So, the era of chivalry is gone. The warriors took off their heavy armor. Manual was introduced into service firearms. And the heavy long sword was also undergoing changes.
In this article, we will look at the gradual transformation of the sword into a sword.
To begin with, let's designate the main components of long-bladed edged weapons: 
Ephesus, German Gefass (I)
consists of a pommel (1) , pens (3) , and guards, eng. Hilt (2,4,5,6,7,8,9,11)
Blade (II)- parts of the blade: weak - at the tip; strong - at the guard.
pommel (1) , pommel fr. term from lat.yaz. "little apple", serves as a counterweight, also for possible attacking actions.
Garda, fr. Garde, protective structure: a complex of loops, rings and stripes completely covering the wrist of the armed hand from the opponent;
killons (7,6,8) , fr. quillion, cross - a crossbar between the handle and the blade, as the initial stage in the development of the guard.
Garda typical medieval sword It was a simple cross with straight or slightly curved ends. This was enough, because. the sword was almost never used for defense (parry), and the hand was protected by a heavy metal glove. The heavy sword was designed for delivering powerful slashing blows.
With the relief of protective ammunition, the fighter became more maneuverable. And the sword was also subject to similar requirements. The weight of the weapon was reduced, and options for protecting the hand were thought out, without the use of an uncomfortable plate glove.
Gradually, the crosspiece began to acquire additional elements. The first improvement of the sword was the appearance of a ring covering the index finger, placed behind the crosspiece for more complete control over the weapon.
Then it was supplemented with a second ring, because. for the crosspiece on the strong part of the blade, the middle and thumb were also placed, the protection of which also had to be considered.
As a result, the so-called padan was formed. (4, 5) (pas d'ane, fr. literally "donkey's footprint"), part of the guard, protecting the fingers behind the cross. The part of the blade in this place is called the ricasso. (10) (ital. ricasso), rounded (blunt) for comfortable holding by fingers.
The cross also underwent changes - one end of it was soon bent to the pommel to protect the knuckles, forming a bow (knuckle guard Eng., German. bagels (2)- protects the back of the hand, the outer sector). Subsequently, the bow was connected to the pommel.
Such protective structures would be sufficient if the weapon was used only for striking in pronation (back of the hand on top).
But for upward blows and thrusts in the supination position (open palm), it was necessary to develop protection from the side of the wrist. The edges of the padanas on the inside were connected to the edges of the darling with the help of curved crossbars. All these additional developments can be attributed to the concept of a counterguard (eng. counterguards) (9)
The dimensions and proportions of all these components are also important.
Gradually, with the development of the guard, the hilt itself decreased in size, because. the handle was calculated on only one palm, the middle and ring fingers clasped the handle, the rest were behind the cross.
It is very important for a professional swordsman to develop in himself the "Sense of the weapon" (blade), sentiment du fer(fr.).
This is the feeling of the opponent's blade, obtained in conjunction with him during various blade movements.
This skill allows you to perceive the slightest change in the position of the opponent's body, thereby predicting his intentions, which gives complete control over his weapon.
) blade edged weapons (cm. STEEL ARMS), which serves to protect the hand from being hit by an opponent's weapon.
The term "guard" is more often used in relation to long-bladed weapons (sword (cm. SWORD), rapier (cm. RAPIER)). With short-bladed weapons (dagger (cm. DAGGER), dagger (cm. DIRK)) a similar part is called a limiter. The main types of guards: cross, bow (arc), shield, half-basket, basket, half-cup, cup (bowl). In weapons business, combinations of various types of guards are often used.
encyclopedic Dictionary . 2009 .
