During the medieval era, there were many fascinating weapons used worldwide. And of course, most of these weapons are now completely obsolete. One of these weapons is the flail. Flails originated as an agricultural tool that was used to strike a pile of grain and loosen the husks. They began being used as weapons during the 5th crusade and gained popularity during the late middle ages. Flails were considered to be a peasant’s weapon and the peasant flail consisted of a long staff with hinged striking end that required two hands.
Another type of flail that was commonly used throughout Europe is the ball-and-chain flail. This flail contained a wooden handle, a metal chain and one or more spherical striking ends. Other names for this flail include the military flail, mace and chain or morning star. The ball-and-chain flails often contained metal spikes on the striking ends and chains could be several feet long.
Although flails are frequently depicted in art and popular culture, they weren’t used as much in practice as people might think. In terms of weapons, they were much less precise or practical than swords, as they were quite difficult to maneuver.
Over the years, flails have become incredibly popular tattoos. In fact, rapper Post Malone has one inked on his face! Take a look at 75 amazing tattoos of flails in the gallery below, then let us know your thoughts on this medieval weapon in the comments section on social media.