Swords and their names. Samurai swords
The European sword consists of two main parts:
The structure of a European one-handed sword
1) Handles, which in turn consists of pommel (apple), handle, guard (cross), tang
2) blade blade, which in turn consists from fuller, blade and point.
Blade
Blade- has many interpretations united by a common message. A blade is: 1) the cutting part of a bladed weapon or knife (literary dictionary, Ushakov); 2) the cutting and piercing part of edged weapons (literary dictionary, Ozhegov); 3) strip, generally the steel part of a cold, sharp weapon (except for a bayonet) and a knife (literary dictionary, Dahl).
And yet, what concept should be the key? It would be right to contact legal concept words blade- an extended metal warhead of a bladed weapon with an edge, with an edge and one or two blades, or with two blades, which is part of a strip, this definition is enshrined in GOST R 51215 98. This is the generally accepted understanding of the word - blade.
However, we will also derive a specific concept of blade associated with the reality of the Zbroevy Falvarak workshop, blade from the ZF workshop, this is an extended metal warhead of a product, with a point, with a point and one or two blades, or with two blades, which is part of a strip, externally and structurally similar to edged weapons.
The main feature: the master craftsmen of the Polar Division do not make edged weapons, but make mass-sized copies).
1) Let's take a closer look at the individual parts of the hilt:
Finial (apple):
pommel- this element of the sword’s structure is intended for its balancing, only a balanced sword is suitable for skillful fencing with it; in different schools of weapons making, the balance may be different. However, it is considered a generally accepted way to measure the balance of a sword - this is measured using the fingers of the hand, as a rule, a good balance for a European blade should be four fingers from the sword guard.
How to establish balance using your fingers?
We take the blade of the sword and look at its balance, for this we place the blade on one finger of the hand, removing or bringing the finger closer to the guard, we find the point when neither side outweighs the other. This is where the balance will be.
In addition, the pommel serves to rest the hand, this is especially important because during a fight the sword begins to slide until the hand rests on the pommel.
Sword hilt:
Sword hilt – designed to hold the sword with the hand. The handle of the sword should fit comfortably in your hand, because an inconvenient handle will affect your fencing capabilities. Therefore, when buying a sword, you need to pay attention to how well the hilt fits your hand. At the moment, it is possible to confidently identify and classify swords by the number of grips on the handle with the hand. So at the moment swords are divided into:
— One-handed swords
— One-and-a-half-handed swords
— Two-handed swords
Usually under one-handed swords refers to light European blades designed for quick fencing with one hand; such swords are usually light and have a blade from 50 to 80 cm and are a classic weapon for both participants in the role-playing movement and participants in the medieval reconstruction movement.
Under swords with one-and-a-half grip(bastards), refers to swords that can be held with either one hand or two. Depending on the situation, a fencer can fence with one hand and hold the shield with the other, but if necessary, he can take such a sword in two hands and fence with it, holding it with both hands, thereby reducing the fatigue of one hand. By medieval standards, a one-and-a-half-handed sword was chest-high to the owner. This length allows you to hold an enemy who has a one-handed sword at a greater distance and thus be able to strike from a greater distance. Nowadays, it is not uncommon for a bastard sword to become a weapon for a beginner who is just starting out on the path to understanding the basics of fencing. This type of sword is widespread among both role-players and medieval reenactors.
Two-handed swords , as usual, these are large, heavy knightly swords of the espadon type; fencing with such a sword requires significant physical strength and skills. This sword is designed to be held and fencing with two hands; thanks to its blade length of more than 110 cm, it is a long-range weapon. By medieval standards, the two-handed sword was up to the owner's chin. In general, two-handed swords are very dangerous in fencing, as they often cause significant injuries. At the moment, swords of this type are quite rare in the role-playing and reenactment movement. In the role-playing movement, this sword has gained relevance due to the fact that such swords, thanks to the rules of combat interaction in a role-playing game, cause more damage to the enemy than a one-handed or one-and-a-half-handed sword. But their production requires a significant amount and high quality of material, coupled with high skills of the craftsman - therefore, two-handed swords are much less common than one-and-a-half-handed or two-handed swords. In addition, such swords often become artifacts or some other symbol of magic in role-playing games. In the movement of medieval reenactors, the double-dealer is not very common due to the fact that to work with both hands during fights or buhurts, a fencer needs a very high-quality protective armor complex.
The indicated classification and sizes of swords are relative and taken from our experience and the experience of other masters. So, for example, in Japan, a sword 50 cm long, like a wakizashi, or a sword 70 cm long, like a katana, have a two-handed grip. With the same success, the European bastard can be with a two-handed grip.
Like the pommel, the handle is included in the system blade balancing. This statement especially applies to swords made according to the “welded glass” system, and then according to the system of “steel pipe”, “welded steel plates”. For historical swords this is less relevant, because the hilt of such swords is made of wood, although, for example, the ninja sword, shinobi-ken, has an all-metal hilt.
Guards (crosspieces, also called “armchair”)
Sword Guard– this element of the sword hilt is designed to protect the hand during fencing, from blows from the enemy’s sword blade. Different countries and peoples have created guards of different shapes. In addition, the guard performs the function of balancing the sword.
