What is a “lance”?

The story behind the answer

Knights carried this as their primary shock weapon for mounted charges. Long, sturdy, and balanced for use from horseback, it was couched under the arm and braced against a saddle and sometimes a metal “lance rest” on the breastplate to deliver devastating impact. Unlike infantry polearms such as pikes, it wasn’t meant for tight formations on foot, and it had a hand guard (vamplate) and lighter wood so it could be aimed and, often, shatter on impact.

Beyond the battlefield, it became central to the sport of jousting, where specially blunted versions were used in tournaments. The rise of disciplined infantry and gunpowder gradually reduced its battlefield dominance, but its image—knight leveled for the charge—remains one of the most enduring symbols of medieval warfare.