See what "GARDA (part of the hilt)" is in other dictionaries:
- (French garde, the main meaning is protection), part of the hilt of a blade cold weapon, which serves to protect against a blow from the hand ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
Garda: Garda (Lago di Garda) is the largest lake in Italy; Garda (Isola di Garda) is the largest island in Italy's Lake Garda. Garda (Garda) a commune in Italy, a climatic resort on the shores of Lake Garda; Garda or guard part of the hilt ... ... Wikipedia
s; well. [French] garde guard] A metal shield to protect the hand, located between the blade and the handle of cold weapons (swords, rapiers, etc.) or the shackle on the saber handle. * * * guard (French garde, the main meaning is protection), part of the hilt ... encyclopedic Dictionary
EPESUS (from German Gefass), part of a cold weapon (see COLD WEAPONS) with a long blade (see BLADE), combining the hilt and guard (see GUARD (part of the hilt)). Ephesus may not have a guard... encyclopedic Dictionary
SABER (from Hung. szabni to cut), chopping edged weapons. It consists of a steel curved blade (see BLADE) with a blade on the convex side and a handle (hilt). Appeared in the East in the 6th and 7th centuries, later in Russia and others European countries. The combination ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary
AND; well. [ital. spada] A cold piercing weapon with a straight narrow and long blade of a trihedral, tetrahedral or hexagonal shape. Sword handle. Ancient sh. Sportivnaya sh. Fight, fencing with swords. Draw swords (pull out from the scabbard, ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary
BUT; m. [from Hung. pallos] East. Melee weapons, similar to a saber, but with a straight and wide single-edged (double-edged by the end) blade (was in service with Russian cuirassier regiments until the end of the 19th century). Chop with a broadsword. * * * broadsword (from Hungarian pallos), chopping ... encyclopedic Dictionary
BUT; m. 1. An ancient edged weapon in the form of a double-edged long straight knife with a handle. Broad sword. Swing, cut with a sword. Sword scabbard. 2. High. About who or what punishes, punishes whom l. Sword of justice. Sword of the law. Punishing sword. ◊… … encyclopedic Dictionary
- (German: Spadon), edged weapons (see COLD WEAPONS), two-handed sword(see SWORD), used in the 15th and 17th centuries in Germany and Switzerland. Spadon reached human size, the blade (see BLADE) was double-edged, wavy or flaming ... encyclopedic Dictionary
BUT; m. [French. espadon] Sports. Sports saber. Fencing on espadrons. ◁ Espadronny, oh, oh. E. blade. * * * Espadron (from the French espadon a large sword), see Sports saber. * * * ESPADRON ESPADRON (French espadon, from Italian spadone from ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary
It so happened that the components of edged weapons, including swords, are given names by the authors of books to the extent of their licentiousness. Some names have multiple meanings. Namely: "apple" is a spherical detail on the top of the sword hilt, and maybe the warhead of the mace, although the warhead of the mace has its own name: "beat". This confusion can be explained by the fact that the apple from the sword can also deliver serious blows. There is also a contradiction between the definitions of "hilt" and "hilt", I believe that these are synonyms, but often only that part of the sword for which the sword is held is called the hilt. I think that this detail is called "shank", the old Russian word "black" is also suitable. There is also a slight confusion with the crosshair of the saber and the crossguard of the sword, "crosshair" is not a synonym for the word "crossguard". But you will read about everything in order, the new definition is marked with an asterisk "*" when you click on it, you will be taken directly to its definition, if you want to return to the previous block, then press the "back" button in the browser.
Sword samples:
handle handle
Cross end
Explanations
Sword- a bladed weapon with a straight long wide blade and a simple guard, usually consisting only of a cross. The massive head of the hilt of the sword served to some extent as a counterweight to the blade.
Handle head, hilt (pommel, knob, apple) - the upper part of the handle of a bladed weapon. It can have a wide variety of shapes. The head was riveted or screwed onto the blade shank and served as a fastening element for the hilt. In some types of bladed weapons (swords), the massive head of the handle was a counterweight to the blade.
cutting(cheren) - part of the hilt (hilt) of a bladed weapon, fixed on the shank of the blade and intended to be grasped by the hand. It is a wooden tube or consists of two wooden or horn plates - cheeks. Tubular handles were usually covered with leather and wrapped with wire.
Handle(hilt , kryzh) - from the German "Gefass" - component bladed weapon, which is a combination of the handle, head and guard. In many cases (Caucasian and Asian checkers, various knives, etc.) the handle consists of only one handle, and in this case it is called a handle.
Shank(rod, stem) - a steel strip or rod extending from the heel of the blade, on which the handle of a bladed weapon is mounted.
cross(tinderbox) - a narrow metal faceted or flat bar located between the handle and the blade perpendicular to them. One end of the cross in many types of bladed weapons passes into the front bow, connected to the head of the handle. The cross is often referred to as the limiter.
Dol(dolik, gutter, bloodstream) - a longitudinal groove on the blade, which serves to facilitate it. The blade may have one or more lobes or lobes of different lengths and widths.
Blade- the sharpened edge of a blade, spearhead or axe.
