![Trp-Sword-14226124129-v06](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Trp-Sword-14226124129-v06.png)
The English language terminology used in the classification of
sword
A sword is an edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter blade with a pointed ti ...
s is imprecise and has varied widely over time. There is no historical dictionary for the universal names, classification or terminology of swords; a sword was simply a double edged knife.
Historical terms without a universal consensus of definition (i.e. "arming sword", "broadsword", "long sword", etc.) were used to label weapons of similar appearance but of different historical periods, regional cultures and fabrication technology. These terms were often described in relation to other unrelated weapons, without regard to their intended use and fighting style. In
modern history
The term modern period or modern era (sometimes also called modern history or modern times) is the period of history that succeeds the Middle Ages (which ended approximately 1500 AD). This terminology is a historical periodization that is applie ...
, many of these terms have been given specific, often arbitrary meanings that are unrelated to any of their historical meanings.
Terminology
Some of these terms originate contemporaneously with the weapons which they describe. Others are modern or early modern terms used by
antiquarians
An antiquarian or antiquary () is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient artifacts, archaeological and historic si ...
,
curators
A curator (from la, cura, meaning "to take care") is a manager or overseer. When working with cultural organizations, a curator is typically a "collections curator" or an "exhibitions curator", and has multifaceted tasks dependent on the parti ...
, and modern-day sword enthusiasts for historical swords.
Terminology was further complicated by terms introduced or misinterpreted
[] ]rapier
A rapier () or is a type of sword with a slender and sharply-pointed two-edged blade that was popular in Western Europe, both for civilian use (dueling and self-defense) and as a military side arm, throughout the 16th and 17th centuries.
Impor ...
[, '']estoc
The French estoc is a type of sword, also called a tuck in English, in use from the 14th to the 17th century. It is characterized by a cruciform hilt with a grip for two-handed use and a straight, edgeless, but sharply pointed blade of around to ...
'', ''flamberge
Flamberge (also Floberge, Froberge, and other variations) is a medieval sword. Swung by a number of heroes of '' chansons de geste'' and romances, the name became a generic name for a large sword.
In earlier texts the name is usually given as ...
'', etc. in the 19th century by antiquarians and in 20th century
pop culture
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Pop music, a musical genre Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop!, a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Albums
* Pop (Gas al ...
, and by the addition of new terms such as "great sword", "''
Zweihänder
The ''Zweihänder'' () (German 'two-hander'), also ''Doppelhänder'' ('double-hander'), ''Beidhänder'' ('both-hander'), ''Bihänder'' or ''Bidenhänder'', is a large two-handed sword primarily in use during the 16th century.
''Zweihänder'' s ...
''" (instead of ''
Beidhänder''), and "cut-and-thrust sword". Historical European Martial Arts associations have turned the term ''
spada da lato
The ''spada da lato'' (Italian) or ''side-sword'' is a type of sword popular during the late 16th century.
It is a continuation of the medieval knightly sword, and the immediate predecessor (or early form) of the rapier
A rapier () or is a ...
'' into "side-sword". Furthermore, there is a deprecation of the term "broadsword" by these associations. All these newly introduced or redefined terms add to the confusion of the matter.
The most well-known systematic typology of blade types of the European medieval sword is the
Oakeshott typology
The Oakeshott typology is a way to define and catalogue the medieval sword based on physical form. It categorises the swords of the European Middle Ages (roughly 11th to 16th centuries) into 13 main types, labelled X through XXII. The historian an ...
, although this is also a modern classification and not a medieval one.
Elizabethan
The Elizabethan era is the epoch in the Tudor period of the history of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history. The symbol of Britannia (a female personifi ...
s used descriptive terms such as "short", "bastard", and "long" which emphasized the length of the blade, and "two-handed" for any sword that could be wielded by two hands.
Classification by hilt type
Handedness
The term two-handed sword, used as a general term, may refer to any large sword designed to be used primarily with two hands:
* the European longsword, popular in the
Late Middle Ages
The Late Middle Ages or Late Medieval Period was the Periodization, period of European history lasting from AD 1300 to 1500. The Late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern period (and in much of Eur ...
and
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
.
** the Scottish late medieval
claymore
A claymore (; from gd, claidheamh- mòr, "great sword") is either the Scottish variant of the late medieval two-handed sword or the Scottish variant of the basket-hilted sword. The former is characterised as having a cross hilt of forward-sl ...
