Longsword

This is a longsword.

It has a long handle. You use two hands to hold it.

This sword has two sharp sides. It was used in a time of knights. Some people called it a bastard sword. Others called it a hand-and-a-half sword. You can hold it with one hand too. It can be used to cut or poke. People even used the handle to fight. It was a very useful tool for war.

A longsword is a type of European sword.

It was popular from about 1350 to 1550. These swords have a long handle. This design lets a person use two hands.

Some people called them "bastard swords." Others used the name "hand-and-a-half sword." This name came from how the sword felt. It was balanced well enough to use with one hand.

Longswords were very versatile. You could use them to slice or poke. You could even use the handle to fight. Some fighters used the cross, which is the part near the handle, to trip people. They even used it like a hammer!

Soldiers used these swords in many ways. Some fought while wearing full plate armour. Others were soldiers who did not wear armour. You could hold the sword with two hands on the handle. You could also try "half-swording." This is when you put one hand on the blade to help you poke and jab more easily.

A longsword is a famous type of European sword.

It was a very important weapon during the late medieval and Renaissance periods. This time lasted from about 1350 to 1550. These swords are special because of how they are built. They have a straight blade with two sharp edges. The blade is usually about 90 centimeters long. The most important part is the long handle, or grip. This long grip is designed so a person can use two hands.

The sword also has a cruciform hilt, which looks like a cross. This shape helps the person hold and control the heavy metal.

There are many ways to use this versatile tool. A fighter can use the blade to slice or make deadly thrusts. They can also use the pommel, which is the weight at the end of the handle. Some fighters even used the cross to trip an opponent. Other manuals show people using the cross like a hammer.

One clever way to fight is called half-swording. This is when a person puts one hand on the hilt and the other hand on the blade. This helps them control the sword for better jabs and pokes. This style was very helpful when fighting people in full plate armour. It allowed for much more precise movements during a fight.

People have given this sword many different names over the years. The oldest name was the "bastard sword." In the 15th or 16th century, this name meant a sword of uncertain origin. By the mid-16th century, it could even mean a very large sword. Another name is the "hand-and-a-half sword." This name became popular in the late 19th century. It describes how the sword is balanced. The balance makes it possible to use the sword with one hand or two.

Some people also called them broadswords, but that name usually refers to different swords from the 18th century.

History shows us how the sword changed over time. In the 14th century, the longsword became a common military weapon. It was used during the early phase of the Hundred Years' War. Soldiers used it while riding horses or while walking on foot. In the 14th century, Swiss soldiers began using large two-handed versions. By the 16th century, the military use of the longsword began to fade away. The huge Zweihänder swords were used by German Landsknechte during this time. Eventually, the longsword was used mostly for sport or for knightly duels.

It stayed in use in parts of Germany until the 1560s.

Learning to use a longsword was a real skill. Many teachers wrote manuals, called Fechtbücher, to teach the art of fencing. One famous German master was Hans Talhoffer from the mid-15th century. His manuals showed many different moves, including wrestling. These books help us understand how people actually fought in the past. The longsword was a great way to learn how to use other weapons too. It provided the basics for using spears, staves, and polearms.

Just like learning to ride a bike helps you learn to ride a motorcycle, the longsword helped fighters master many different tools of combat.

The longsword is a distinctive type of European sword used primarily during the late medieval and Renaissance periods. This era spanned from approximately 1350 to 1550. Unlike many other blades, the longsword is defined by its specific construction and intended use. It features a straight, double-edged blade that typically measures around 90 centimeters in length. The weapon usually weighs approximately 1.5 kilograms. Most importantly, it possesses a cruciform hilt, which is a handle shaped like a cross. This hilt includes a long grip designed for two-handed use.

The mechanism of the longsword relies on its unique balance and ergonomics. The long grip allows a fighter to exert significant leverage and control. This design enables various combat techniques, such as deadly thrusts, slices, and cuts. A person might hold the sword with both hands on the hilt to maximize power. However, the balance also allows for one-handed use during specific moments. For example, a fighter might use one hand to grapple or manipulate a large shield.

Fighters also employed a specialized technique known as half-swording. In this method, the user places one hand on the hilt and the other directly on the blade. This provides much better control for precise thrusts and jabs. Half-swording was especially useful when fighting opponents wearing full plate armour. The longsword was a versatile tool that could act as more than just a cutting edge. Combat manuals, or Fechtbücher, show that the pommel and the cross could be used as offensive weapons. The cross could serve as a hook to trip opponents or even as a hammer.

There are several different types of longswords based on their blade shape, known as morphology. The Oakeshott typology helps scholars categorize these variations. For instance, Type XIIa and XIIIa blades are broad and intended for cutting. They often feature a fuller, which is a groove carved into the blade to manage weight. Type XVa is a classical two-handed sword from the 14th and 15th centuries with a slender, diamond-shaped cross-section. Type XVIa is another classic, offering a compromise between thrusting and cutting capabilities.

Other specialized types include the Type XVII, which is long and acutely tapering. There are also the later Type XVIIIb and XVIIIc models from the mid-15th to early 16th centuries. These often have a pronounced mid-rib or are hollow-ground to improve performance. Finally, Type XX blades are broad with three fullers, including a central one and two parallel ones. Each of these shapes changed how the sword interacted with an opponent's armour or clothing. Understanding these shapes helps us see how the weapon evolved to meet different combat needs.

The history of the longsword shows a transition from military necessity to specialized skill. It emerged as a steel weapon during the Hundred Years' War in the 14th century. Initially, it was used by knights on foot or horseback wearing full plate armour. By the late 15th century, unarmoured mercenaries and soldiers also began using them. In the 16th century, the weapon's military role began to change. It culminated in the use of the massive Zweihänder by German Landsknechte. Eventually, the longsword became a tool for sportive competition and knightly duels.

Many different names have been applied to this weapon throughout history. The term "bastard sword" is one of the oldest names used during its heyday. In the 15th and 16th centuries, this could mean a sword of uncertain origin or an exceptionally large one. The term "hand-and-a-half sword" is a more modern name from the late 19th century. It describes the sword's ability to be used with either one or two hands. In some regions, unique names existed, such as the Scottish "claymore," which referred to a large type of longsword with a V-shaped crossguard.

Learning the longsword was part of a much broader martial tradition. Masters like the mid-15th-century German fightmaster Hans Talhoffer codified these fighting systems. His manuals provided detailed instructions on moves, including wrestling. The longsword served as a foundational weapon for learning other tools. The skills used with a longsword could be applied to spears, staves, and polearms. This connection shows how the longsword was not just a single tool, but a gateway to mastering various forms of combat.