lance

The small unit that surrounded a knight when we went into battle during the 14th and 15th centuries. A lance might have consisted of one or two squires , the knight himself, one to three men-at-arms , and possibly an archer . Lances were often combined under the banner of a higher ranking nobleman to form companies of knights that would act as an ad-hoc unit.

The long shaft of ash tipped with a sharp iron or steel tip, varying in length from 9 to 14 feet in length. A vamplate was developed near the end of the 15th century to protect the hand and arm, and lance rests were built into breastplates from the late 14th century onwards to help steady the lance as the horse galloped towards the target.

long pointed pole used as a weapon in war and jousting.