About Medieval Swords
For centuries, lives and livelihoods rested on the blades of swords. It wasn't just the knights and the warriors that wielded weapons; swords were a necessity to protect family, friends and even animals. Making these weapons became no less than an art form--so durable and elegant that many have survived into the 21st century.
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Creation
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Creating a sword that would be strong, durable and easy to wield was a complicated process. Many of the details of individual smiths' processes have been lost, but it is accepted that the most important part of creating a sword is properly heating and tempering the steel of the blade.
Pattern welding
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During the early medieval period--until about 900 A.D.--swords were made by repeatedly heating and then hammering flat steel in the shape of the blade. This created a distinctive pattern on the blade, showing where the individual rods of steel had once been--this design was often accented in the polishing process by using acids in a way similar to dyes.
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After 1000 A.D.
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Around 1000 A.D., improvements in smelting technologies allowed swords to be made from one continuous piece of steel, rather than having to wind pieces of steel together. By 1300, advances in the technologies of smithing allowed smiths to create larger numbers of swords faster than before.
The artists
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Making of a truly great sword would often involve a number of different people, all experts in their field. This would include a forger to hammer the sword, a shaper to define the blade, a polisher to put the finishing touches on the blade and to bring out the pattern of the steel and a cutler to make the blade's hilt.
Longsword
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The longsword is one of the most commonly thought of weapons of the Middle Ages, but it did not come into widespread use until the late medieval period--between 1350 and 1550 A.D. (along with the Scottish claymore). Longswords are on average between 42 and 47 inches long, and designed to be wielded with one or both hands.
Tachi and Katana
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The tachi and the katana are Japanese swords used in the medieval period. The tachi were long, curved blades that were commonly used by mounted samurais. Awkward to use when on foot, the blades were made shorter, evolving into the katana in the late medieval period.
Famous swords
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Some swords who were carried by famous (and in some cases, infamous) owners have gone on to fame themselves. A sword some claim belonged to William Wallace can be seen at the Wallace monument in Stirling, Scotland, while Guy of Warwick's sword can still be seen at Warwick Castle in England.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Spis Museum, Levoca
