Page 72 - (DK) Smithsinian - Military History: The Definitive Visual Guide to the Objects of Warfare

70 EUROPEAN SWORDS

WMEN 500–1500 The sword was the medieval European warrior’s most valued ▲ GERMAN Around 900ce, a new type of sword emerged,

weapon. Magnificent blades were often handed down through the
generations. Swords were also a symbol of the status and prestige of
as long as its Celtic predecessors but tapering
ULFBERHT SWORD
a knight—a man was made a knight by being dubbed on the shoulders
more sharply, with a balance point closer to
Date c.900ce
with a sword. Early medieval swords were designed as hacking and
the hilt. Some weapons of this type are known
Origin Northern Europe
slashing weapons to break the mail armor prevalent up to the mid-13th
as Ulfberht swords, from the name of the
Length 30in (76cm)
swordsmith inscribed on many of the blades.
century. But between 1275 and 1350, a transition occurred, with the
AND BO development of sharply pointed thrusting swords with longer blades Rounded pommel
that were better adapted to dealing with plate armor.
Single-edged blade
KNIGHTS below guard
Finger ring

typically had a single-edged blade and a
Date 9th–10th century ce
Cross-guard
double-edged point, making them suitable
with winged ▲ EAST EUROPEAN SABER Early Eastern European cavalry swords
Origin Eastern Europe
dragon figures for both slashing and thrusting. This example
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Gold pommel Length 37 ⁄2in (95cm) has a sunburst motif on the blade, and the
with diamond quillons are short with rectangular arms.
net pattern Octagonal pommel

▶ FRENCH CORONATION
SWORD AND SHEATH
Date 12th century ce
Origin France
1
Length 3 ⁄2ft (1.05m)
This composite sword is Sheath with
traditionally said to have Gemstone fleur-de-lys pattern
been “Joyeuse,” the sword of mounted on
Charlemagne, although it was filigree bezel
first recorded as the coronation Fish-tail pommel
sword of Philip the Bold in 1271.

Bronze gilded guard
Long grip

Outward-curving
▲ GERMAN quillons
KNIGHT’S SWORD ▼ ENGLISH SWORD The long, double-edged, tapering
Date c.1300ce Date 14th century ce blade of this sword incorporated a
Origin Northern Europe Origin England shallow fuller for two-thirds of its
Length 3 ⁄2ft (1.09m) Short tang Weight 27 ⁄4oz (760g) length. It has a notably short tang,
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1
a small wheel-shaped pommel,
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Belonging to one of the last Length 3 ⁄2ft (1.04m) and slightly down-curved quillons.
generations of blades before
the tips of swords became more
pointed, this broad-bladed sword
has a forward-curving cross-guard
and flat, disk-shaped pommel. It
came from Passau (in modern-day
Germany), a town noted for its
sword-makers.