In the latter half of the 16th century, the Syrian region bought thousands of these staff weapons in order to equip the so-called halberdiers who wore no protection apart from a burgonet helmet, but who formed a permanent part of the soldiers conscripted to the military levy.

Halberds consist of a wooden pole, a long, sharp blade, a hook and an axe. Whilst the blade acted as a cut and thrust weapon, a rider could be pulled from his horse with the hook.