The longsword as a late medieval type of sword emerges in the 14th century, as a military steel weapon of the earlier phase of the Hundred Years' War. [17]:1516 The blade was generally used with both hands on the hilt, one resting close to or on the pommel. Blofechten (blosz fechten) or "bare fighting" is the technique of fighting without significant protective armour such as plate or mail. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. germ. Traditional vs Modern Differential Hardening for Swords. Their long grip increased their striking power and made some fighting techniques easier. The Filipino islands are widely known for their vast assortment of edged weapons. So, what benefits (if any) does a hand-and-a-half sword offer? [citation needed], The tuck may also get its name from the verb "to tuck" which means "to shorten". The French pe de passot was also known as pe btarde[citation needed] (i.e., bastard sword) and also coustille croix[23] (literally a cross-hilted blade). In a depiction of a duel, individuals may be seen wielding sharply pointed longswords in one hand, leaving the other hand open to manipulate the large dueling shield. Suitable for martial arts training, film props etc. [17]:7373,plate 67 The cross has been shown to be used as a hook for tripping or knocking an opponent off balance. Use of the two-handed Great Sword or Schlachtschwert by infantry (as opposed to their use as a weapon of mounted and fully armoured knights) seems to have originated with the Swiss in the 14th century. The later hardened plate armours, complete with ridges and roping, posed a threat against the careless attacker. [23] The manual also presents half-sword techniques as an integral part of armoured combat. They also had a pommel that counterbalanced the weight of the blade, improving its maneuverability. [59][60] The scimitar proper was the Stradioti saber,[61][62] and the term was introduced into France by Philippe de Commines (1447 18 October 1511) as cimeterre,[63] Italy (especially the Venetian Republic who hired the stradioti as mercenaries) as scimitarra, and England as cimeter or scimitar via the French and Italian terms. Add to cart. There is no historical dictionary for the universal names, classification or terminology of swords; a sword was simply a double edged knife. Blade Length: 34.5 Inches ; Handle Length: 11.5 Inches ; Overall Length: 46 Inches ; Balance Point: 3.5 Inches Below Hilt ; Weight: 2 lbs. Classification of swords - Wikipedia Sword Length: 42 5/8". The Zweihnder ("two-hander") or Beidhnder ("both-hander") is a true two-handed sword, in the sense that it cannot be wielded in only one hand. The blade length is about 70 to 80 cm (28-32 inches). Functionally, swords become more maneuverable, powerful, and fast when the handle is gripped with two hands. The backsword was a single-edged, straight-bladed sword, typically for military use. SWORD, late 14th century, . As its name suggests, it had an advantage in terms of greater reach over the so-called short sword or arming 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. 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. [citation needed]. 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 hand-and-a-half swords optimized the combination of reach, maneuverability, and weight. 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. Battle Ready Albrecht Hand and a Half Swords for Sale A hand-and-a-half sword, however, falls somewhere between these two, with an average blade length of about 22 to 30 inches. It does not mean that these blades could not cut well, though they were less optimized for slashing. They have a 2 inch guard width and 0.24 inch guard thickness. Also, the hand on the blade increases its rigidity which is advantageous when thrusting. The khopesh is an ancient Egyptian curved short sword with a length of approx. By The Sword, Inc. - 15th Century Hand and a Half Sword The longsword was a quick, effective, and versatile weapon capable of deadly thrusts, slices, and cuts. You've landed on the new (soon to be released) website for Arms & Armor. The hand-and-a-half sword had a longer reach than the so-called short sword, the earlier arming sword, making it significant for a mounted knight fighting against other cavalry and foot soldiers. 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 steeply pointed blade, indicating that it was primarily intended . Grip Length: 7.5 inches; Overall Length: 46.5 inches; Blade thickness (base): 4.6 mm; Blade thickness (1" from tip): 3.0 mm; Guard Width: 10 inches; Its French name pe btarde implies a sword of uncertain origin or an irregular sword. Learn more about the history and use of the hand-and-a-half sword and how it compares to other medieval swords. These long-gripped weapons were ideal for thrusting at small gaps in armor when the typical slashing sword could not chop through it. 3 Reviews; 3 Reviews. Its handle featured a waisted shape, tapering towards shorter, thinner half-grips. 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.. After looking around, we'd appreciate 2 minutes of your timeto answer 3 short questions about your experience. Jian (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: jin; Cantonese: gim) is a double-edged straight sword used during the last 2,500 years in China. In some instances, the crossguard could hook the shield or the weapon away and even trip the enemy. Terminology was further complicated by terms introduced[1] or misinterpreted[2][3][4] in the 19th century by antiquarians and in 20th century pop culture,[5] and by the addition of new terms such as "great sword", "Zweihnder" (instead of Beidhnder), and "cut-and-thrust sword". Classically simple in design with a flattened diamond-section blade and cruciform hilt, the original dates from the early part of the 15th century. The evolution of the large swords of war into the Knightly longsword can first be seen as a distinct group in the swords of Oakeshotts Type XIIa and XIIIa. On the other hand, the hand-and-a-half swords were