(not to be confused with the basket-hilted claymore of the 18th century)
* the ''
Bidenhänder'' sword favoured by the ''
Landsknechte
The (singular: , ), also rendered as Landsknechts or Lansquenets, were Germanic mercenaries used in pike and shot formations during the early modern period. Consisting predominantly of pikemen and supporting foot soldiers, their front line wa ...
'' of 16th-century
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
.
The term "hand-and-a-half sword" is modern (late 19th century).
During the first half of the 20th century, the term "bastard sword" was used regularly to refer to this type of sword, while "long sword" or "long-sword", if used at all, referred to the
rapier
A rapier () or is a type of sword with a slender and sharply-pointed two-edged blade that was popular in Western Europe, both for civilian use (dueling and self-defense) and as a military side arm, throughout the 16th and 17th centuries.
Impor ...
(in the context of Renaissance or Early Modern fencing).
The term "single-handed sword" (or "one-handed sword") is a
retronym
A retronym is a newer name for an existing thing that helps differentiate the original form/version from a more recent one. It is thus a word or phrase created to avoid confusion between older and newer types, whereas previously (before there were ...
coined to disambiguate from "two-handed" or "hand-and-a-half" specimens.
"Single-handed sword" is used by
Sir Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet, playwright and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European and Scottish literature, notably the novels '' Ivanhoe'', '' Rob Roy' ...
. It is also used as a possible gloss of the obscure term ''tonsword'' by Nares (1822); "one-handed sword" is somewhat later, recorded from c. 1850.
Apparently, many swords were designed for left-hand use, although left-handed swords have been described as "a rarity".
Great sword
Great swords or greatswords are related to the
long sword
A longsword (also spelled as long sword or long-sword) is a type of European sword characterized as having a cruciform hilt with a grip for primarily two-handed use (around ), a straight double-edged blade of around , and weighing approximately ...
s of the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
.
The great sword proper was developed during the Renaissance, but its earlier cousin, the Scottish Claymore, was very similar in size and use, like the "outsized specimens" between 160 cm and 180 cm (approx. the same height as the user) such as the
Oakeshott type XII
The Oakeshott typology is a way to define and catalogue the medieval sword based on physical form. It categorises the swords of the European Middle Ages (roughly 11th to 16th centuries) into 13 main types, labelled X through XXII. The historian an ...
a or
Oakeshott type XIIIa. These swords were too heavy to be wielded one-handed and possessed a large grip for leverage. The point would be to hold the grip with one hand at the top of the grip, and one hand at the bottom. The top hand would push, and the bottom hand would pull; this gave extra leverage thus the sword would be easier to swing, ignoring much of its weight.
Claymore
The Scottish name "
claymore
A claymore (; from gd, claidheamh- mòr, "great sword") is either the Scottish variant of the late medieval two-handed sword or the Scottish variant of the basket-hilted sword. The former is characterised as having a cross hilt of forward-sl ...
" ( gd, claidheamh mór, lit. "large/great sword")
can refer to either the longsword with a distinctive two-handed grip, or the
basket-hilted sword
The basket-hilted sword is a sword type of the early modern era characterised by a basket-shaped guard that protects the hand. The basket hilt is a development of the quillons added to swords' crossguards since the Late Middle Ages.
In mo ...
. The two handed claymore is an early Scottish version of a greatsword.
''Zweihänder''
The ''
Zweihänder
The ''Zweihänder'' () (German 'two-hander'), also ''Doppelhänder'' ('double-hander'), ''Beidhänder'' ('both-hander'), ''Bihänder'' or ''Bidenhänder'', is a large two-handed sword primarily in use during the 16th century.
''Zweihänder'' s ...
'' ("two-hander") or ''Beidhänder'' ("both-hander") is a true two-handed sword, in the sense that it cannot be wielded in only one hand. It was a specialist weapon wielded by certain ''
Landsknecht
The (singular: , ), also rendered as Landsknechts or Lansquenets, were Germanic mercenaries used in pike and shot formations during the early modern period. Consisting predominantly of pikemen and supporting foot soldiers, their front line wa ...
e'' (mercenary soldiers), so-called ''
Doppelsöldner
("double-mercenaries", "double-pay men", from German ''doppel-'' meaning double, ''Sold'' meaning pay) were ''Landsknechte'' in 16th-century Germany who volunteered to fight in the front line, taking on extra risk, in exchange for double payment. ...
s''.