Shank
may or may not be present on the guard. It is believed that the presence of a tang on the sword allows the blade to better absorb impact energy and thereby protect the blade from vibration and loosening in the hilt.
2) Let's take a closer look at the individual parts of the blade:
Sword Blade
Sword Blade- the sharp edge of a cutting, chopping weapon (explanatory dictionary, Ozhegov); the sharp side (working part) of the blade (Historical Dictionary). So, the blade is the fighting, cutting part of the blade.
- groove, longitudinal recess on the blade. The first and most obvious function of the fullers is to lighten the blade: with the same dimensions, the blade with the fullers has noticeably less weight. If the fullers are formed by a cutting tool in a homogeneous material, then with a slight decrease in mechanical strength (compared to the workpiece), weight is noticeably lost (especially with wide fullers on a long blade). When bending and torsioning, the middle part of the blade is slightly loaded, so it can be removed almost painlessly. In cross-section, the blade with symmetrical wide valleys is similar to an I-beam, which is known in architecture for its significant rigidity with low mass. According to some sources, the I-beam profile in architecture was borrowed specifically from bladed weapons. If the fuller is made by forging, then in this place (usually closer to the butt) the blade material is strengthened, which allows the blade to be formed by forging without fear of significant deformation (curvature) in the plane of the blade, or strong “lifting” of the blade tip above the butt line. During heat treatment, the thin blade and thick blade spine heat up and cool unevenly. The fullers even out temperature conditions, reducing the mass of the thick part of the blade. The blade-hilt balance changes in valleys. On some types of knives, wide blades prevent sticking (freezing in winter conditions) of the product being cut onto the blade, reducing the area of contact between the blade's base and the cutting plane. The most significant function on short-bladed weapons and instruments is the aesthetic function. The dol gives the blade external swiftness and aggressiveness, adds a third dimension (depth) to the plane of the knife, carries an associative load, because it is associated in culture with the romance of long-bladed weapons, criminal Finns, and is emotionally colored called “blood.”
Blade edges
- this is the part of the sword directly intended for delivering a chopping blow to the enemy. Depending on the type and type, the sword can be double-edged, i.e. have two edges, or have only one, like a falchion, saber, broadsword, katana. There were also triangular blades and tetrahedral blades (estok, konchar), but they were exclusively piercing weapons and served to pierce armor. The internal section of the blade is different, it can be a rhombus, an oval, etc.
tip
– the tip is intended for piercing. In the early Middle Ages, the sharper part was often simply rounded off. But already during the Crusades, the edge of the sword began to be sharpened to deliver piercing blows to the weak points of the armor.
Sheath
– designed to protect the sword from the external environment, as well as to carry the sword.
Mouth of the sword sheath
– a metal plate that performs a decorative function and also serves to strengthen the entrance to the sheath, preventing the halves of the sheath from moving apart.
Scabbard tip
- a metal plate that performs a decorative function like the mouth of the sword, in addition, it serves to tighten the skin that is usually covered with the sword.
The mouth and tip appeared during the Crusades. And they were borrowed from the scabbards of eastern swords.
The sword has always been the weapon of the nobility. The knights treated their blades as comrades in battle, and, having lost his sword in battle, a warrior covered himself with indelible shame. Among the glorious representatives of this type of bladed weapon there is also its own “nobility” - famous blades, which, according to legend, have magical properties, for example, putting enemies to flight and protecting their owner. There is some truth in such tales - an artifact sword by its very appearance could inspire the companions of its owner. We present to you 1 2 most famous deadly relics in history.
1. The Sword in the Stone
Many people remember the legend of King Arthur, which tells how he plunged his sword into a stone to prove his right to the throne. Despite the complete fantastic nature of this story, it may be based on real events that only occurred much later than the estimated reign of the legendary king of the Britons.
In the Italian chapel of Monte Siepi there is kept a block with a blade firmly embedded in it, which, according to some sources, belonged to the Tuscan knight Galliano Guidotti, who lived in the 12th century.
According to legend, Guidotti had a bad temper and led a rather dissolute lifestyle, so one day the Archangel Michael appeared to him and urged him to take the path of serving the Lord, that is, to become a monk. Laughing, the knight declared that going to the monastery would be as difficult for him as cutting a stone, and to confirm his words, he forcefully struck a boulder lying nearby with his blade. The Archangel showed the stubborn man a miracle - the blade easily entered the stone, and the amazed Galliano left it there, after which he embarked on the path of correction and was later canonized, and the fame of his sword, which pierced the stone, spread throughout Europe.
Having subjected the block and sword to radiocarbon analysis, an employee of the University of Pavia, Luigi Garlaschelli, discovered that some part of this story may well be true: the age of the stone and sword is about eight centuries, that is, it coincides with the life of Signor Guidotti.
2. Kusanagi no Tsurugi
This mythical sword has been a symbol of the power of Japanese emperors for several centuries. Kusanagi no tsurugi (translated from Japanese as “sword that mows grass”) is also known as Ame-nomurakumo no tsurugi - “sword that collects the clouds of heaven.”
