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WABUKAN Arsenal · Swords · Europe

Longsword

The two-handed sword of late medieval Europe. Liechtenauer's German tradition and Fiore dei Liberi's Italian treatise taught it in detail.

Longsword
Longsword WABUKAN illustration

Also known as

Langes Schwert · long sword; langes Schwert; spada longa; bastard sword

Origin and history

The two-handed longsword was used in Europe from about 1350 to 1550. It is the best-documented European sword: the German tradition of Johannes Liechtenauer and the Italian manual of Fiore dei Liberi (around 1400) are the basis of modern HEMA.

Martial arts that use it

HEMA

Construction

A straight, double-edged blade of about 90–110 cm with a cross-guard and a grip long enough for two hands; total length around 115–130 cm and weight about 1.2–1.8 kg. Training uses blunt steel feders, nylon or wooden wasters.

Basic techniques

Training

Beginners learn grip, posture and footwork first, then cutting and thrusting lines in solo forms or drills, usually with a wooden or blunt trainer. Paired drills with a partner come next, at slow speed, before any free sparring with protective gear.

Safety

Train with wooden, blunt or club-approved trainers; keep live blades for experienced practitioners under supervision. Check the blade, handle and fittings before every session, keep a clear space of at least two weapon lengths and never cut towards people.

Legality (general information)

Swords, knives and other edged weapons are regulated very differently from country to country (and sometimes from region to region): owning one at home is often allowed, while carrying it in public, buying it under a certain age or importing it may be restricted or banned. Practitioners usually transport them cased, out of reach and straight between home and dojo. This is general information, not legal advice: check the law where you live.

Did you know?

Contrary to the myth of heavy medieval swords, a longsword usually weighed less than 2 kg.

More weapons

Arming sword Messer Zweihänder Rapier Smallsword Foil

Sources

Original WABUKAN text, written from these cross-checked sources (facts, not sentences).

  1. Wikipedia — Longsword
  2. Wikipedia — Historical European martial arts