Classification by blade type
Double-edge and straight swords
These are double-edged, usually straight bladed swords, designed for optimized balance, reach and versatility.
(;
Cantonese
Cantonese ( zh, t=廣東話, s=广东话, first=t, cy=Gwóngdūng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Canton) and its surrounding are ...
: ) is a double-edged straight
sword
A sword is an edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter blade with a pointed ti ...
used during the last 2,500 years in
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
. The first Chinese sources that mention the date to the 7th century BC during the
Spring and Autumn period
The Spring and Autumn period was a period in Chinese history from approximately 770 to 476 BC (or according to some authorities until 403 BC) which corresponds roughly to the first half of the Eastern Zhou period. The period's name derives fr ...
; one of the earliest specimens being the
Sword of Goujian
The Sword of Goujian ( zh, c=越王勾践剑, p=Yuèwáng Gōujiàn jiàn, links=no) is a tin bronze sword, renowned for its unusual sharpness, intricate design and resistance to tarnish rarely seen in artifacts of similar age. The sword is gene ...
. Historical one-handed versions have blades varying from in length. The weight of an average sword of blade-length would be in a range of approximately . There are also larger two-handed versions used by ancient and medieval armies and for training by many styles of
Chinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts, often called by the umbrella terms Kung fu (term), kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (sport), wushu (), are Styles of Chinese martial arts, multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater China. Th ...
. Two handed jians from the time of the
Chu and
Han Dynasty
The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) and a warr ...
were up to long.
Longsword
These days, the term
longsword
A longsword (also spelled as long sword or long-sword) is a type of European sword characterized as having a cruciform hilt with a grip for primarily two-handed use (around ), a straight double-edged blade of around , and weighing approximatel ...
most frequently refers to a late Medieval and Renaissance weapon designed for use with two hands. The
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
("long sword") in 15th-century
manuals did not necessarily denote a type of weapon, but the technique of fencing with both hands at the hilt.
The French and the English ''bastard sword'' originate in the 15th or 16th century, originally having the general sense of "irregular sword or sword of uncertain origin". It was "
swordwhich was neither French, nor Spanish, nor properly
erman Erman Rašiti may refer to:
Given name
* Erman Bulucu (born 1989), Turkish footballer
* Erman Eltemur (born 1993), Turkish karateka
* Erman Güraçar (born 1974), Turkish footballer
* Erman Kılıç (born 1983), Turkish footballer
* Erman Kunter (b ...
but longer than any of these sturdy swords." could also historically refer to a single-handed sword with a fairly long blade compared to other short swords.
Joseph Swetnam
Joseph Swetnam (died 1621) was an English pamphleteer and fencing master. He is best known for a misogynistic pamphlet and an early English fencing treatise. Three defensive responses as pamphlets were made by Rachel Speght, Ester Sowernam and ...
states that the bastard sword is midway in length between an arming sword and a long sword,
and Randall Cotgrave's definition seems to imply this, as well. The French was also known as (i.e., bastard sword) and also (literally a cross-hilted blade). The term referred to a medieval single-handed sword optimized for thrusting.
The was the sidearm of the (French or Breton bowmen of the 15th and 16th centuries).
The term comes from the fact that these swords passed () the length of a "normal" short sword.
The "Masters of Defence" competition organised by
Henry VIII
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
in July 1540 listed "two hande sworde", "bastard sworde", and "longe sworde" as separate items (as it should in Joseph Swetnam's context).
Antiquarian usage in the 19th century established the use of "bastard sword" as referring unambiguously to these large swords. However,
George Silver
George Silver (ca. 1550s–1620s) was a gentleman of England during the late 16th and early 17th centuries, who is known for his writings on swordplay. He is thought to have been the eldest of four brothers (one of whom, Toby, was also a swordsm ...
and Joseph Swetnam refer to them merely as "two hande sworde". The term "
hand-and-a-half sword
A longsword (also spelled as long sword or long-sword) is a type of European sword characterized as having a cruciform hilt with a grip for primarily two-handed use (around ), a straight double-edged blade of around , and weighing approximate ...
" is modern (late 19th century).
