![]() The famous sword of King Henry V of England is a classic arming sword with an acutely tapering blade. It was often used with the buckler, a small hand shield. Arming swords generally had a straight, double-edged blade suited for slashing blows against mail armor, composed of hundreds of linked iron rings. Also called the knightly sword, it served as a secondary weapon after the lance broke or in close-quarters combat. ![]() The classic weapon of the medieval knight, the arming sword is recognized for its simple, cruciform shape and one-handed grip. Arming Sword A knightly sword during the early 15th century – Credits: Met Museum The Vikings also used a fighting knife called sax or seax, which would have been efficient in close-quarters combat. Viking chieftains traditionally owned ornate swords for ceremonial occasions, though the warriors also used the weapon in dueling. However, many Viking swords were easily bent, so the warriors often straightened it themselves. Still, their rounded tips could also thrust well against unarmored targets. These swords had a lightweight pommel, which shifted the balance toward the tip, optimizing them for slashing. Some were single-edged or double-edged, with the former more typical in Norway than in other parts of Scandinavia. Viking swords had relatively wide, heavy blades and a short handguard. Hacking blows were a common fighting technique of the Vikings, so they likely used their swords as slashing weapons. It was a single-handed weapon, so the Viking warrior used his other hand to hold a shield. Viking Sword A 10th century Viking sword owned by a high ranking warrior – Credits: Met MuseumĮvolved from the Roman cavalry sword spatha, the Viking sword was among the weapons used throughout the Viking Age, from the 9th to the 11th century. Some originated in ancient times, while others emerged in the medieval and Renaissance periods. One-handed swords allowed both hands to act independently from one another and varied in their use in sword fighting. ![]() Let’s explore the different types of single-handed swords, their historical uses, and how they compare with two-handed swords. Eventually, the sword became the same weapon for attack and defense. In the early medieval times, the single-handed grip allowed the use of a shield and other companion weapons on the other hand. One-handed swords refer to the swords wielded using one hand. ![]()
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