Misericorde (weapon)

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A misericorde (also known as mercygiver^[1]) was a long, narrow knife, used in medieval times to deliver the death stroke (the mercy stroke, hence the name of the blade, derived from the Latin misericordia "mercy") to a seriously wounded knight. The blade was thin enough so that it could strike through the gaps between armour plates.

This weapon could be used to dispatch knights who had received mortal wounds, which were not always quickly fatal in the age of bladed combat; it could also be used as a means of killing an active adversary, as during a grappling struggle. The blade could be used against an opponent's face, or thrust through holes or weak points in armor, such as under the arm, with the aim of piercing the heart. The weapon was known from the 12th century, and has appeared in many different nations' armaments.^[2]