| Knightly sword | |
|---|---|
 Sword, datedc. 1250–1330, British Museum | |
| Type | Sword |
| Service history | |
| In service | c. 950–1500 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | avg. 1–1.5 kg (2.2–3.3 lb) |
| Length | avg. 90–105 cm (35–41 in) |
| Blade length | avg. 75–90 cm (30–35 in) |
| Blade type | Double-edged, straight bladed |
| Hilt type | One-handed cruciform, with pommel |
In the EuropeanHigh Middle Ages, the typicalsword (sometimes academically categorized as theknightly sword,arming sword, or in full,knightly arming sword) was a straight,double-edged weapon with a single-handed,cruciform (i.e., cross-shaped)hilt and a blade length of about 70 to 80 centimetres (28 to 31 in). This type is frequently depicted in period artwork, and numerous examples have been preserved archaeologically.
The high medieval sword of theRomanesque period (10th to 13th centuries) developed gradually from theCarolingian sword of the 9th century.In theLate Medieval period (14th and 15th centuries), late forms of these swords continued to be used, but often as asidearm, at that point called "arming swords" and contrasting with the two-handed, heavierlongswords.
Though the majority of late-medieval arming swords kept their blade properties from previous centuries, there are also surviving specimens from the 15th century that took the form of a late-medievalestoc, specialised for use against more heavily armoured opponents. After the end of the medieval period, the arming sword developed into several forms of the early modern one-handed straight swords, such as theside-sword, therapier, the cavalry-focusedReiterschwert and certain types ofbroadsword.
The term "arming sword" (espées d'armes) is first used in the 15th century to refer to the single-handed type of sword after it had ceased to serve as the main weapon and was on its way to being used as aside-sword.[1] "Arming sword" in late medieval usage specifically refers to theestoc when worn as a side-arm,[2] but as a modern term it may also refer to any single-handed sword in a late medieval context. The terms "knight's sword" or "knightly sword" are modern terms to specify the sword of the high medieval period.
Period terminology for swords is somewhat fluid. Mostly, the common type of sword in any given period would simply be referred to as "sword" (Englishswerde, Frenchespée, Latingladius etc.). During the high medieval period, references to swords as "great sword" (grete swerd,grant espée) or "small" or "short sword" (espée courte,parvus ensis) do not necessarily indicate their morphology, but simply their relative size. Oakeshott (1964) notes that this changes in the late medieval period, beginning towards the end of the 13th century, when the "bastard sword" appeared as an early type of what developed into the 15th-centurylongsword.[3]
The term "romanesque sword" does not see significant use in English, but it is more current in French (epée romane), German (romanisches Schwert), and especially in Slavic languages (such as Czechrománský meč), identifying the swords as being contemporary with the correspondingRomanesque period in art history (roughly 1000 to 1300).
The knightly sword developed in the 10th century from theCarolingian sword.The most evident morphological development is the appearance of thecrossguard. The transitional swords of the 10th and 11th centuries are also known asNorman swords.Already in the 10th century, some of the "finest and most elegant" of theUlfberht type of "Viking" (actually Carolingian/Frankish) swords began to exhibit a more slender blade geometry, moving the center of mass closer to the hilt to improve wieldability.[4]
The one-handed sword of the high medieval period was typically used with ashield orbuckler.In the late medieval period, when thelongsword came to predominate, the single-handed sword was retained as a common sidearm, especially of theestoc type, and came to be referred to as an "arming sword", later evolving into thecut and thrust swords of theRenaissance.
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At the end of the medieval period, theestoc arming sword develops into the Spanishespada ropera and the Italianspada da lato, the predecessors of the early modernrapier. In a separate development, theschiavona was a heavier single-handed sword used by theDalmatian bodyguard of theDoge of Venice in the 16th century. This type influenced the development of the early modernbasket-hilted sword which in turn developed into the modern (Napoleonic era)cavalry sword.
The most widespread typology for the medieval sword was developed byEwart Oakeshott in 1960, mostly based on blade morphology. Oakeshott (1964) introduced an additional typology forpommel shapes.
A more recent typology is due to Geibig (1991). Geibig's typology focuses on swords from continental the transitional period from the early to the high medieval period (early 8th to late 12th centuries) and does not extend to the late medieval period.