During the first half of the 20th century, the term "bastard sword" was used regularly to refer to this type of sword.
The
Elizabethan
The Elizabethan era is the epoch in the Tudor period of the history of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history. The symbol of Britannia (a female personifi ...
long sword (cf. George Silver
and Joseph Swetnam) is a single-handed "cut-and-thrust" sword with a blade
similar to the long rapier. "Let thy (long) Rapier or (long) Sword be foure foote at the least, and thy dagger two foote." Historical terms (15th to 16th century) for this type of sword included the
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
and
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
.
The term longsword has been used to refer to different kinds of sword depending on historical context:
* or two-hander, a late Renaissance sword of the 16th century , the longest sword of all;
* the long "
side sword" or "
rapier
A rapier () or is a type of sword with a slender and sharply-pointed two-edged blade that was popular in Western Europe, both for civilian use (dueling and self-defense) and as a military side arm, throughout the 16th and 17th centuries.
Impor ...
"
with a cutting edge (the
Elizabethan
The Elizabethan era is the epoch in the Tudor period of the history of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history. The symbol of Britannia (a female personifi ...
long sword).
The was a double-edged longsword used by the Romans. The idea for the came from the swords of ancient Celts in Germany and Britain. It was longer than the , and had more reach, so the was most popular with soldiers in the cavalry. The blade could range between long while the handle was usually between .
Broadsword
*
Claymore
A claymore (; from gd, claidheamh- mòr, "great sword") is either the Scottish variant of the late medieval two-handed sword or the Scottish variant of the basket-hilted sword. The former is characterised as having a cross hilt of forward-sl ...
*
Basket-hilted sword
The basket-hilted sword is a sword type of the early modern era characterised by a basket-shaped guard that protects the hand. The basket hilt is a development of the quillons added to swords' crossguards since the Late Middle Ages.
In mo ...
*
Sabre
A sabre ( French: sabʁ or saber in American English) is a type of backsword with a curved blade associated with the light cavalry of the early modern and Napoleonic periods. Originally associated with Central European cavalry such as th ...
The term "
broadsword
The basket-hilted sword is a sword type of the early modern era characterised by a basket-shaped guard that protects the hand. The basket hilt is a development of the quillons added to swords' crossguards since the Late Middle Ages.
In mod ...
" was never used historically to describe the one-handed
arming sword
In the European High Middle Ages, the typical sword (sometimes academically categorized as the knightly sword, arming sword, or in full, knightly arming sword) was a straight, double-edged weapon with a single-handed, cruciform (i.e., cross-shape ...
. The arming sword was wrongly labelled a broadsword by antiquarians as the medieval swords were similar in blade width to the military swords of the day (that were also sometimes labeled as broadswords) and broader than the dueling swords and ceremonial dress swords.
Shortswords and daggers
Knives such as the
seax
''Seax'' (; also sax, sæx, sex; invariant in plural, latinized ''sachsum'') is an Old English word for "knife". In modern archaeology, the term ''seax'' is used specifically for a type of small sword, knife or dagger typical of the Germanic pe ...
and other blades of similar length – between – are sometimes construed as ''swords''. This is especially the case for weapons from antiquity, made before the development of high quality steel that is necessary for longer swords, in particular:
*
Iron Age sword
Swords made of iron (as opposed to Bronze Age sword, bronze) appear from the Early Iron Age (c. 12th century BC), but do not become widespread before the 8th century BC.
Early Iron Age swords were significantly different from later steel swords. ...
s:
**
Seax
''Seax'' (; also sax, sæx, sex; invariant in plural, latinized ''sachsum'') is an Old English word for "knife". In modern archaeology, the term ''seax'' is used specifically for a type of small sword, knife or dagger typical of the Germanic pe ...
, a tool and weapon, common in Northern Europe.
**, an early ancient Roman thrusting shortsword for
legionaries
The Roman legionary (in Latin ''legionarius'', plural ''legionarii'') was a professional heavy infantryman of the Roman army after the Marian reforms. These soldiers would conquer and defend the territories of ancient Rome during the late Republi ...
**, a double-edged, single-hand blade used by the ancient Greeks;
*Certain Renaissance-era sidearms:
**
Baselard
The baselard, ''Schwiizerdolch'' in Swiss-German (also ''basilard, baslard'', in Middle French also and variants, Latinized etc., in Middle High German ) is a historical type of dagger or short sword of the Late Middle Ages.
