, look at this firearm from the Museum of Istanbul:

…and look at the strangest pistol I have ever seen (though it is from the early 18th century as I think):

A combinable rifle and blade (cc1650)

I thought there would not be any stranger weapons but I was wrong. This particular rifle was most likely used for hunting in German forests but I would not have been surprised if it had appeared on the battlefields as well.

The length of the sword (with its handle): 97 cm / The length of the blade: 79.5 cm; The length of the rifle (with its “stock”): 109 cm/barrel: 75.5 cm Caliber: 12, 5cm

From the 15th century, people sought to combine different weapons for a single purpose, generally a cold weapon and a firearm.  This is an instrument used for fox hunting, a cynegetic sport par excellence that was reserved for the aristocracy under the Old Regime.  It was used to kill the injured game after it was rounded up by a pack of dogs.  It consists of a blade with a double-edged knife, as well as a removable wooden handle, carved with entangled animals (dogs, rabbits, wild boars) and masks.  This removable handle, which is held in place by a spring-loaded blade at the knife’s tang, can be removed and adapted in the same way at the rear of the flint gun handle.  It can then be used as a stick.  It is also equipped with an obvious barrel, closed by a sliding lid, which serves as a bullet box.  The gun’s handle is decorated with sculptures that are similar to those on the knife’s handle.

The origin of these two combinable weapons is uncertain.  The style of the sculpture is reminiscent of a Germanic country. The stamp on the clover-shaped gun lock has not been identified and the two crooked moon crescents, which are marked on the blade, do not necessarily represent a signature. However, there is no doubt about the rarity of this item. (Donation from Pierre Solvay, 1972, source: Le Grand Curtius Museum, Liège)

Hunting weapons from Hungary, 17th century

The armories of the nobility contained a large number of valuable hunting weapons made by the masters of the day. In the 17th and 18th centuries, in addition to the simpler pieces, the wealthier lords bought many representative but functional firearms made by Western and Southern European gunsmiths.

They are a relic of the hunting of the past. Some firearms are special because of their technical innovations, others because of their decoration. Most hunting guns are elaborately crafted and decorated with mother-of-pearl, ivory, or precious metals, and were not only used on special occasions.

The decorative motifs on the bedding of hunting rifles often include depictions of animals, hunting scenes, mythological creatures, and religious themes. Our ancestors were immersed in religion and its symbols. The figure of St George, the dragon-slaying hero and most famous soldier, appears on many hunting weapons.

On all the hunting rifles in the armory of the Hungarian National Museum, the early Christian saint appears as the main motif on the left side of the rifle butt. (Source: Dr. Sánta Ákos MNM Modernkori Főosztály)

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