often used alone. We will never share your information with anybody else cross our hearts, hope to die, stick a sharp sword in our (ok, this just got a little silly). The term "hand-and-a-half sword" is modern (late 19th century). As a history enthusiast, Abigail loves learning about the events that shaped the world. The grip of the hand and a half sword was long enough to accommodate one hand or two hands when used in combat. The hook sword, twin hooks, fu tao or shuang gou (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: Gou), also known as hu tou gou (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. Most are leather covered with metal chape and throat. NE It is ideal for HEMA study - recreating the longswords from Fiore, Talhoffer, etc. [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". [8] search . A term that was coined by Italian curators. Their handles have recognizable waist and bottle shapes which give a comfortable hold of the weapon. In modern history, many of these terms have been given specific, often arbitrary meanings that are unrelated to any of their historical meanings. According to the book titled "Exhibition of the Royal House of Tudo," hand-and-a-half sword is a relatively new term that just recently appeared beginning in the latter half of the 19th century. 5060cm long and typically made of bronze or iron. Historical one-handed versions have blades varying from 45 to 80 centimeters (18 to 31 inches) in length. Glamdring | The One Wiki to Rule Them All | Fandom The #034 Black Prince a Type XVa Longsword, Durer Bastard Sword #195 a Type XVIII Longsword. Use in the Inheritance cycle Type XVII is a shorter-lived type, popular during the mid-14th to early 15th century. It's not technically intended to be used with one and a half hands -- that doesn't make sense. In medieval fight books, the crossguard and pommel can be used for striking. Swordsmen were trained to use the dulled side for defensive and blocking techniques. Shes particularly interested in the rise and fall of empires, accounts of war and conquest, and ancient and classical history. Folio 158 v.). These are referred to by a variety of names and include Langschwert, spadone or spada longa, grootzwaard, pe btarde, and bastard sword. German Bastard or Hand-And -A-Half Sword, early 16th century with long slender tapering double-edged blade of flattened diamond section, hilt comprising arched quillons with swelling tips of flat triangular section, side-ring en suite and with fluted tips where they join the quillons, and inner bar of circular section bent down and made in one with the downcurved arm, associated fluted fig . [citation needed] 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. Sword hangers are knotted onto the scabbard with strips of leather, and they can be adjusted to fit and angle with a pair of brass screws. It was through students of Liechtenauer, like Sigmund Ringeck, who transcribed the work into more understandable prose[20] that the system became notably more codified and understandable. The term hand-and-a-half sword is often used interchangeably with longsword, although it is not entirely accurate. #4. Tough, rigid and durable. These swords are distinctly made for use in one or two hands and have the grip length and reach to be used as longswords as described in the material fromthe Liechtenauer tradition and Fiore de Libre. They had handles of roughly 17 to 25 centimeters (7 to 10 inches), excluding pommels, and weighed about 3 to 4 pounds. Ewart Oakeshott distinguishes twelve different types. 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. Bastard sword - A Wiki of Ice and Fire They were hybrid swords that enabled blows to be delivered with the power of a two-handed sword but could also be wielded with one hand. The blade could range between 0.5 and 1m (1ft 8in and 3ft 3in) long while the handle was usually between 18 and 20cm (7 and 8in). The fighter could attempt to hit the opponent in the face using the pommel when wrestling with the sword, disarm, or throw him. When wielded two-handed, they become brutally effective slashing or chopping weapons. Tweet Share Google+ Pinterest . Harnischfechten, or "armoured fighting" (German kampffechten, or Fechten in Harnisch zu Fuss, literally "fighting in armour on foot"), depicts fighting in full plate armour.[25]. $225.00. Optimized for armored combat, their blades were steeply pointed, suggesting that their primary function was to pierce armor. A sword with a single hand grip length but longsword blade length The so called "hand and a half" swords Longswords/Greatswords that could be effectively used one handed but were usually used with both making it hard to describe as strictly a one hander or two hander J Jonathon Belt Joined Aug 20, 2011 Messages 40 Aug 14, 2013 #8 848 Groe Heidelberger Liederhandschrift(Codex Manesse) Zrich, 1305 bis 1340 321v: Herr Dietmar der Setzer. 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 hand-and-a-half sword is particularly versatile in this regard. Most long swords were double edged. A longsword is, obviously, longer than a shortsword. Hand-and-a-half sword | Inheriwiki | Fandom 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]. The hilts (handles) range from 8 to 16 inches long to provide room for gauntleted hands. Hand and Half Bastard Sword, "Winter's Wind" Fantasy Blade The "longsword" type exists in a morphological continuum with the medieval knightly sword and the Renaissance-era Zweihnder. 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 Military History Book: The Ultimate Visual Guide to the Weapons that Shaped the World, Cut and Thrust: European Swords and Swordsmanship, Knight: The Warrior and World of Chivalry, Medieval Armies and Weapons in Western Europe: An Illustrated History, The Art of Sword Combat: A 1568 German Treatise on Swordsmanship. Hand-and-a-Half (44) Length. [13][14][15][dubious discuss] 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 160cm and 180cm (approx. Hand and a Half Sword 88HNH medieval bastard sword by Cold Steel. [4] After a Brief exchange with the Questioner in another answer, I have gotten an approximation of what recurve profile has been asked upon. From the late 15th century, however, it is also attested as being worn and used by unarmoured soldiers or mercenaries. 