Medieval Swords

Medieval swords were developed between 500 and 1500 AD. The first medieval swords were loosely based on the single handed double edged Celtic swords. They were thin cutting swords about 36 inches in length.

With improvements in body armor medieval swords became heavier with much sharper point and less a cutting weapon. These great swords were now used more to bash the opponent then use the sharper point to penetrate the armor. They were two handed swords made to defeat the plate armor of the time.

However, medieval swords were still sharp cutting weapons and not the heavy lumbering weapons many believe. In the early 1400s the bastard sword or hand and a half sword which was used for single or two handed fighting styles. The design of medieval swords began to shift back to smaller swords away from the long swords.