Medieval Swords

Ancient Swords: Medieval and Historical Swords

medieval swords

The name “sword” comes from the Latin “spatha”, which was a Roman weapon, developed in the 1st century from the gladius used by infantry. Unlike the gladius, the spatha had a longer length, between 70 and 100 cm, to be used by cavalry. Several centuries later, starting from the design of the spatha, medieval swords were developed.

Medieval swords as weapons were used from the 5th to the 16th century. It was a typical weapon of the medieval knight.

Characteristics of medieval swords

Medieval swords are straight, double-edged swords with one or two-handed handles. They are also characterized by having a flattened lenticular profile with grooves on both sides, which serves to lighten the swords, but without reducing their resistance.

The average length of a medieval sword blade is between 70 and 85 cm.

The tip of a medieval sword was capable of piercing almost any type of armor of the time.

The balance point of the blade was closer to the guard than on a spatha, which made handling this weapon easier.

The weight of medieval swords varies between 900 g and 1.3 kg.

Types of medieval swords

Medieval swords differ in many ways. One of the most important is the type of edge. There are single-edged swords and double-edged swords.

Almost all single-edged swords are Asian swords, while double-edged swords were more commonly used in medieval Europe. The unsharpened side of the blade of this type of sword was used for counterattack.

Another of the big differences between medieval swords is the way they are handled, that is, whether it is a one-handed or two-handed sword.

Among the medieval one-handed swords the following types can be highlighted:

· Swords from the Bronze Age (60 cm).

· Swords from the Iron Age.

· Roman spatha (80-90 cm long).

· The classic medieval European sword (85-115 cm).

· Baselard or Swiss sword (80-100 cm)

· The Italian Cinquedea (80-100 cm)

· The German Katzbalger (80-100 cm)

· The Japanese sword Wakizashi

· The Arab Scimitar

· Persian Shamshir

· The Kalis or Kris of eastern India (80-90cm)

· The Japanese Ninjato

· The saber, although it is a specific type of sword, is sometimes not classified within the group of swords, but forms a separate type. A saber is characterized by having a curved blade, and that is precisely what forms the difference between a sword and a saber.

Among the medieval two-handed swords, the following types stand out:

 

· Long sword, also known as bastard sword.

· The Japanese Katana.

· Doppelhänder or German Zweihänder from the 16th century.

· The Chinese anti-cavalry sword Zhanmadao.

In this category we offer you to discover medieval swords of different varieties, such as single-edged and double-edged swords, one- or two-handed swords, sabers, perfect for a historical reenactment, a theatrical show or simply as a decoration for your home.

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