Etymology
In mode ...
, a late medieval heavy dagger;
**, a civilian long dagger;
**
Dirk
A dirk is a long bladed thrusting dagger.Chisholm, Hugh (ed.), ''Dagger'', The Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th ed., Vol. VII, New York, NY: Cambridge University Press (1910), p. 729 Historically, it gained its name from the Highland Dirk (Scot ...
, the Scottish long dagger ();
**
Hanger or wood-knife, a type of
hunting sword
A hunting sword is a type of single-handed short sword that dates to the 12th Century but was used during hunting parties among Europeans from the 17th to the 19th centuries. A hunting sword usually has a straight, single-edged, pointed blade typi ...
or infantry
sabre
A sabre ( French: sabʁ or saber in American English) is a type of backsword with a curved blade associated with the light cavalry of the early modern and Napoleonic periods. Originally associated with Central European cavalry such as th ...
;
*Certain
fascine knives
The fascine knife was a Sidearm (weapon), side arm / tool issued to 17th to 19th century light infantry and artillery. It served both as a personal weapon and as a tool for cutting fascines (bundles of sticks used to strengthen the sides of Tren ...
:
**
Model 1832 Foot Artillery Sword, a blade of about in length designed after the Roman . Also known as a (literally "cabbage cutter") in France.
Oversized two-handers used as parade swords or ceremonial weapons often exceeded the length and weight of practical weapons of war.
Edgeless and thrusting swords
The edgeless swords category comprises weapons which are related to or labelled as "swords" but do not emphasise hacking or slashing techniques or have any cutting edges whatsoever. The majority of these elongated weapons were designed for agility, precision and rapid thrusting blows to exploit gaps in the enemy's defences; the major joints of the arms, the opening in a visor. However they mainly saw prominence outside the battlefield as a duelling weapon.
Basket-hilted sword
The ''
basket-hilted sword
The basket-hilted sword is a sword type of the early modern era characterised by a basket-shaped guard that protects the hand. The basket hilt is a development of the quillons added to swords' crossguards since the Late Middle Ages.
In mo ...
'' is a
sword
A sword is an edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter blade with a pointed ti ...
type of the
early modern era characterised by a basket-shaped
guard
Guard or guards may refer to:
Professional occupations
* Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault
* Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street
* Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning
* Prison ...
that protects the hand. The basket hilt is a development of the
quillons added to swords' crossguards since the Late Middle Ages.
In modern times, this variety of sword is also sometimes referred to as the broadsword.
The were always armed with a as a secondary weapon. Among most Greek warriors, this weapon had an iron blade of about 60 centimetres. The Spartan version was typically only 30–45 centimetres. The Spartan's shorter weapon proved deadly in the crush caused by colliding phalanx formations – it was capable of being thrust through gaps in the enemy's shield wall and armour, where there was no room for longer weapons. The groin and throat were among the favourite targets.
Rapier
The term "
rapier
A rapier () or is a type of sword with a slender and sharply-pointed two-edged blade that was popular in Western Europe, both for civilian use (dueling and self-defense) and as a military side arm, throughout the 16th and 17th centuries.
Impor ...
" appeared in the English lexicon via the French which either compared the weapon to a rasp or file; it may be a corruption of "rasping sword" which referred to the sound the blade makes when it comes into contact with another blade. There is no historical Italian equivalent to the English word "rapier".
Panzerstecher and koncerz
The ("armour stabber") is a German and East European weapon with a long, edgeless blade of square or triangular cross-section for penetrating armour. Early models were either two-handers or "hand-and-a-half" hilted, while later 16th and 17th century models (also known as ''
koncerz
A koncerz with a conventional cutting edge
A koncerz () is a type of sword used by Polish-Lithuanian hussars in the Renaissance period. It is a narrow and long thrusting sword, generally used by a type of heavy cavalry (husaria, the famed Polish ...
'') were one-handed and used by cavalry.
Tuck and verdun
The "tuck" (French , Italian ) is an edgeless blade of square or triangular cross-section used for thrusting. In French, also means thrust or point; and means cut and thrust.
The tuck may also get its name from the verb "to tuck" which means "to shorten".
