medieval flailThe medieval war flail was a shorter weapon consisting of a wooden handle connected by a chain, rope, or leather strap to one or more striking heads. Variants such as the kistensometimes smooth, sometimes spikedspread from Eastern Europe to the West from the 10th century onward. Illustrations from the 15th to 17th centuries show both large two handed flails and shorter, one handed versions. Well known examples can be seen in the painting Battle of