Blade(strip) - the main part of a bladed weapon in the form of a steel straight or curved strip with a single-edged or double-edged sharpening, or a faceted rod. The cross-section of the blade could be very diverse: hexagonal or diamond-shaped (swords), wedge-shaped (sabers), etc. The obsolete term “golomen” is sometimes used to refer to the plane or side of the blade.
edge of the blade- (hollowbone) part of the plane of the blade, bounded by two ribs or a rib and a blade.
point- the piercing end of the blade, the point of connection of the lines of the butt (or the bevel of the butt) and the blade.
Blade Shoulder(heel, base) - the upper unsharpened part of the blade, directly adjacent to the handle. Hallmarks were usually placed on the heel.
garda(guard, lattice, flint) - from the French "garde" - a set of protective elements of the hilt of a bladed weapon. May consist of a cross, temples, cups. Guards with a large number of intersecting arms are sometimes called basket or lattice.
Sword in one and a half hands- a kind of sword with a long blade, the hilt of which could be clasped with one or two hands.
stiffener- a protrusion on the blade strip necessary to increase the strength and rigidity of the blade.
Strongest part of the blade(forte) - here the blade has the greatest thickness, here, near the guard, the best protection. This is the part of the blade that is recommended to parry blows.
Foible(foible) - part of the blade at the tip, least of all suitable for parrying. The enemy can gain more control over our weapon if parried with this part.
Sheath(sheath) - a metal, wooden or leather case for a blade, equipped with any suspension devices (rings, hook, bracket, etc.). The scabbard is hung from the waist or shoulder harness with the help of the so-called pass straps.
mouth(upper tip, upper binding, upper clip) - the upper part of the metal device of the leather or wooden scabbard of a bladed weapon, protecting the upper end of the scabbard from damage. The mouth is sometimes also called the hole into which the blade is inserted when sheathed.
Scabbard tip(buterole) - the lower part of the metal device of a wooden or leather scabbard, protecting their end from damage.
Sword- from the Italian "spada" - a bladed weapon with a long, straight, narrow or medium-width blade and a complex guard consisting of a cup, one or more bows of various shapes and a cross, or only a system of bows and a cross.
shackle(pigtail, bigel) - an integral element of the guard of a bladed weapon. The front shackle connects the head of the handle to the cross or cup. The side arms usually branch off from the front and connect to a cup or cross.
Shield- a wide, often patterned plate, an integral part of the guard.
hilt cup- a metal plate of various shapes, flat or curved towards the edge of the blade, mounted on a cross and being an integral part of the guard.
Button- a semicircular or faceted protrusion on top of the head-top of the handle, for fixing the tip of the blade shank.
Ricasso- not sharpened part at the base of the blade of some two-handed swords and a sword. It was activated when the fingers were wrapped around the cross and the base of the blade, therefore it was protected by the arms located under the cross.
Blade- a large cone-shaped leather or cloth loop suspended from the waist belt, into which the sheath of a cold bladed weapon or bayonet was inserted.
Scabbard device(frame, set) - metal lining on a leather or wooden scabbard. It usually consists of a mouth, one or more nuts (clamps) and a tip.
Saber- bladed weapons with a long curved single-edged blade and a rather simple guard; sabers with complex guards have been spreading in Western Europe since the 17th century.
Elman- the extended lower part of the blade, which has a double-edged sharpening. It is found mainly in eastern sabers. In the 17th-19th centuries, blades with elmans were also made for some samples of European sabers.
Butt(butt, blunt, rear, back) - not sharpened edge of the blade, opposite to the blade.
crosshairs(flint, kryzh) - semicircular or rectangular extensions or overlays in the middle part of the cross, located perpendicular to it. The crosshair served to capture the opponent's blade, as well as to keep the blade in the sheath.
Ring- a detail of the sheath of a bladed weapon, to which the pass strap of the sword belt is attached.
cheek- a plate made of bone, horn, wood, plastic, stone or other material, fastened to the blade shank with rivets or screws. The handle of a bladed weapon was formed by two cheeks.
Sleeve- (forging, bolster, nut) - a wide metal ring-shaped or faceted part on the handle of a bladed weapon, fixing the cheeks of the handle on the blade shank, and also preventing them from splitting.
O6omitsa(forging, clip, breech) - a wide figured metal lining in the middle part of the scabbard, which has an eyelet with a ring for the belt strap.
screw- a narrow metal plate that wraps around the scabbard and has an eyelet with a ring for the harness strap. Wide curly nuts were usually called ferrules.
Shoe(comb, scallop, mane) - a metal curly plate that protects the tip of the scabbard from rubbing when dragging along the ground. Mounting a spinning wheel in a shoe was considered a special glamor, with an atom saber or broadsword not only touching paving stones or asphalt, but rolling next to the owner. Such liberties, the fashion for which came from Germany, were allowed only by some officers of the Russian guards cavalry regiments stationed in the capital.
