The English language terminology used in the classification of swords 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 single-edged or double-edged knife that grew incrementally longer and more complex with technological advances.
Historical terms without a universal consensus of definition (e.g. "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, 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, curators, and modern-day sword enthusiasts for historical swords.
Terminology was further complicated by terms introducede.g., "hand-and-a-half sword", "single-handed sword", "Pappenheimer"[ ] "Walloon sword", "Sinclair Sabre", "Mortuary sword", "spada da lato", "town sword", etc. or misinterpretede.g., bastard sword, broadsword [] rapier, estoc, flamberge, etc. in the 19th century by antiquarians and in 20th century pop culture,sword and sorcery fiction, role playing games, fighting games, etc. and by the addition of new terms such as "great sword", "Zweihänder" (instead of Beidhänder), and "cut-and-thrust sword"."cut-and-thrust sword" Historical European martial arts associations have turned the term spada da latoA term that was coined by Italian curators 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, although this is also a modern classification and not a medieval one. 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 by hilt type
Handedness The term two-handed sword may refer to any large sword designed to be used primarily with two hands: the European longsword, popular in the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance. the Scottish late medieval claymore (not to be confused with the basket-hilted claymore of the 18th century) the Bidenhänder sword favored by the Landsknechte of 16th-century Germany
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" referred to the rapier (in the context of Renaissance or Early Modern fencing).
The term "single-handed sword" or "one-handed sword" was coined to distinguish from "two-handed" or "hand-and-a-half" swords. "Single-handed sword" is used by Sir Walter Scott.in Death of the Laird's Jock (1831). It is also used as a possible gloss of the obscure term tonsword by Nares (1822);Robert Nares, A glossary; or, Collection of words ... which have been thought to require illustration, in the works of English authors (1822). "one-handed sword" is somewhat later, recorded from .
Some swords were designed for left-hand use, although left-handed swords have been described as "a rarity".Tony Willis, "A Pair of Scottish Swords", Page One, Page Two, Page Three, Page Four.
Great sword Great swords or greatswords are related to the long swords of the Middle Ages.Oakeshott, Ewart. Records of the Medieval Sword. Boydell Press 1991. Page 89 and 95. The great sword was developed during the Renaissance, but its earlier cousin the Scottish Claymore was very similar in size and use, like the "outsized specimens" between (approx. the same height as the user) such as the Oakeshott type XIIa or Oakeshott type XIIIa. These swords were too heavy to be wielded one-handed and possessed a large grip for leverage.
Claymore The Scottish name "claymore" (, lit. "large/great sword") can refer to either the longsword with a distinctive two-handed grip, or the basket-hilted sword. The two-handed claymore is an early Scottish version of a great sword.
Zweihänder The Zweihänder ("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 Landsknechte (mercenary soldiers), so-called Doppelsöldners. A similar weapon used in Spain and Portugal was called montante.
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: ) is a double-edged straight sword used during the last 2,500 years in China. The first Chinese sources that mention the date to the 7th century BC during the Spring and Autumn period;Ebrey 1999, p. 41 one of the earliest specimens being the Sword of Goujian. Historical one-handed versions have blades varying from in length. The weight of an average sword of blade-length would weigh about .Rodell 2003, p. 19 There are also larger two-handed versions used by ancient and medieval armies and for training by many styles of Chinese martial arts. Two handed jians from the time of the Chu and Han dynasty were up to long.
Longsword In modern times, the term longsword most frequently refers to a late Medieval and Renaissance weapon designed for use with two hands. The German ("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 "[a sword] which was neither French, nor Spanish, nor properly [German], 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 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 in July 1540 listed "two hande sworde", "bastard sworde", and "longe sworde" as separate items (as it should in Joseph Swetnam's context).Joseph Strutt, The sports and pastimes of the people of England from the earliest period: including the rural and domestic recreations, May games, mummeries, pageants, processions and pompous spectacles, 1801, p. 211.
Antiquarian usage in the 19th century established the use of "bastard sword" as referring unambiguously to these large swords.Oakeshott (1980). However, George Silver and Joseph Swetnam refer to them merely as "two hande sworde". 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.
The Elizabethan 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 and French .
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" with a cutting edge (the Elizabethan 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 Basket-hilted sword Sabre
The term "broadsword" was never used historically to describe the one-handed arming sword. 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.
Short swords and daggers Knives such as the seax and other blades of similar length between , they are sometimes construed as swords because of their longer blades. 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 swords: Seax, a tool and weapon, common in Northern Europe , an early ancient Roman thrusting short sword for legionaries , a double-edged, single-hand blade used by the ancient Greeks Certain Renaissance-era sidearms: Baselard, a late medieval heavy dagger , a civilian long dagger Dirk, the Scottish long dagger () Hanger or wood-knife, a type of hunting sword or infantry sabre Certain fascine knives: Model 1832 Foot Artillery Sword, is a short sword designed after the Roman with a blade length around in length. It was also known as a (literally "cabbage cutter") in France
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 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 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 . The Spartan version of the sword typically had a blade about in length. The Spartan's shorter weapon proved deadly in the crush caused by colliding phalanx formations, as it was far more capable of being thrust through gaps in the enemy's shield wall and armour, where there was little to no room for longer edged weapons. The groin and throat were among the favourite targets.
Rapier
The term "rapier" appeared in the English lexicon via the French which comes from the Spanish ropera; recorded for the first time in the Coplas de la panadera, by Juan de Mena, written between approximately 1445 and 1450. The Spanish term refers to a sword used with clothes (espada ropera, 'dress sword'), due to it being used as an accessory for clothing, usually for fashion and as a self-defense weapon.
Some swords categorised as rapiers are completely edgeless or have only a partially sharpened blade, however the majority have effective cutting blades.
Panzerstecher and koncerz