It was during the conflicts of the 17th century that the bayonet first began to make an appearance on the battlefield. Originally a knife that was shoved into the muzzle of a firearm, the concept continued to grow in popularity throughout the century and that form is known as the plug bayonet. It was not without its drawbacks. The bayonet had to be able to be firmly inserted, but also able to be removed. But perhaps its largest drawback was once the knife was inserted, the firearm could no longer be fired until it was removed.
“During this period, France was more progressive than England in making improvements to their military arms. As early as the 1660s, Vauban had been experimenting with various forms of fixing the bayonet around the outside of the muzzle, thus allowing the musketeer to discharge his piece at all times. It is believed that Vauban more or less perfected his design in the early 1690s, and by 1703, the musket and socket bayonet had completely replaced the pike as standard armament in the French Army.”
~ Erik Goldstein, The Socket Bayonet, page 8.
The socket bayonet continued to evolve over the centuries and was only gradually phased out in most countries by the latter part of the 20th century, being replaced with the knife bayonet.