Harness- from the French "porte-epee" - a system of belts for hanging and carrying bladed weapons.
Passing belts- short straps connecting the main shoulder or waist belt of the harness with the scabbard of a bladed weapon. They were threaded into rings or staples on a scabbard.
brace- a curved rectangular or semicircular detail at the mouth of the scabbard, designed for threading a short pass belt strap.
plank- an oblong metal plate covering the back of the handle of a bladed weapon along its entire length.
Level of curvature and other geometric parameters
For bladed weapons: the total length is measured, the length of the blade, the width of the blade at the base (if any - the width of the elmani, the width in the narrowing in the middle part); when weighing a weapon, the weight in the sheath and without the sheath is given. If the blade has a curvature, the curvature of the blade can also be measured. Usually, when it comes to this, the authors offer the following method for measuring the curvature of the blade. An imaginary straight line is drawn between the tip of the blade and the junction of the butt and hilt. A perpendicular is lowered onto it: a) from the extreme point of the blade arc (1st option), b) from the extreme point of the butt arc (2nd option). Then the distance from the junction of the perpendicular and the straight line to the point is measured, and the indicator of the maximum curvature of the blade is given as a fractional number, for example 65/280, in which the first number is the length of the perpendicular. The second measurement option does not objectively reflect the degree of curvature of the cutting edge of the blade - the blade. To be convinced of this, it is enough to look at some types of oriental single-bladed weapons, in which the butt of the blade is minimally removed from the straight line or even on the other side of it, while the blade line is sufficiently curved (kukri). Moreover, the curved blades of some Eastern daggers do not have a butt at all. In this case, if the curvature index is displayed, the perpendicular falls on a straight line connecting the point and the base point of the shorter blade.
The linear dimensions of the weapon are indicated in millimeters, the mass - in grams.
V.N. Popenko. Edged weapons of East and West. Moscow. 1992.
Gerald Winland/ Swords Swords and Sabers Desk book collector. Moscow: Trivium. 1991
Khorev V. N. Reconstruction ancient weapons/ V. N. Khorev. - Phoenix, 2006. - 249,
Emil Vollmer Werlag. Blanke Waffen.
Kwasnevich Vlodzhimezh. Polish sabers. - St. Petersburg. LLC "Publishing house Atlant" 2005.
Kirpichnikov A. N. On the beginning of the production of swords in Russia (Proceedings of the VI International Congress of Slavic Archeology. V.4. M., 1998. S. 246-251)
Kirpichnikov A.N. Old Russian weapons. Issue 1. Swords and sabers (M.: L., 1966)
The evolution of the knight's sword eventually led to its division into two areas of development, the broadsword, a long and heavy piercing and chopping weapon, fell into the first half. The rapier and sword became the second direction; at the time of its appearance, the combat sword did not even approximately resemble its elegant heirs from the 18-19 centuries. The main difference between a combat sword and a broadsword was in the weight and width of the blade, in addition, the broadsword was used mainly for chopping, while the sword was intended for stabbing.
But at the same time, one should not miss the fact that both the broadsword and the sword could both chop and stab. It was a long and narrow sword, the reason for its appearance was the presence of plate armor and the appearance of joints and holes in them, where the narrow blade entered just fine. In addition, the sword, unlike the sword, gave the owner more opportunities in battle than heavier types of melee weapons. After its appearance, the sword took its place on the belt of the nobility and officer class for four centuries of almost uninterrupted wars.
The device of the sword
The sword, like other bladed weapons, consisted of two main parts: the blade and the hilt. The blade is straight and flat with double-sided sharpening with a fuller or two, gradually tapering to the point. The length of the blade was about 1 meter, but later it decreased to 700-800 mm.
The blade itself, in addition to being flat in cross section, could be square, rhombic or oval, the cutting edges in this case remained only at the point.
- This is a piercing weapon with a long faceted blade with ribs.
The weight of the sword was about 1.2-1.6 kg. Sometimes the question arises, how much did the musketeer's sword weigh? The answer to this question is in the museums of France. The sword of those times had a weight of about 1.5 kg.