The Japanese epic says that the sword was found by the wind god Susanoo in the body of an eight-headed dragon he killed. Susanoo gave the blade to his sister, the sun goddess Amaterasu, later it ended up with her grandson Ninigi, and after some time it went to the demigod Jimmu, who then became the first emperor of the Land of the Rising Sun.
It is interesting that the Japanese authorities never put the sword on public display, but, on the contrary, tried to hide it away from prying eyes - even during coronations the sword was carried out wrapped in linen. It is believed to be kept at the Atsuta Shinto shrine in Nagoya, but there is no evidence of its existence.
The only ruler of Japan to publicly mention the sword was Emperor Hirohito: giving up the throne after the country's defeat in World War II, he called on the temple servants to keep the sword at all costs.
3. Durendal
For centuries, parishioners of the Not-Dame chapel, located in the city of Rocamadour, could see a sword stuck in the wall, which, according to legend, belonged to Roland himself, a hero of medieval epics and legends who existed in reality.
According to legend, he threw his magic blade while protecting the chapel from the enemy, and the sword remained in the wall. Attracted by these tales of the monks, numerous pilgrims flocked to Rocamadour, who retold the story of Roland's sword to each other, and thus the legend spread throughout Europe.
However, according to scientists, the sword in the chapel is not the legendary Durandal, with which Roland terrified his enemies. The famous knight of Charlemagne died on August 15, 778 in a battle with the Basques in the Roncesvalles Gorge, located hundreds of kilometers from Rocamadour, and rumors about “Durandal” lodged in the wall began to appear only in the middle of the 12th century, almost simultaneously with writing "The Song of Roland". The monks simply associated Roland's name with the sword to ensure a steady stream of worshipers. But rejecting the version about Roland as the owner of the blade, experts cannot offer anything in return - who it belonged to will probably remain a mystery.
By the way, now the sword is not in the chapel - in 2011 it was removed from the wall and sent to the Paris Museum of the Middle Ages. It is also interesting that in French the word “Durandal” is feminine, so Roland probably had not friendly affection for his sword, but real passion and could hardly throw his beloved against the wall.
4. Bloodthirsty Blades of Muramasa
Muramasa is a famous Japanese swordsman and blacksmith who lived in the 16th century. According to legend, Muramasa prayed to the gods to imbue his blades with bloodthirstiness and destructive power. The master made very good swords, and the gods respected his request, placing a demonic spirit of extermination of all living things in each blade.
It is believed that if the Muramasa sword gathers dust for a long time without use, it can provoke the owner to commit murder or suicide in order to “drink” blood in this way. There are countless stories of Muramasa sword wielders who went crazy or slaughtered many people. After a series of accidents and murders that occurred in the family of the famous shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, which popular rumor associated with Muramasa's curse, the government outlawed the master's blades, and most of them were destroyed.
To be fair, it must be said that the Muramasa school is an entire dynasty of gunsmiths that lasted for about a century, so the story of the “demonic spirit of bloodthirstiness” embedded in swords is nothing more than a legend. The curse of the blades made by the masters of the school was, paradoxically as it may sound, their exceptional quality. Many experienced warriors preferred them to other swords and, apparently, thanks to their art and the sharpness of Muramasa’s blades, they won victories more often than others.
5. Honjo Masamune
Unlike the bloodthirsty swords of Muramasa, the blades made by the master Masamune, according to legend, endowed warriors with calmness and wisdom. According to legend, in order to find out whose blades were better and sharper, Muramasa and Masamune dipped their swords into a river with lotuses. The flowers revealed the essence of each of the masters: the blade of Masamune’s sword did not inflict a single scratch on them, because his blades cannot harm the innocent, and Muramasa’s product, on the contrary, seemed to be striving to cut the flowers into small pieces, justifying its reputation.
Of course, this is pure fiction - Masamune lived almost two centuries earlier than the gunsmiths of the Muramasa school. However, Masamune swords are truly unique: the secret of their strength has not yet been revealed, even using the latest technologies and research methods.
All surviving blades of the master's work are national treasures of the Land of the Rising Sun and are carefully protected, but the best of them, Honjo Masamune, was given to American soldier Colde Bimor after the surrender of Japan in World War II, and its whereabouts are currently unknown. The government of the country is trying to find a unique blade, but so far, alas, in vain.
6. Joyeuse
The Joyeuse blade (translated from the French “joyeuse” - “joyful”), according to legend, belonged to the founder of the Holy Roman Empire, Charlemagne, and served him faithfully for many years. According to legend, he could change the color of the blade up to 30 times a day and outshine the Sun with its brightness. Currently, there are two blades that the famous monarch could wield.
One of them, used for many years as the coronation sword of French kings, is kept in the Louvre, and for hundreds of years there has been controversy as to whether Charlemagne's hand actually grasped its hilt. Radiocarbon dating proves that this cannot be true: the surviving old part of the sword exhibited in the Louvre (over the past hundreds of years it has been remade and restored more than once) was created between the 10th and 11th centuries, after the death of Charlemagne (the emperor died in 814). Some believe that the sword was made after the destruction of the real Joyeuse and is an exact copy of it, or that it contains part of the "Joyful".
