In the late Middle Ages, the bastard sword was one of the most common weapons. He was practical, and in the hands of a skilled fighter became deadly to the enemy.
History of the term
Medieval bastard sword was common in Europe in the XIII-XVI centuries. The main feature of this weapon was that in battle it was held with two hands, although the balance and weight made it possible to take it with one hand in case of urgent need. Such a universal property made this sword extremely popular in the late Middle Ages.
The term itself appeared only in the 19th century, when weapon collectors created its new modern classification. In medieval sources, a simple name was used - a sword, or a bastard one and a half sword. Also, this weapon was considered two-handed. This name has long been used not only in historical chronicles, but also in fiction.
Key Features
What was a bastard sword? Its length was 110-140 centimeters, and about a meter fell on the blade part. These swords were an intermediate type between one-handed and two-handed. The characteristics of the handle of such weapons could vary depending on the place and time.production. However, all varieties had common features. The handle had a specific recognizable division. It consisted of two elements.
The first is the cylindrical part of the guard, which was intended to protect the hands from the blows of the enemy. For a warrior, there was no more important part of the body. It was with the help of his hands that he used a bastard sword. To be wounded meant to become vulnerable to the enemy. The guard appeared with the development of fencing in the late Middle Ages. Although the bastard sword was the first to receive it, today this recognizable part of the weapon is most associated with swords that appeared in the following centuries. The second part was conical and located near the pommel.
The evolution of the disk head of a bastard sword was interesting. In the 15th century, the Gothic style became widespread. He brought a new design with upward and narrow forms. On the other hand, such innovations appeared not only because of changes in aesthetics, but because of the urgent practical benefits. The corrugated and pear-shaped heads of bastard swords were more convenient for the second hand, which squeezed this part of the weapon in battle.
Classification
For several centuries of its existence, the bastard sword has acquired several subspecies. The most common was combat. It was also called heavy. Such a sword was longer and wider than its counterparts. It was used exclusively in combat and was best suited for deadly slashing attacks. The light version is the bastard sword. This weapon was best suited for self-defense and everyday carry. These typesbastard swords were especially popular with knights and men at arms and formed the basis of their ammunition.
Their first copies appeared at the end of the XIII century in France. Then the sizes of one and a half swords were not yet settled, they had many modifications, but they were all known under the general name - swords of war, or combat swords. These blades came into fashion as an attribute of a horse saddle. Attached in this way, they were convenient for hiking and traveling and often saved the lives of their owners in the event of a sudden attack by robbers.
Narrow bastard swords
One of the most remarkable types of bastard swords was a narrow-shaped bastard sword. His blade was very tapered, and the blade was almost straight. Such weapons were intended primarily for stabbing. The handle was comfortable to use with both one and two hands. Such a sword could literally "drill" the enemy.
The most famous blade of this type was the weapon of the Black Prince of England, Edward Plantagenet, who lived in the 14th century and was remembered for his participation in the Hundred Years War against France. His sword became one of the symbols of the Battle of Crécy in 1346. This weapon hung over the prince's grave in Canterbury Cathedral for a long time, until it was stolen in the 17th century, during the reign of Cromwell.
French and English varieties
French fighting swords were studied in detail by the English historian Ewart Oakeshott. He compared many varieties of medieval edged weapons and made his own classification. He notedthe trend of a gradual change in purpose, which the bastard sword possessed. The length also varied, especially after the French version became popular in other Western European countries.
At the beginning of the XIV century, similar weapons appeared in England. There it was called a great fighting sword. He was not carried with a saddle, but was worn on a belt in a scabbard. Differences of various varieties also consisted in the shape of the edges of the blade. At the same time, the weight of the weapon never exceeded 2.5 kilograms.
The Art of Combat
It is noteworthy that the baptismal swords of the 15th century, regardless of the place of their production, were used according to the canons of only two fencing schools - Italian and German. The secrets of owning a formidable weapon were passed from mouth to mouth, but some information was preserved in manuscripts. For example, in Italy, the teachings of Master Fillipo Vadis were popular.
More geniuses of the art of combat left Germany. Most of the books on the subject were written there. Masters such as Hans Talhofer, Sigmund Ringakk, Aulus Kal, became the authors of widespread manuals on how to use a bastard sword. What it is for and how to use it, even ordinary citizens knew, even in the simplest ideas. At that time, everyone needed a weapon, because only with it one could feel calm in everyday life, when attacks by robbers and other dashing people were the usual norm.
Center of gravity and balance
Although one and a halfswords in Russia and in general in Europe were light enough to fight with their help, considerable athletic strength was required. Basically, these weapons were owned by knights, and for them war was a profession. Such warriors were trained to handle their weapons every day. Without regular training, a person lost his fighting qualities, which almost always ended fatally for his life. Medieval battles meant the closest contact with the enemy that could be. The fighting has always been fast paced and non-stop.
Therefore, not even the weight of the weapon or its sharpness, but balance became an important characteristic. Bastard swords in Russia had a center of gravity at a point just above the hilt. If the blade was forged incorrectly, then its marriage necessarily affected the battlefield. With the center of gravity too high, the sword became uncomfortable, although its slash continued to be deadly.
Weapon Defects
A good weapon should be easy to control on the move. The high pace of the battle left no chance for the lingering warriors. The speed and force of the blow was necessarily influenced by the weight at a certain distance from the hand that held the bastard sword. The name that knights often gave to their weapons could also reflect their fighting qualities. If the blade was intended only for chopping blows, then the mass could only be distributed evenly along the length. If the blacksmith made a mistake in manufacturing, the weapon became practically useless in battle against a properly armed opponent.
Badswords vibrated in the hands when hitting another sword or shield. The trembling in the blade was transmitted to the hilt, which inevitably interfered with the owner. Therefore, a good weapon always lay firmly in the hand. It necessarily had vibration-free zones, which were called nodes and located in the right places from the point of view of physics.
Development of military affairs
By the beginning of the 14th century, significant changes had taken place in European military affairs that affected both weapons and armor. Photos of one and a half swords from different centuries confirm this fact. If before that the knights were the main force on the battlefield, now they began to suffer defeats from foot soldiers. Improved armor allowed the latter to use a smaller shield or completely abandon it. But photos of bastard swords show that just at the beginning of the XIV century they became much longer than their predecessors.
The new models that appeared had a handle that was much easier to control with one hand than with two. Therefore, often such bastard swords were used in tandem with a small shield or dagger. Such dual weapons made it possible to attack the enemy even more dangerously.
Bastard Blade and Plastic Armor
With the advent of plastic armor, the "half sword" technique was developed specifically against them. She concluded as follows. Fighting against the enemy in such equipment, the owner of the sword had to hit the gap between the plates with a piercing blow. To do this, the warrior covered the middle of the blade with his left hand and helped to direct the weapon towardsthe target, while the right one, lying on the handle, gave the attack the strength necessary for success. Rather free, but similar in principle of action, there will be a comparison with a game of billiards.
If the battle took just such a turn, then the sword must have had a sharpened edge. At the same time, the rest of the blade remained blunt. This allowed the gloved hand to perform the above techniques. Swords were made light in many respects in the likeness of armor. There is a well-established stereotype that it was almost impossible to move in them. Speaking like this, people confuse tournament and combat armor. The former really weighed about 50 kilograms and fettered the owner, while the latter weighed half as much. They could not only run, but also do gymnastic exercises, as well as somersaults. Since in the manufacture of armor, the masters tried to give them the greatest lightness and ease of use, the same qualities were transferred to swords.