The hilt of the sword consists of the following parts:
- the handle of the sword, usually made of wood and metal and has a braid or corrugation for a comfortable grip;
- crosshair, a protective device at the transition between the blade and the hilt, straight or oblique;
- shackle, a protective device that protects the fingers of the hand, in the form of a strip of metal from the crosspiece to the pommel of the handle;
- the pommel, a metal apple that completes the handle, which serves for balancing, was made in the form of a metal ball or hat;
- the guard, the protection of the hand, consisted of protective rings with fastening to the crosshair, as well as shields or a developed basket made in the form of a solid or patterned metal strip that completely covered the hand.
The hilt of early samples was a conventional cross with a shackle, occasionally supplemented with a protective ring. A balancing apple was attached to the top of the handle.
Later hilts received a basket guard on top of a developed crosshair, and the number of arches increased to 2-3, or a continuous strip of figured shape covering the hand.
The handle could have a rounded, round or rectangular section, it was mounted on the blade shank and firmly fixed. The material for its upholstery was coda or fabric. Often the hilt of the sword was braided with metal wire in several rows.
The guards of the blades largely depended on the fencing school, so the Spanish fencing masters preferred completely closed guards, while in fencing they worked with the hand from the forearm, french school preferred light guards, as hand technique was more developed.
According to the modern Oushcott classification, guards are divided by the degree of closure of the hand into fractional quarters. According to the type of guard, types of swords are subdivided, which have pronounced properties that are characteristic only for this type of weapon:
- "Spanish" bowl, a deep bowl in front of the crosshair with a pair of rings inside it, in battle the sword is held by them, or by the hilt itself;
- bilbo, a more secure version of the "Spanish bowl", with an additional bow and a more voluminous bowl;
- papenheimer, a developed guard with a cup and protection of the hand in the form of a complex weaving of the temples;
- Flemish guard, in the form of a cross with rings or shields, without a bow;
- cavalry, the development of the Flemish, but with the presence of one or more arches covering the hand.
Later, when the combat sword became a court decoration and ceremonial weapon, the hilts began to be decorated precious stones, weaving them was a work of art. While the crosshair has almost completely disappeared.
The combat swords of this time were simplified samples with a small crosshair, bow and two shields to the right and left of the blade. On the apple could be located various kinds of decorations or awards. The total length of the sword depended on the master who forged it and on the owner's fencing school.
Features of the sword
With the spread of the sword, it was unequivocally accepted as a noble weapon. This was facilitated by both combat and specifications this type of melee weapon.
Unlike inexpensive broadswords and sabers, the soft metal of the blades, which could be compensated for by the weight and force of the blow, the sword is a weapon of technology and high-quality metal.
A thinner blade required elastic and hard steel.
In addition, the focus on the injection made the sword an even more demanding weapon in terms of production quality. For this reason, the sword became a hallmark of the nobility, less wealthy financial means classes preferred cheaper sabers and swords.
In addition, possession of a sword also required certain skills that only warriors could have, which the nobles were originally.
After fencing became a science, national schools of possession of this weapon gradually began to develop.
In many ways, they depended on the characteristics of the guard and the blade. Italian swords, for example, are designed for stabbing, and practically do not use chopping and cutting, with a pull, blade strikes. Accordingly, the handles and hilts of Italian edged weapons are designed specifically for an injection; it is not particularly convenient to cut them.
Also interesting is the French school, also designed for thrusting, the French type sword has a light guard of the Flemish or cavalry type and usually a faceted blade. Therefore, the swords of musketeers have a relatively short blade and an open guard.
The German school, on the contrary, uses a full range of strokes. Chopping, piercing and cutting, as well as stunning, with a flat blade. It was in the German principalities that the tactics of combat with a dagger for the second hand, the dag, appeared.
Distreza, the Spanish school of swordsmanship assumed a whole science, including the philosophy of sword fighting. But at the same time, unlike the developing French and Italian schools, it was more conservative.
Conclusion
Despite the fact that fencing is now becoming more and more history. But all his methods were transferred to sports fencing, the fastest and most dynamic sport.
It is also worth noting military-historical fencing, which involves the use of products identical to combat models. Moreover, in childhood, everyone was sick of the adventures of Athos, Porthos and Aramis, after watching movies or reading books by Dumas.
Hence the musketeer cloaks, wooden sabers in childhood, and steel and aluminum blades in adulthood. It is worth noting that you should not use a sword or other edged weapons as a means of self-defense, it is illegal.
But the sword as a sign of honor and valor of an officer and a nobleman has already become a household item. "Sell your sword" - this phrase came from German mercenaries and means - to sell your knowledge and experience. To break a sword means to deprive of honor. So this outdated edged weapon entered our everyday life.
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