Blade length was usually from 69 to 81 centimetres (27 to 32 in); however, examples exist from 58 to 100 centimetres (23 to 39 in).[5]Pommels were most commonly of the 'Brazil-nut' type from around 950–1200 AD,[6] with the 'wheel' pommel appearing in the 11th and predominating from the 13th to 15th centuries.
However, Oakeshott (1991) is emphatic on the point that a medieval sword cannot conclusively be dated based on its morphology. While there are some general trends in the development of fashion, many of the most popular styles of pommels, hilts and blades remain in use throughout the duration of the High Middle Ages.[7]
The common "knightly swords" of the high medieval period (11th to early 12th centuries) fall under types X to XII.
Type X is theNorman sword as it developed out of the early medievalCarolingian sword by the 10th century.Type XI shows the development towards a more tapering point seen during the 12th century.Type XII is a further development, typical throughout theCrusades period, showing a tapering blade with a shortened fuller. Subtype XIIa comprises the longer and more massive "great-swords" which developed in the mid-13th century, probably designed to counter improvements in mail armour; these are the predecessors of the late medieval longsword (see alsoCawood sword).
Type XIII is the knightly sword typical of the later 13th century.Swords of this type have long, wide blades with parallel edges, terminating in a rounded or spatulate tip, and with a lens-shaped cross-section.The hilts become somewhat longer, about 15 cm (5.9 in), to allow occasional two-handed use.The pommels are mostly of the brazil-nut or disk shapes.Subtype XIIIa has longer blades and hilts. These are the knightly "great-swords", orGrans espées d'Allemagne which seamlessly develop into thelongsword type in the 14th century. Subtype XIIIb describes smaller single-handed swords of similar shape.The form classified as type XIV develops towards the very end of the high medieval period, around 1270, and remained popular during the early decades of the 14th century. They are often depicted on thetomb effigies of English knights of the period, but there are few surviving specimens.[9]Continuations of the knightly sword as the "arming sword" type of the late medieval period correspond to Oakeshott types XV, XVI and XVIII.
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Oakeshott'spommel typology groups medieval pommel shapes into 24 categories (some with subtypes).Type A is the "brazil-nut" shape inherited from the various shapes seen on earlier Carolingian swords.Type B includes more rounded forms of A, including the "mushroom" or "tea-cosy" shape.Type C is the "cocked-hat" shape also found in earlier Carolingian swords, with D, E and F derived variants of C.
Type G is the disk-pommel found very frequently in medieval swords. Type H is a variant of the disk pommel, with the edges chamfered off. This is one of the most frequently found shapes throughout the 10th to 15th centuries. I, J and K are derived variants of the disk pommel.
Types L to S are rare shapes, in many cases difficult to date.Type L has a trefoil-like shape; it is possibly limited to Spain in the 12th to 13th centuries.Type M is a special derived variant of the multi-lobed pommel of the Viking Age, found only in a very limited number of swords (seeCawood sword).Types P ("shield-shaped") and Q ("flower-shaped") are not even known to be attested in any surviving sword and known only from period artwork. R is a spherical pommel, known only from a few specimens.
Types T to Z are pommel shapes used in the late medieval period;T is the "fig" or "pear" or "scent-stopper" shape, first used in the early 14th century, but seen with any frequency only after 1360, with numerous derived forms well into the 16th century. U is a "key-shaped" type used only in the second half of the 15th century.V is the "fish-tail" pommel, used in the 15th century. Z is the "cat's head" shape apparently used exclusively inVenice.[10]
Many European sword blades of the high medieval period have blade inscriptions. Inscribed blades were particularly popular during the 12th century. Many of these inscriptions are garbled strings of letters, often apparently inspired by religious formulae, especially the phrasein nomine domini and the wordbenedictus orbenedicat.
The 12th-century fashion for blade inscriptions is based on the earlier, 9th to 11th century, tradition of the so-calledUlfberht swords. A single stray find from Eastern Germany, dated to the late 11th or possibly early 12th century, combines both anUlfberht and anin nomine domini (in this case,+IINIOMINEDMN) inscription.[11]
Many blade inscriptions of the later 12th and 13th centuries are even more indecipherable, bearing no resemblance to thein nomine domini phrase, sometimes resembling random strings of letters, such asERTISSDXCNERTISSDX,[12]+NDXOXCHWDRGHDXORVI+,[13]+IHININIhVILPIDHINIhVILPN+ (Pernik sword).[14]