The second contender for belonging to the legendary king is the so-called saber of Charlemagne, now located in one of the museums in Vienna. Experts differ regarding the time of its manufacture, but many admit that it could still have belonged to Charles: he probably captured the weapon as a trophy during one of his campaigns in Eastern Europe. Of course, this is not the famous Joyeuse, but, nevertheless, the saber has no price as a historical artifact.
7. Sword of St. Peter
There is a legend that the blade, which is part of the exhibition of the museum in the Polish city of Poznan, is nothing more than the sword with which the Apostle Peter cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant during the arrest of Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. This sword was brought to Poland in 968 by Bishop Jordan, who assured everyone that the blade belonged to Peter. Adherents of this myth believe that the sword was forged at the beginning of the 1st century somewhere on the eastern outskirts of the Roman Empire
Most researchers, however, are confident that the weapon was made much later than the events described in the Bible, this is confirmed by an analysis of the metal from which the sword and the falchion-type blade were smelted - such swords simply were not made in the time of the apostles, they appeared only in the 11th century .
8. Wallace's Sword
According to legend, Sir William Wallace, a military commander and leader of the Scots in the struggle for independence from England, after winning the Battle of Stirling Bridge, covered the hilt of his sword with the skin of the treasurer, Hugh de Cressingham, who was collecting taxes for the English. One must think that the unfortunate treasurer had to endure many terrible moments before his death, because in addition to the hilt, Wallace made a scabbard and a sword belt from the same material.
According to another version of the legend, Wallace made only a sword belt from leather, but it is incredibly difficult to say anything for sure now, because at the request of King James IV of Scotland, the sword was redesigned - the old worn finish of the sword was replaced with one more befitting of this great artifact.
Probably, Sir William could really decorate his weapon with the skin of the treasurer: as a patriot of his country, he hated traitors who collaborated with the occupiers. However, there is another opinion - many believe that the story was invented by the British to create the image of a bloodthirsty monster for the fighter for Scottish independence. We will most likely never know the truth.
9. Goujian Sword
In 1965, in one of the ancient Chinese tombs, archaeologists found a sword on which, despite the dampness that had surrounded it for many years, there was not a single spot of rust - the weapon was in excellent condition, one of the scientists even cut his finger when checking the sharpness blades. Having carefully studied the find, experts were surprised to note that it was at least 2.5 thousand years old.
According to the most common version, the sword belonged to Goujian, one of the vans (rulers) of the kingdom of Yue during the Spring and Autumn period. Researchers believe that this particular blade was mentioned in a lost work on the history of the kingdom. According to one legend, Goujian considered this sword to be the only worthwhile weapon in his collection, and another legend says that the sword is so beautiful that it could only be created by the joint efforts of Earth and Heaven.
The sword was perfectly preserved solely thanks to the art of ancient Chinese gunsmiths: the blade was made using a stainless alloy invented by them, and the scabbard of this weapon fit so tightly to the blade that air access to it was practically blocked.
10. Seven-pronged sword
This unusually beautiful blade was discovered in 1945 at the Isonokami-jingu Shinto shrine (Tenri, Japan). The sword is strikingly different from the usual edged weapons from the Land of the Rising Sun, first of all, in the complex shape of the blade - it has six bizarre branches, and the seventh, obviously, was considered the tip of the blade - therefore the found weapon received the name Nanatsusaya-no-tachi (translated . from Japanese - “Seven-toothed sword”).
The sword was stored in terrible conditions (which is very uncharacteristic for the Japanese), so its condition leaves much to be desired. There is an inscription on the blade, according to which the ruler of Korea gave this weapon to one of the Chinese emperors.
A description of exactly the same blade is found in Nihon Shoki, the oldest work on the history of Japan: according to legend, the seven-pronged sword was presented as a gift to the semi-mythical Empress Jingu.
Having carefully studied the sword, experts came to the conclusion that, most likely, this is the same legendary artifact, since the estimated time of its creation coincides with the events described in the Nihon Shoki, in addition, it also mentions the Isonokami-jingu shrine, so the relic was just lying there there for more than 1.5 thousand years until she was found.
11. Tizona
The weapon that belonged to the legendary Spanish hero Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, better known as El Cid Campeador, is now located in the cathedral of Burgos and is considered a national treasure of Spain.
After the death of Sid, the weapon went to the ancestors of the Spanish king Ferdinand II of Aragon, and the king who inherited it gave the relic to the Marquis de Falces. The descendants of the Marquis carefully preserved the artifact for hundreds of years, and in 1944, with their permission, the sword became part of the exhibition of the Royal Military Museum in Madrid. In 2007, the owner of the sword sold it to the authorities of the region of Castile and Leon for $2 million, and they transferred it to the cathedral where El Cid is buried.
Employees of the Ministry of Culture were offended by the sale of the sword, and they began to spread information that it was a later fake that had nothing to do with de Vivar. However, a thorough analysis confirmed that although the worn “native” hilt of the weapon was replaced with another in the 16th century, its blade was made in the 11th century, that is, the sword most likely belonged to the hero.
