Medieval Fantasy Swords - History and Expansion

From approximately 500 to 1500 AD, the Medieval Period of Europe, swords were a primary weapon of warriors and knights. Evolving from the steel Celtic swords, most Medieval swords were made to be handled with a single hand as the other hand was set to hold a shield. However, as armors became tougher and the need for shield was becoming less famous, some swords that were to be handled with two hands also became trendy as the usually provided father reach and stronger blows.

The broadsword, a two-edged blade with a base of 2–3 inches wide and tapers to a point, was the sword of choice during the 6^th century or early part of the Medieval Period. It was the predecessor of the cutting sword which had become lost in history because they were useless against heavy armory. Broadswords were about 30-45 inches in length and weighed fairy light and easy to handle as it weighed 3-5 pounds.

For knights who took part in the Crusades, the Falchion Swords became a sword of choice and was used as a close contact weapon. Falchion swords had a single edge, slightly-curved blade with a length of 37-40 inches and weight of 1-2 pounds. Despite being tagged as a low quality sword, as it was a result of the effort of mass production, the Falchion Sword had the ability to cut off limbs or heads with just one stroke.

Just like the Falchion sword, the Greatsword was another of the close contact weapons. It was however much more massive with a length of 50 - 72 inches, excluding the handle which can be between 18-21 inches, and it weighed about 6 - 10 pounds. Greatswords were crafted to be held with two hands and was to be used for cutting more than stabbing. The blade was double edged and measured 2-3inches at the base and tapers to a point.

Another kind of sword which was handled with two hands is the Longsword. It’s also a double bladed sword with a length of 40–48 inches for the blade and 10-15 inches for the handle. It weighs 5-8 pounds and was also used as a close contact weapon. The knight using the Longsword was at a good advantage over others because Longswords allowed the user to reach farther. Bastardsword was another name for Longsword, and in later times, it was also known as a Hand and a Half swords.

The last kind of Medieval sword used during the Middle Ages was the Scimitar, the sword used by the Saracens as they fought against the Crusaders. It’s a close combat weapon but the Scimitar was also used by men while on-board their horses. The blade of the Scimitar are curved, either in a long and narrow manner or deeply curved with very wide blades. The length of the blade varied between 30-36 inches. There were also variations in the design that allowed a single hand or two hands for gripping. The Scimitar was a powerful sword for slicing and could even cause a major injury for an armored knight.

As prominent figures arose in history, their distinctive swords also rose to fame. To this day, the original swords maybe displayed in some museums but replicas of them abound elsewhere.