Many different swords fall into this category and many of them are as maneuverable as they are surprisingly sturdy. The "longsword" type exists in a morphological continuum with . Special, versatile (1d8) The middle ground between an arming sword and a longsword --sometimes called a "hand and a half sword"-- this blade's hilt is short enough to be used in one hand while also being long enough to warrant two hands if needed though it isn't as effective as a longsword . Its handle featured a waisted shape, tapering towards shorter, thinner half-grips. [citation needed] 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. The term hand and . [citation needed], The French pe btarde and the English bastard sword originate in the 15th or 16th century,[citation needed] originally having the general sense of "irregular sword or sword of uncertain origin". The hand-and-a-half swords had straight, double-edged blades. However, the reduced weight near the tips made them less efficient for slashing. The later hardened plate armours, complete with ridges and roping, posed a threat against the careless attacker. It allowed more accurate and powerful thrusts against armored opponents. 8 . A rapier (/ r e p i r /) or espada ropera 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.. [citation needed], The sabre (US saber) or shable (French sabre, Spanish sable, Italian sciabola, German Sbel, Russian sablya, Hungarian szablya, Polish szabla, Ukrainian shablya) is a single-edged curved bladed cavalry sword.[57]. A hand-and-a-half sword can be anywhere from 3.5 to 4.5 feet long and generally weighs around 2-4 pounds.
Hand and a Half Sword 88HNH Bastard Sword by Cold Steel - Get a Sword The lack of significant torso and limb protection leads to the use of a large amount of cutting and slicing techniques in addition to thrusts.
Irish Hand and Half Sword by Legacy Arms - CAS Iberia The most common form is also known as the Chinese sabre, although those with wider blades are sometimes referred to as Chinese broadswords. Sword Length: 42 5/8". The longsword was a quick, effective, and versatile weapon capable of deadly thrusts, slices, and cuts. Product description.
Today, it is among the most common weapons used in HEMA. The "Masters of Defence" competition organised by Henry VIII in July 1540 listed two handed sword and bastard sword as two separate items. These techniques could be nearly instantly fatal or incapacitating, as a thrust to the skull, heart, or major blood vessel would cause massive trauma. Type XVIa is the classical "longsword" of the 14th and 15th centuries. On the contrary, the hand-and-a-half sword had a longer grip to allow it to be wielded with one or two hands, delivering a more powerful blow in one stroke if necessary. [25] The term passot comes from the fact that these swords passed (passaient) the length of a "normal" short sword. 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. Hand-and-a-half swords can be used with one or both hands as needed in combat. The bastard sword also had a long thin long blade that tapered into a point. Hand-and-a-half swords varied in their blade length, usually ranging from 88 to 100 centimeters (35 to 40 inches). Properties. [citation needed] In French, estoc also means thrust or point; and estoc et taille means cut and thrust.
German Bastard or Hand-And -A-Half Sword, early 16th century | Barnebys The Archaeology of Weapons: Arms and Armour from Prehistory to the Age of Chivalry, Fighting: Teaching the Foundations of Sigmund Ringecks Style, A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration, and Use of Arms and Armor in All Countries and in All Times: Together with Some Closely Related Subjects, Medieval Combat: A Fifteenth-Century Manual of Swordfighting and Close-Quarter Combat. Hand Forged High Carbon Steel Viking Sword, Sharp / Battle Ready Medieval Sword. Regardless of what they are called these swords areall of a type that is iconic to the middle ages. Knives such as the seax and other blades of similar length between 30 and 60cm (1 and 2ft) are sometimes construed as swords. By the second half of the 16th century, it persisted mostly as a weapon for sportive competition (Schulfechten), and possibly in knightly duels. Most hand-and-a-half swords had a diamond cross-section with a central ridge, creating a more rigid blade and specialized anti-armor tip for thrusting. However, a section on one-handed use is among the volume and demonstrates the techniques and advantages, such as sudden additional reach, of single-handed longsword play. The hand-and-a-half sword is particularly versatile in this regard. Folio 158 v.). Replicated from a sword thought to be that of Albrecht II of Austria, the Hand-and-a-Half Sword represents the pinnacle of beauty and balance in medieval swords. Perhaps. Quantity. Hilt length: 34 cm (13 3/8") Pommel Length: 6.2 cm (2 7/16 in.) [23] The manual also presents half-sword techniques as an integral part of armoured combat.