12. Ulfbert
In our time, such swords have been practically forgotten, but in the Middle Ages, when the word “Ulfbert” was heard, the enemies of the Vikings experienced genuine horror. The honor of possessing such a weapon belonged exclusively to the elite of the Scandinavian armed forces, because the Ulfberts were much stronger than other swords of the time. Most medieval bladed weapons were cast from brittle low-carbon steel mixed with slag, and the Vikings bought crucible steel for their swords from Iran and Afghanistan, which is much stronger.
Now it is unknown who this Ulfbert was, and whether he was the first to think of creating such swords, but it was his mark that stood on all swords made in Europe from Iranian and Afghan metal. Ulfberts are perhaps the most advanced melee weapon of the early Middle Ages, far ahead of their time. Blades of comparable strength began to be mass-produced in Europe only in the second half of the 18th century with the beginning of the global industrial revolution.
- Tizona, Tizona (Tizona)- sword, national treasure of Spain, famous for the “Poem of my Cid”. Taken by him from King Bukar (in the Spanish epic). A sword believed to be Tizona is on display in Madrid. His second sword: Colada- a less famous blade. Obtained by Cid from Count Raymond Berengary the Fratricide (in the Spanish epic).
- Shois- sword.
Legendary and fictional and European epic
Swords of different nations
- Chrysaor- the golden sword of the fairy queen, a symbol of higher spirituality, belonged to Artegal. Another sword from The Fairy Queen - Sanglamore- belonged to Braggadochio. King Arthur's sword in this poem is called Morddure. (, "Fairy Queen")
Swords in
- A sword embedded in a block of red marble that floated across the water to the castle. According to the inscription on the handle, only the one who would become the most glorious knight in the world could remove it. Of all the knights, only the young one was able to draw the sword. It was he who was destined to subsequently find and become its keeper.
in the gardens of Kingston Morward, England]]
swords
- Begalta ("Little Fury")- Diarmuid's sword (), irl. His second sword:
- Dyrnwyn- the sword of King Strathclyde Riderch I of Alt Clut, which burned with fire but left no burns.
- Caladbolg - sword a. The original versions of the myth used om. Identified with the om of a later time. Had enough strength to cut down three hills. Fergus's other sword was called Leochain ( Leochain).
- Cleve-Solash, Claíomh Solais (Claidheamh Soluis, "Sword of the Sun, Sword of Light")(sword of Nuada) - the sword of the legendary king of Ireland, a representative who could not be repelled. One of the 4 treasures of the tribes of the goddess Danu. Also identified with the later Excalibur.
- Orna- the sword of Tetra, king of the Fomorians, which was found by the warrior Ogma at the battle of Mag Tuired. Talked.
Scandinavian and Germanic swords
- Aldering(Adelring) - a sword featured in several Danish ballads. He was found by Diderik in the dragon's lair. It is also the name of Sivord Snarensvend's sword, borrowed by his brother-in-law Haagen, in Sivord and Brynhild. This is also the sword that was given to Svendal (Svendal, Svedal, Svennendal) by his mother, speaking to him from the grave. Under the name Aaddellring appears as a weapon dreamed of by the slanderer Raffeuengaard, but the accused Lady Guner, wife of Duke Hendrik, gave it to Memering, who fought for her. The accuser took a sword to the duel Sudwind(Sudwynd), but still lost. And finally, the sword of Gralver, the dragon slayer, in "Gralver kongesøn".
and in the Icelandic manuscript]]
- Angurva, Angurvadel, Angurvadil, Angurvddel- sword of Fridtjof (Fritior). Decorated with magical runes that flared up brightly in days of war and went out in peacetime. (“The Saga of Fridtjof the Bold”).
- Atveig- he sang with happiness when he was taken out of his sheath (option: he sang before the battle in the name of Christ), but drops of blood flowed from him from grief if the battle was going on in the distance.
Swords of chivalric novels and songs
The names of swords from French knightly literature in most cases should be declined and translated into Russian using the feminine gender.
- Adolake, Hatholake- sword of Sir Torrent of Portyngale, forged by Weyland.
- Arondie (Arondie, Arondight, Arondight)- sword a. Received it at the age of 18 during his knighthood. His other sword is also mentioned - Chastiefol, and against the Saxons he fought with a sword named Seure. In the Italian epic he wielded a sword Chiarenza(Chiarenza, “Clarity”).
- Balswenden(Balswenden, Palswendin) - the sword of Targis von Tortôse, one of the Saracen counts of Marseille, enemy of Roland
- Batism- sword of the Saracen knight Fierabras (, Ferumbras). His other two swords, forged by the same blacksmith named Ansias - Florence And Graban.
- Bitterfer(Bitterfer) - the sword that Princess Rimneld gave to Gorn. Forged by Weyland. (English ballad "King Horn"). His other sword is Blauwein(Blauain), captured by him from the Irish king Malakin (Malakin).
- Vaske- the sword of Sintram, the character of Friedrich de la Motte Fouquet.
- Galatine, Galatyn, Galantyne- Sir A's sword.
- Alteclaire, Hauteclaire, "Highly Light")- Olivier's sword, forged by Gelas. According to the poem “Girard of Vian,” before Olivier, this sword belonged to the Roman emperor Closamont, who lost it in the forest. After the sword was found, it was given to the Pope, but then the father of Charlemagne took possession of it, who gave it to one of his vassals; the latter sold it to the Jew Joachim, the same age as Pontius Pilate (). During the duel with Roland, Olivier's sword breaks. Roland allows him to send to Viana for another. Then Joachim sends him Altekler, and the duel ends in peace.
