Swords VaultSwordsVault

The armoury

Longswords and Bastard Swords

The longsword, also called the bastard sword or hand-and-a-half sword: a grip long enough to add the second hand, a blade of 85–100 cm. The sword that dominated the 15th century.

5 items
AllLongswords
5 items

5 items

Typical dimensions

The all-round knightly sword of the Liechtenauer and Fiore dei Liberi treatises: fluid cuts and stiff thrusts that look for gaps in armour.

Typical length
115–130 cm
Typical mass
1.3–1.8 kg
Balance (POB)
7–12 cm
Typology
Oakeshott XIIa–XVIII
Period
13th–16th c. · the fencing treatises
Blade section
Diamond or flattened hexagon

Longsword, bastard sword, hand-and-a-half — what the names mean

All three names describe the same family. 'Longsword' translates the German langes Schwert of the fencing manuals. The bastard sword — épée bâtarde in 15th-century French — was 'born out of wedlock': neither one-handed nor two-handed. Hand-and-a-half says the same thing in the language of the grip: one hand leads, the other adds power.

Some historians keep 'bastard sword' for swords with a shorter grip that still handle well in one hand, and call 'longswords' the ones used mainly with both. We keep them together, because the line is fluid and nobody selling swords respects it anyway.

A sword for plate armour

The longsword developed in the 14th and 15th centuries alongside plate armour. A knight in full plate needed no shield, so his second hand was free. Blades became stiffer and sharply tapered — Oakeshott's types XV and XVIII — because armour had to be beaten with a thrust into a gap. In armoured fighting the second hand even gripped the blade itself, in the half-sword.

This is the era of the treatises by Johannes Liechtenauer and Fiore dei Liberi, on which modern historical European martial arts (HEMA) are built. In them the longsword is a universal weapon: it cuts, thrusts, binds and disarms.

How to choose a longsword

A typical longsword is 115–130 cm long and weighs 1.3–1.8 kg, with the point of balance 7–12 cm from the guard; the closer to the guard, the quicker the sword changes line. Originals of this length usually weighed 1.4–1.6 kg, which is worth remembering with a heavier replica.

A sharp blade is for a collection and for cutting mats. For sparring you need a training sword — a feder: blunt, flexible and with a rounded point.

Frequently asked

What is the difference between a longsword and a two-handed sword?
A longsword can still be handled with one hand, with the second only helping. A two-handed sword such as the zweihander is 135–170 cm long, weighs 2–3 kg and is used with both hands only.
Why is it called a bastard sword?
Because it sits between categories: neither a one-handed nor a two-handed sword. The name goes back to the 15th century — épée bâtarde in French — and covers the same family as the longsword and the hand-and-a-half sword.
How much does a longsword weigh?
Usually 1.3–1.8 kg. Historical longswords of around 120 cm most often weighed 1.4–1.6 kg.
Can I use a longsword for HEMA?
Not a sharp one for sparring. Partner work uses feders or blunt swords with an edge at least 2 mm thick and a rounded point. A sharp longsword is for collecting and test cutting.

Guides

Other types of sword