Small-sword
The
small sword
The small sword or smallsword (also court sword, Gaelic: or claybeg, French: or dress sword) is a light one-handed sword designed for thrusting which evolved out of the longer and heavier rapier of the late Renaissance. The height of the small ...
or smallsword (also court sword or dress sword, french: épée de cour) is a light one-handed sword designed for thrusting which evolved out of the longer and heavier rapier of the late
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
. The height of the small sword's popularity was between the mid-17th and late 18th century. It is thought to have appeared in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
and spread quickly across the rest of
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
. The small sword was the immediate predecessor of the Épée de Combat from which the
Épée
The ( or , ), sometimes spelled epee in English, is the largest and heaviest of the three weapons used in the sport of fencing. The modern derives from the 19th-century , a weapon which itself derives from the French small sword. This contains ...
developed and its method of use—as typified in the works of such authors as Sieur de Liancour,
Domenico Angelo
Domenico Angelo (1717 Leghorn, Italy – 1802, Twickenham, England), was an Italian sword and fencing master, also known as Angelo Domenico Malevolti Tremamondo. The son of a merchant, he was the founder of the Angelo Family of fencers. He has ...
, Monsieur J. Olivier, and Monsieur L'Abbat—developed into the techniques of the French classical school of fencing. Small swords were also used as status symbols and fashion accessories; for most of the 18th century anyone, civilian or military, with pretensions to gentlemanly status would have worn a small sword on a daily basis.
Single-edge and curved swords
These are single-cutting edged, usually thick or curved construction bladed swords, typically designed for slashing, chopping, severing limbs, tripping or broad sweeping techniques; but were often very poorly designed for stabbing. Swordsmen were trained to use the dulled side for defensive and blocking techniques.
Backsword
The
backsword
A backsword is a type of sword characterised by having a single-edged blade and a hilt with a single-handed grip. It is so called because the triangular cross section gives a flat back edge opposite the cutting edge. Later examples often have a ...
was a single-edged, straight-bladed sword, typically for military use. This type of sword had a thickened back to the blade (opposite the cutting edge), which gave the blade strength. The backsword blade was cheaper to manufacture than a two-edged blade. This type of sword was first developed in Europe in the 15th century and reflected the emergence of asymmetric guards, which made a two-edged blade somewhat redundant. The backsword reached its greatest use in the 17th and 18th century when many cavalry swords, such as the British
1796 Heavy Cavalry Sword
The Pattern 1796 heavy cavalry sword was the sword used by the British heavy cavalry (Lifeguards, Royal Horse Guards, Dragoon Guards and Dragoons), and King's German Legion Dragoons, through most of the period of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic W ...
, were of this form.
are single-edged
Chinese sword
Historically, Chinese swords are classified into two types, the ''jian'' and the ''dao''. A ''Jian'' is a straight, double-edged sword mainly used for stabbing, and has been commonly translated into the English language as a longsword; while a '' ...
s, primarily used for slashing and chopping. The most common form is also known as the , although those with wider blades are sometimes referred to as . In China, the dao is considered one of the four traditional weapons, along with the (stick or staff), (spear), and the (sword). It is considered "The General of All Weapons".
Hook sword
The hook sword, twin hooks, or (), also known as (tiger head hook), is a Chinese weapon traditionally associated with
northern styles of Chinese martial arts and
Wushu weapons routines, but now often practiced by
southern styles as well.
Unlike the , which is a thrusting weapon, the was a hacking weapon in the form of a thick, curved single edged iron sword. In Athenian art, Spartan hoplites were often depicted using a instead of the , as the was seen as a quintessential "villain" weapon in Greek eyes.
Khopesh
The
khopesh
The ''khopesh'' ('; also vocalized khepesh) is an Egyptian sickle-shaped sword that evolved from battle axes.
Description
A typical ''khopesh'' is 50–60 cm (20–24 inches) in length, though smaller examples also exist. The inside c ...
is an
ancient Egyptian curved short sword with a length of approx. 50–60 cm long and typically made of bronze or iron.
Katana
Historically, were one of the traditionally made that were used by the
samurai
were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...
of
feudal Japan
The first human inhabitants of the Japanese archipelago have been traced to Japanese Paleolithic, prehistoric times around 30,000 BC. The Jōmon period, named after its cord-marked pottery, was followed by the Yayoi period in the first millenni ...
.