- his second sword is Gloriosa (Glorieuse, “Glorious”);
- Marmadoise- the sword of Frolle the German (Frolle d’Allemagne) in the Arthurian cycle, was opposed to Excalibur.
- Morglay, Morglaif- sword of Bevis of Hampton ().
- Rose (Rose, Rosse, Rossë; Rôse)- a sword originally owned by Ortnit of Lombardy, but found by Wolfdietrich.
- Santacrux- the sword of Thibault de Sauvigny, (“Le Chevalier au bouclier vert”).
- Flamberge, Flamberge, Fruberta, Floberge, Flamborge (Flamberge, Floberge, Flamborge)- Renaud de Montauban's sword, lent to him by his cousin Maugis, was forged by him. Also mentioned as belonging to Charlemagne, made by Galas.
- Egeking (Erkyin)- the sword that Grime took to fight the knight Greysteel, who defeated his friend Eger and brutally cut off the latter's little finger as a sign of victory.
Asian swords
and the sea dragon]]
- Al-samsama (الﺼامﺼىما, Al-samsama)- sword poet-warrior Amr ben Madikarib al-Zubaidī (Amr b. Ma "dīkarib al-Zubaidī; Amr bin Maadi Karib), nicknamed Abu Thaur (“father of the bull”).
- Gan Jiang (干将) And Mo Xie (莫耶)- legendary swords forged from meteorite iron by the Chinese blacksmith Gan Jiang, and named after him and his wife, who threw herself into the flames so that the fire would reach the temperature at which only such a sword can be tempered (the heat of her heart was added there - love for husband).
- Dhami ("spicy")- the sword of Antar, the black Arab warrior-poet.
- Zul-hayat (,ذو الحيات Zool hyyat, Ḏū l-hayat)- the sword of the enemy Antar Zalim ibn-Harith, and then Harith al-Zalim.
- Dhu-l-faqar (ذو الفقار, Zulfaqar, Zulfiqar, Jul Faqar, “Furrowed”, lit. “Having vertebrae”)(Zulfiqar) - sword-zulfiqar a, formerly - his father-in-law the prophet a. It is also referred to as a scimitar Dhu" l Fakdr (Dhu al-faqar, "Resolute"). Not preserved. In total, Muhammad had 9 swords, others:
- ""Al-"Adb (al-Adb),
- Al Battar (al-Battar "Badass, Warrior"),
- Al-Ma'thur(al-Ma'atur),
- Al-Mikhdham(al-Mihzam),
- Al-Rasub(al-Rasoub),
- Al-Qadib(al-Kadib),
- Halef(Hatf, Halef, Hatf, "Mortal"),
- Medham, Qal'i(Mezam, Kali)
- Kusanagi, Kusanagi no Tsurugi, Tsumugari no Tachi (Kusanagi no tsurugi, Tsumugari no Tachi, 都牟刈の太刀, “Heavenly Sword”)- a sacred sword presented to the goddess by a god, belongs to (Japan). According to legend, it was obtained from the tail of an eight-headed dragon. Could control the winds. Before this, from another sword Susanoo, the goddess Amaterasu created three women during the creation of the world.
- Goujian Sword(Chinese: 越王勾踐劍, Sword of Goujian) - the sword of King Goujian, (China), an archaeological find dating back approx. 2500 years.
- Heavenly Will Thuan Thien (Viet. 順天, Thuận Thiên, Heaven's Will) is the mythical sword of the Vietnamese king Le Loy (: vi: Lê Lợi), who liberated his country from Chinese rule in the 15th century.
- Ratna Maru- sword.
- Samsamha (Sansamha)- sword, Caliph of Baghdad.
- Seven-Branched Sword (Nanatsusaya-no-tachi, Shishito, Seven-Branched Sword, 七支刀)- one of the national treasures of Japan, IV century. BC.
- Honjo Masamune(本庄正宗) - the best blade made by the great Japanese gunsmith (1288-1328). One of the most valuable sought-after works of Japanese art has disappeared in the city.
- Shamshir-e Zomorrodnegar (شمشیر زمردنگا, “Adorned with Emeralds”)- the sword of Emir Arsalan, which belonged before (in Persian folklore).
Fictional swords in modern works
The kidnapper of Sita cuts off the wings of Jatayu with his sword Chandrahas ]]
In foreign fantasy
- Rhindon
From Jennifer Roberson (Legends of the Tiger and Del):
- Smashing- blade of the Tiger Sword Dancer
- Boreal- magical northern blade (yavatma) Del
- Samiel- magical northern blade (yavatma), received by the Tiger in Staal-Usta
- Callandore- crystal sword, “Sword-Which-Not-Sword”, a sword that cannot be touched, one of the artifacts of the Age of Legends.
