What is this?..You decide!

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#sword #renaissance #history

[SMABEM]

2:47 "Obviously it can thrust, it's a pointy peice of metal" - classic Easton.

[klausernstthalheim]

In german we call this a common in germany and italy at that time

[michaelsmith]

I don't know what it is, but I know it's beautiful!

[Vonstab]

Seitenwehr which translates as either sidearm or more precisely as sidesword is very much used in the period in German texts. It is quite common in military documents and manuals and can be found in texts written by persons connected to the Dutch military reforms where for example Johann von Nassau-Siegen wrote predominantly in German.

[robertsmith]

Kind of impressed that a ~500 year old iron/steel item is such a good condition.

[bentrieschmann]

I would have classified it, based on looks as a big sidesword. Even more so now after your explanation on that beautiful sword.

[ThomasAndersonPhD]

It *feels* a certain way when you pick it up: this is such a neat insight from embodied expertise!
The sword itself, once held, conveys to the wielder what it is by its affordances, much like a coffee-cup coveys that the user can pick it up by the handle.

[polymathart]

If swords were acceptable today, I’d go for a side sword or a town guard sword. Gorgeous.

[jonathanyaeger]

Of all the swords I’ve purchased to fence with, the best preserved is the one I like least, on account of my never using it.

I wonder if it’s so well preserved because it’s purchaser picked up this 1650 gram beast and thought “……nevermind”, put it away to never be worn, and now it’s in perfect condition.

[sihilius]

To this I answer something I learned on this channel: Our modern classifications are way too rigid to be able to give justice to the variety there is in historical sword design. And most of them are artificial anyway.
Therefore I call this a one handed long sword!

[SenorGato]

A basket hilted broadsword with a rapier hilt. I love it. It looks super practical, like a saber, not a status symbol like a rapier.

Incidentally, this is basically exactly what I've been wanting. Now I have reference for having some industrious smith do a custom.

[ianredgate]

I have not seen a single broad who has that sword

[mattnobrega]

Looks like a calvary sword that was used by a soldier on horseback of the 1500's. I see a video of a sword making company that made a reproduction of a sword that was in a castle in England. The reproduction was made to the specs of the original that looked identical to that one. Very intricate detailing. Absolutely lovely as well. 😁👍

[FelixstoweFoamForge]

Good points. I like the way you describe a sword by the way it "feels" in the hand. In my (limited) experience of handling swords, they will tell you how they want to be used. (Funnily enough, the repro Gladius "hispaniensis" I handled once at a reenactment felt more like a cutter, probably the waisted blade, like a chonky ziphos),
Anyway, what would I call that beautiful sword? A long sword, high-quality, but built for the battlefield.

[JustClaude]

Given the length, I would consider it a cavalry sword, for reaching things from horseback.

[Loki_Firegod]

Since you asked, I think this may be a bladed weapon, possibly a sword.

Honestly, I have little expertise on swords in general, and much less so on anything post-medieval (my area of "expertise" if you want to call it that is 5th to 8th Century central Europe):

But it looks pretty and very well preserved, and I hope it found a nice home where it's treasured and treated well.

I wonder though - do people who buy such swords (especially when they're in such a good shape) sometimes, you know: try them? Do some cutting tests or something? Perhaps even do a comparison with a reproduction version to see how close they get to the original in handling and performance?

I mean, I'd be happy to just have it displayed and keep it nice and looked after, but I'd also be tempted to find out...

[caesarmendez]

I grew up reading that Broad-Swords were about 2 inches in width (well from 2" to 1 1/2 inches width) and that sword is about 1 inch in width. It's not a Broad-Sword. And with the various metal guard-loops around the hilt I'd would say it's a Rapier. I'd call it a Military Side-Rapier. Whoever owned it probably wanted a sword that they can both wear both in a civilian and field-military environments.

[robinswords]

The more time passes, the more I want to give into the anarchy of just calling everything a rapier

[MasoTrumoi]

As a Spanish schools swordsman, I reject your separation of Rapier, Sidesword, and Broadsword.

Espada Ropera is any sword I wear while I'm not naked.

[valandil]

If I have to name a weapon I always go by how I'd use it so I completely agree, that's a very long swept hilted Broadsword. Beautiful 🙂