Modern versions of the katana are sometimes made using non-traditional materials and methods. The katana is characterized by its distinctive appearance: a curved, slender, single-edged blade usually with a round guard and long grip to accommodate two hands.
Hanger
The
hanger (obs. ''whinyard, whinger, cuttoe''), wood-knife, or
hunting sword
A hunting sword is a type of single-handed short sword that dates to the 12th Century but was used during hunting parties among Europeans from the 17th to the 19th centuries. A hunting sword usually has a straight, single-edged, pointed blade typi ...
is a long knife or short sword that hangs from the belt and was popular as both a hunting tool and weapon of war.
Falchion and cutlass
The
falchion
A falchion (; Old French: ''fauchon''; Latin: ''falx'', "sickle") is a one-handed, single-edged sword of European origin. Falchions are found in different forms from around the 13th century up to and including the 16th century. In some version ...
(French , Spanish ) proper is a wide straight-bladed but curved edged
hanger or long knife. The term 'falchion' may also refer to the early
cutlass
A cutlass is a short, broad sabre or slashing sword, with a straight or slightly curved blade sharpened on the cutting edge, and a hilt often featuring a solid cupped or basket-shaped guard. It was a common naval weapon during the early Age of ...
.
The
cutlass
A cutlass is a short, broad sabre or slashing sword, with a straight or slightly curved blade sharpened on the cutting edge, and a hilt often featuring a solid cupped or basket-shaped guard. It was a common naval weapon during the early Age of ...
or curtal-axe also known as a falchion (French ; Italian ; German ) is a broad-bladed curved
hanger or long knife. In later usage, 'cutlass' referred to the short naval boarding
sabre
A sabre ( French: sabʁ or saber in American English) is a type of backsword with a curved blade associated with the light cavalry of the early modern and Napoleonic periods. Originally associated with Central European cavalry such as th ...
.
Sabre
The
sabre
A sabre ( French: sabʁ or saber in American English) is a type of backsword with a curved blade associated with the light cavalry of the early modern and Napoleonic periods. Originally associated with Central European cavalry such as th ...
(US saber) or shable (French , Spanish , Italian , German , Russian , Hungarian , Polish , Ukrainian ) is a single-edged curved bladed cavalry sword.
Scimitar
The
scimitar
A scimitar ( or ) is a single-edged sword with a convex curved blade associated with Middle Eastern, South Asian, or North African cultures. A European term, ''scimitar'' does not refer to one specific sword type, but an assortment of different ...
(French , Italian ) is a type of saber that came to refer in general to any sabre used by the Turks or Ottomans (), Persians () and more specifically the (Albanian and Greek mercenaries who fought in the French-Italian Wars and were employed throughout Western Europe). The scimitar proper was the saber, and the term was introduced into France by
Philippe de Commines
Philippe de Commines (or de Commynes or "Philippe de Comines"; Latin: ''Philippus Cominaeus''; 1447 – 18 October 1511) was a writer and diplomat in the courts of Burgundy and France. He has been called "the first truly modern writer" (Charles ...
(1447 – 18 October 1511) as ,
Italy (especially the Venetian Republic who hired the as mercenaries) as , and England as ''cimeter'' or scimitar via the French and Italian terms.
See also
*
*
Types of swords
This is a list of types of swords.
The term sword used here is a narrow definition. This is not a general List of premodern combat weapons and does not include the machete or similar "sword-like" weapons.
African swords North African swords
...
*
History of the sword
The different types of bladed weapons (Sword, swords, Small sword, dress-swords, Sabre, sabers, Rapier, rapiers, Foil (fencing), foils, Machete, machetes, Dagger, daggers, Knife, knives, Arrowhead, arrowheads, etc..) have been of great importance ...
*
Oakeshott typology
The Oakeshott typology is a way to define and catalogue the medieval sword based on physical form. It categorises the swords of the European Middle Ages (roughly 11th to 16th centuries) into 13 main types, labelled X through XXII. The historian an ...
References
External links
Best and most powerful martial arts, fight science
{{Swords by region
Top Quality Bokken/ Katana Sword available for Martial Arts training
Lists of swords
Blade weapons
Swords
A sword is a cutting and/or thrusting weapon.
Sword, Swords, or The Sword may also refer to:
Places
* Swords, Dublin, a large suburban town in the Irish capital
* Swords, Georgia, a community in the United States
* Sword Beach, code name for ...