- Sword of Truth- in the cycle of the same name
- Sword Kring- in the stories “The Coming of the Eight” and “The Attraction of the Worm”, belonged to the hero Hrun the Barbarian
At Philip Pullman's
- Wonderful knife- in the stories “The Wonderful Knife” and “The Amber Telescope”, belonged to the hero Will.
- Ice- Ned Stark's blade made of Valyrian steel, later reforged into two other swords.
- Martin- the sword that was given to Ciri when she was forced to fight in the circus arena;
- Sigil of Mahakam- a sword that was given to the witcher Geralt by the dwarf Zoltan Chivay.
Claymore (claymore, claymore, claymore, from the Gaulish claidheamh-mòr - “big sword”) is a two-handed sword that became widespread among the Scottish highlanders since the end of the 14th century. Being the main weapon of infantrymen, the claymore was actively used in skirmishes between tribes or border battles with the British. Claymore is the smallest among all its brothers. This, however, does not mean that the weapon is small: the average length of the blade is 105-110 cm, and together with the hilt the sword reached 150 cm. Its distinctive feature was the characteristic bend of the arms of the cross - downwards, towards the tip of the blade. This design made it possible to effectively capture and literally pull out any long weapon from the enemy’s hands. In addition, the decoration of the horns of the bow - pierced in the shape of a stylized four-leaf clover - became a distinctive sign by which everyone easily recognized the weapon. In terms of size and effectiveness, the claymore was perhaps the best option among all two-handed swords. It was not specialized, and therefore was used quite effectively in any combat situation.
Zweihander
The Zweihander (German: Zweihänder or Bidenhänder/Bihänder, “two-handed sword”) is a weapon of a special unit of landsknechts who are on double pay (doppelsoldners). If the claymore is the most modest sword, then the zweihander was indeed impressive in size and in rare cases reached two meters in length, including the hilt. In addition, it was notable for its double guard, where special “boar tusks” separated the unsharpened part of the blade (ricasso) from the sharpened part.
Such a sword was a weapon of very narrow use. The fighting technique was quite dangerous: the owner of the zweihander acted in the front ranks, pushing away with a lever (or even completely cutting) the shafts of enemy pikes and spears. To own this monster required not only remarkable strength and courage, but also significant swordsmanship, so the mercenaries did not receive double pay for their beautiful eyes. The technique of fighting with two-handed swords bears little resemblance to conventional blade fencing: such a sword is much easier to compare with a reed. Of course, the zweihander did not have a sheath - it was worn on the shoulder like an oar or spear.
Flamberge
Flamberge ("flaming sword") is a natural evolution of the ordinary straight sword. The curvature of the blade made it possible to increase the lethality of the weapon, but in the case of large swords, the blade was too massive, fragile and still could not penetrate high-quality armor. In addition, the Western European school of fencing suggests using the sword mainly as a piercing weapon, and therefore curved blades were not suitable for it.
By the XIV-XVI centuries. /bm9icg===>ekam, advances in metallurgy led to the fact that the chopping sword became practically useless on the battlefield - it simply could not penetrate armor made of hardened steel with one or two blows, which played a critical role in mass battles. Gunsmiths began to actively look for a way out of this situation, until they finally came to the concept of a wave blade, which has a series of successive anti-phase bends. Such swords were difficult to manufacture and expensive, but the effectiveness of the sword was undeniable. Due to a significant reduction in the area of the damaging surface, upon contact with the target, the destructive effect was increased many times over. In addition, the blade acted like a saw, cutting the affected surface. The wounds inflicted by the flamberge did not heal for a very long time. Some commanders sentenced captured swordsmen to death solely for carrying such weapons. The Catholic Church also cursed such swords and branded them as inhumane weapons.
Slasher
Espadon (French espadon from Spanish espada - sword) is a classic type of two-handed sword with a tetrahedral cross-section of the blade. Its length reached 1.8 meters, and the guard consisted of two massive arches. The center of gravity of the weapon often shifted towards the tip - this increased the penetrating ability of the sword. In battle, such weapons were used by unique warriors who usually had no other specialization. Their task was to, waving huge blades, destroy the enemy’s battle formation, overturn the first ranks of the enemy and pave the way for the rest of the army. Sometimes these swords were used in battles with cavalry - due to the size and weight of the blade, the weapon made it possible to very effectively chop the legs of horses and cut through the armor of heavy infantry. Most often, the weight of military weapons ranged from 3 to 5 kg, and heavier examples were awarded or ceremonial. Sometimes weighted replicas of combat blades were used for training purposes.
Estoc (French estoc) is a two-handed piercing weapon designed to pierce knightly armor. A long (up to 1.3 meters) tetrahedral blade usually had a stiffening rib. If previous swords were used as a means of countermeasures against cavalry, then the estok, on the contrary, was the weapon of the horseman. Riders wore it on the right side of the saddle so that in case of loss of the pike they would have an additional means of self-defense. In horse fighting, the sword was held with one hand, and the blow was delivered due to the speed and mass of the horse. In a foot skirmish, the warrior took it in both hands, compensating for the lack of mass with his own strength. Some examples of the 16th century have a complex guard, like a sword, but most often there was no need for it.
