Personally, I'd go with a mace. No edge to maintain, simple to use, more effective against tin can or mail armour than a sword or axe, and hitting someone in the stomach to stun them, or breaking their arm, is just as good as cutting one of those areas if you follow up on it correctly. If you're facing someone with a polearm, you have no more disadvantage than someone with an axe or a sword. So for hand weapons, I'd definitely take a mace.
And a shield of course.