3 lb. Type XVIIIb blades are slender, comparable to XVa blades but longer, measuring between 90 and 107cm, with a correspondingly longer grip, often waisted for comfortable two-handed use. Total Length: 1060mm; Blade Length: 790mm ; Hilt Length: 270mm ; Guard Width: 255mm ; Total Weight: 765g; View All Close. 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. This increased the accuracy and strength of thrusts and provided more leverage for Ringen am Schwert or "wrestling at/with the sword". What is a Hand-and-a-Half Sword Exactly? - MartialArtSwords.com Sword 5 - 15th Century Hand and a Half Sword. Includes a leather belt frog and scabbard with belt stop. In terms of blade typology, they do not form a single category. [19], What is known of combat with the longsword comes from artistic depictions of battle from manuscripts and the Fechtbcher of Medieval and Renaissance Masters. [8] During the first half of the 20th century, the term "bastard sword" was used regularly to refer to this type of sword.[9]. The Spartan version was typically only 3045 centimetres. 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. [2] Navigation menu . Kodachi vs Wakizashi: What's the Difference? Slung across his back in a black leather shoulder sheath was Longclaw, the hand-and-a-half bastard blade the Old Bear had given him for saving his life. The German langes Schwert ("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. They represent larger versions of type XII and type XIII swords which were the standard. [citation needed], The small sword or smallsword (also court sword or dress sword, French: pe de cour)[citation needed] is a light one-handed sword designed for thrusting[citation needed] which evolved out of the longer and heavier rapier of the late Renaissance. Weight 1700 g. 5144. Special Properties None Base Damage: 1d10 Base Critical Threat: 19-20/x2 Base Damage Type: Slashing Weapon Size: Medium Feats Required: Exotic Item Code: nw_wswbs001 Return to Top Bastard Sword +1 They represent an optimised compromise between thrusting capability and retaining good cutting characteristics. Lengths usually ranged from 110 cm to 150 cm, with 120 to 125 cm probably being the median. Overall 39 inches. 5, which scholars have dated back to between 1100 and 1200 due to the hilt style and specific taper, but swords like this remain incredibly rare, and are not representative of an identifiable trend before the late 13th or early 14th century. In the Oakeshott typology of blade morphology, "longswords" figure as a range of sub-types of the corresponding single-handed sword types.[16]. Type XVa is the classical two-handed sword of the 14th and 15th centuries (with early examples appearing from the later 13th century). Some historians believe that it was primarily used in war and not an everyday weapon of the knight. Sword Length: 42 5/8". Sword 5 - 15th Century Hand and a Half Sword. [25] The term passot comes from the fact that these swords passed (passaient) the length of a "normal" short sword. 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." were used to label weapons of similar appearance but of different historical periods, regional cultures and fabrication technology. Perhaps. 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. [8][9][10] Prior to this the term "long sword" merely referred to any sword with a long blade; 'long' being simply an adjective rather than a classification. 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. Maximum Diameter: 4.2 cm (1 5/8 in.) The term hand-and-a-half is more of modern designation for a range of sword types that featured tapered blades longer than the common shorter arming swords of the time but without the double-hand grips of larger heavier war-swords. The increased defensive capability of a man clad in full plate armour caused the use of the sword to be drastically changed. Scabbard. The first Chinese sources that mention the jian date to the 7th century BC during the Spring and Autumn period;[18] one of the earliest specimens being the Sword of Goujian. Pen & Sword Books Limited. 55413 United States. (M. Rector, Ed. Minneapolis Minnesota Hand and a half swords are basically the historically correct terminology for a long sword, it's a sword that can be two handed or one handed depending on your needs, it only weighs like a pound and a half so it's super easy to handle. Historical terms without a universal consensus of definition (i.e. Broadswords - Preferred Arms Half-swording was a manner of using both hands, one on the hilt and one on the blade, to better control the weapon in thrusts and jabs. It was "[a sword] which was neither French, nor Spanish, nor properly Landsknecht [German], but longer than any of these sturdy swords. Some had straight or curved quillons (arms of the crossguard), side rings, finger rings, and loop-back guards. Bonhams : An Italian Two-Hand Sword Bastard Sword Sren Niedziella from Denmark . 1101 Stinson Blvd. More details . Sponsored. Hand and a half swords is a modern term to describe bastard swords but it is used in reference to long swords. Handle Length. Medieval Weapons: Longsword. Types of Longswords, Facts and History The Elizabethan long sword (cf. But if that same warrior encountered an enemy on an open battlefield, he may switch to using two hands for greater strength and stopping power. One example how a sword can be used this way is to thrust the tip of the crossguard at the opponent's head right after parrying a stroke. Two handed jians from the time of the Chu and Han Dynasty were up to 150cm (58in) long. The distance between the hands obviously increases the leverage that combatant could exert on the weapon. These swords have a point of balance at 5 inches and a point of harmonics at 21 inches.