The entire past of ancient and feudal Japan is endless battles. The main difference from the battles on the continent is that the wars broke out among the Japanese, in other words, within the same nationality and culture. The warring parties used the same weapon and
similar strategies and tricks of warfare. In such a situation, the skill of samurai weaponry and the individual tactical qualities of military leaders were of great importance.
Types of Japanese edged weapons
There are three defining eras in Japan's martial past: the era of the bow, the era of the spear, and the era of the sword.
Luke period
The bow (yumi) is the oldest weapon in Japan. Bows have been used as weapons since ancient times. Archery was divided into two forms - as a necessary part of the Shinto ceremonies of kyudo (Way of the Bow) and as a martial skill of kyujitsu (Navy archery). Kyudo was usually practiced by the nobility; kyujitsu was practiced by samurai.
A Japanese bow with an asymmetrical shape, the upper part of which is approximately twice as long as the lower part. The bow is two meters long. Generally, the parts of the bow are made of composites, in other words, the outside of the bow is made of wood and the inside is made of bamboo. Because of this, the arrow almost never moves in a straight path, with the result that accurate shooting becomes possible only after gaining a lot of experience. The average distance of a well-aimed arrow is approximately 60 meters, for a professional it is twice as far.
Japanese bow yumi photo
Often, arrowheads were made empty so that during flight they emitted a whistle, which, according to beliefs, drove away evil demons.
In the old days, Japanese bows were sometimes used, which had to be pulled not by one person, but by several warriors (for example, bows that required the strength of seven archers to pull!). Such bows were used not only for shooting infantry, but also in naval battles for sinking enemy boats.
In addition to regular archery, a special skill was bakujitsu - horseback shooting.
Age of the Spear
In the 16th century, muskets were brought to the Japanese state from Portugal. They almost completely replaced bows. At the same time, the importance of the spear (yari) increased. Because of this, the era of civil strife is called the Age of the Spear.
Spear of Yari photo
Mostly spears were used to knock riders off their horses. After the fall, such a fighter found himself unprotected. As a rule, infantry used spears. The Yari spear was 5 meters long, and to use it, one had to have great strength and endurance. Various samurai clans used spears of varying lengths and tip configurations.
Age of the Sword
With the rise of the Tokugawa shogunate in 1603, the importance of military prowess as the skill of “victory at any cost” faded into history. It has become an independent technique of self-improvement and competition. Thanks to this, the physical power of spear professionals was replaced by kenjutsu - the art of wielding a sword.
It was during this era that the samurai sword began to be called the “soul of the samurai.” The samurai sword was sharpened with an edge convex outward, and the other edge is a kind of “shield” during battle. The sword, made using special multi-layer forging methods, is surprisingly durable and sharp. Its production takes a long time and requires enormous labor costs, so a new samurai sword has always had a huge cost. An ancient sword made by a famous master cost a fortune. In the samurai's will, a special section always indicated the distribution of swords between the offspring.
Types of samurai swords:
Tsurugi is an ancient straight sword sharpened on both sides, used until the 10th century.
Tsurugi photo
Thirty-centimeter dagger.
Tanto photo
A samurai sword worn on the belt with the tip up, paired with a wakizashi. Length – 60-75 cm. Only samurai were allowed to wear a katana
Katana photo
Wakizashi, (Shoto, Kodachi) - a short sword (30 - 60 cm), worn on the belt with the tip up and, together with the katana, made up the set of the samurai daisho (long, short).
Tati is a large long curved sword (from 61 cm in blade), which was worn with the tip down, used, as a rule, by horsemen.
Nodachi (Odachi) is a type of tachi, a very long sword (from one to one and a half meters), which was worn on the back.
The training used Shinai swords made of bamboo and bokken - swords made of wood.
Commoners could only wield small swords or knives - to protect themselves from bandits and robbers. Samurai carried two swords - long and short. At the same time, they fought with a long sword, a katana, although there were also schools of wielding two swords at once. A professional was defined by his ability to defeat an enemy with a minimum number of sword swings. The art of killing an enemy by quickly drawing a sword from its sheath with one swing (iaijutsu technique) was considered a special skill.
Auxiliary types of Japanese weapons:
Bo - military pole. There are a large number of species of different lengths (30 cm - 3 m) and thickness.
Jitte is a fork-shaped weapon with two teeth, made of iron. It was used by the police of the Tokugawa period to intercept the sword of an enraged (usually drunk) samurai, and also as a fighting club.
Yoroi-doshi - “dagger of mercy”, which was used to finish off the wounded.
Kaiken is a women's fighting dagger. It was used by women of an aristocratic family as a suicide knife when their honor was violated.
Kozuka is a military knife. Often used on the farm.
Naginata is a Japanese halberd. A pole with an attached blade. Initially used by infantry to injure enemy horses. In the 17th century, it began to be used by girls from the samurai family for defense. The standard length of a naginata was approximately 2 m.
photo Naginata
Tessen is a military fan with steel spokes. Used by generals. Sometimes used as a small shield.
photo of Tessen battle fan
Ancient Japanese small arms (single-shot arquebuses) - became popular during the period of civil strife. After the accession of the shogunate, the Tokugawa ceased to be used, as it was considered “unworthy of a true warrior.”
Japanese weapons video
Interesting video about katana and wakizashi.