Cold Steel - Kris Sword - Kult of Athena 2023, Arms & Armor The term hand-and-a-half sword is often used interchangeably with longsword, although it is not entirely accurate. The hand-and-a-half swords optimized the combination of reach, maneuverability, and weight. A defining characteristic of the sword isn't the overall length, it's the length of the handle. 4.14-3.1 cm, then sharp point. [27][28][29][self-published source? Today, the two terms are used interchangeably, with some people referring to as a hand-and-a-half sword and others calling it a bastard sword. Its length is 118,5 cm with a blade of 89,5 cm and it weighs 2150 g. The grip gives the sword a unique character. Here are the unique characteristics of hand-and-a-half swords: Historical hand-and-a-half sword blades were often made of a single piece of steel and were hardened by quenching. These swords were what we today call a "Hand and a Half" sword, or rather swords that can be utilized for either one-handed or two-handed use. 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 (in the context of Renaissance or Early Modern fencing).[9]. Important sources for rapier fencing include the Italian Bolognese group, with early representatives such as Antonio .
Medieval Agincourt War Sword - Battlecry by Windlass - Museum Replicas The variety of longswords that have survived are diverse and it is obvious that personal preference and intended use where important factors in what a warrior of the period would choose to use. As an example, the Type XIX blade cross section are not as common as they seem to be in the surviving historical examples, and the tuck style blade is rarely seen at all in modern production and is often only done as a custom order. Add to cart. Cod. When pike formations became common on battlefield tactics, ranged weapons proved more effective against pikemen, diminishing the advantages of hand-and-a-half swords. This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 01:56. The longsword has many names in the English language, which, aside from variant spellings, include terms such as "bastard sword" and "hand-and-a-half sword." The arming sword was the most used sword type in the medieval period. Some of the earliest swords seemingly designed for two handed use are the "Grete Swords of War" of the 13thC. This . Length. Powered by Shopify. $440. 750-1050)-language text, Articles containing Russian-language text, Articles containing Hungarian-language text, Articles containing Ukrainian-language text, Articles containing Turkish-language text, Articles containing Persian-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 20 December 2022, at 11:53. The idea for the spatha came from the swords of ancient Celts in Germany and Britain. [citation needed] It is thought to have appeared in France and spread quickly across the rest of Europe.
Medieval Weapons: Longsword. Types of Longswords, Facts and History Rather, it's intended to be used with either one hand or both, depending on the user's preferences and the circumstances in which he or she is using it. Factory SecondsLoose Cross Guard, Tight Fit in Scabbard Based on a Medieval European Hand and Half, or "Bastard" sword, with stainless steel cross guard and wheel pommel. probably German. When wielded two-handed, they become brutally effective slashing or chopping weapons. ca. Swordecyclopedia 2022 - All Rights Reserved, Medieval Swordsmanship: Illustrated Methods And Techniques, Medieval Military Technology, Second Edition. [26] Instead, the energy of the cut becomes essentially pure concussive energy. avg.
Bastard Sword, Variant (5e Equipment) - D&D Wiki Sword Length: 42 5/8". There is no historical dictionary for the universal names, classification or terminology of swords; a sword was simply a double edged knife. As such, warriors using the hand-and-a-half sword were given more options.
Longswords vs Two Handed Swords - Arms & Armor Ewart Oakeshott distinguishes twelve different types. [17]:plate 58 Some manuals even depict the cross as a hammer. These swords have a point of balance at 5 inches and a point of harmonics at 21 inches. Blade Length: 34.5 Inches ; Handle Length: 11.5 Inches ; Overall Length: 46 Inches ; Balance Point: 3.5 Inches Below Hilt ; Weight: 2 lbs. Ewart Oakeshott classified medieval swords into types, focusing on their blade type, pommel, and crossguard designs. Hand-and-a-Half (26) Length. A bastard sword or hand-and-a-halfer[1] are swords which fall between the longsword or broadsword and the two-handed greatsword in size. Unlike the xiphos, which is a thrusting weapon, the kopis was a hacking weapon in the form of a thick, curved single edged iron sword. The hanger (obs. Elizabethans 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 of swords - Wikipedia The French pe btarde and the English "bastard sword" originate in the 15th or 16th century, originally in the general sense of "irregular sword, sword of uncertain origin", but by the mid-16th century could refer to exceptionally large swords. The distinction between two-handed swords and longswords can be confusing, and the deeper you delve into marginal cases the less clear the distinction can become. The grete war sword, also called epee de guerre or great sword, was an earlier type of longsword used throughout most of western Europe. . The term "hand-and-a-half sword" is modern (late 19th century). The basket hilt is a development of the quillons added to swords' crossguards since the Late Middle Ages. Two handed jians from the time of the Chu and Han Dynasty were up to 150cm (58in) long.
The Weapons of an English Medieval Knight These are all in reference to swords commonly called hand and a half swords or longswords today. The Scabbard All Hanwei western medieval swords come with a nicely made scabbard. Overall lenght 118,5 cm - Wheight 1300 g. 5152 . It remained in use as a weapon of war intended for wielders wearing full plate armour either on foot or on horseback, throughout the late medieval period. During the first half of the 20th century, the term "bastard sword" was also used regularly to refer to this type of sword, while "long sword" (or "long-sword"), if used at all, referred to the rapier (in the context of Renaissance or Early Modern fencing).[7]. Type XVIIIc blades are somewhat broader and shorter (about 85cm), and sometimes have a short and narrow fuller. Hand-and-a-Half Style Hilt Padded Leather Grip Tapered Blade for Slashing or Thrusting Now Available in Standard or Fully Tempered Carbon Steel Blade Full Tang Models on Sale To Order Model No. Minneapolis Minnesota The term "hand-and-a-half sword" is modern (late 19th century). Inspired from swords used during the late 14th through to the mid-16th centuries, this is a hand and a half length sword and is fully functional. They had handles of roughly 17 to 25 centimeters (7 to 10 inches), excluding pommels, and weighed about 3 to 4 pounds. A longsword typically features a blade with a length of approximately 33 to 41 inches (85 to 110 cm). "[20] Espe bastarde could also historically refer to a single-handed sword with a fairly long blade compared to other short swords. Maximum Diameter: 4.2 cm (1 5/8 in.) The cutlass or curtal-axe also known as a falchion (French badelaire, braquemart,[54] coutelas,[55] malchus; Italian coltellaccio, storta; German messer,[56] dussack, malchus) is a broad-bladed curved hanger or long knife. The distance between the hands obviously increases the leverage that combatant could exert on the weapon. 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 15 to 30cm or 6 to 12in), a straight double-edged blade of around 80 to 110cm (31 to 43in), and weighing approximately 1 to 1.5kg (2lb 3oz to 3lb 5oz).[1][2]. Of these, "bastard sword" is the oldest, its use being contemporaneous with the weapon's heyday. The term "rapier" appeared in the English lexicon via the French pe rapire which either compared the weapon to a rasp or file; it may be a corruption of "rasping sword"[38] which referred to the sound the blade makes[39] when it comes into contact with another blade. The expression fechten mit dem langen schwert ("fencing with the long sword") in the German school of fencing denotes the style of fencing which uses both hands at the hilt; fechten mit dem kurzen schwert ("fencing with the short sword") is used in half-sword fighting, with one hand gripping the blade.