Medieval swords

Buy Medieval sword

Anyone who delves into historical weapons or is active in reenactment, HEMA, or collecting, will find an extensive collection of medieval swords at Celtic WebMerchant. Discover our high-quality replicas s and battle-ready swords for training, decoration, or historical reenactment.

The construction of a medieval sword

A medieval sword consists of multiple carefully designed parts that together ensure balance, strength, and functionality. The heart of each sword is the blade, the cutting and thrusting part that must be strong yet flexible to withstand the blows of combat. Many blades contain a fuller, which both reduces weight and strengthens the construction.

Attached to the blade is the tang, an extension that continues into the grip and provides stability. Between the tang and blade is the crossguard. This essential protective component prevents the hand from sliding forward and helps deflect or parry blows from opponents. Below the crossguard is the grip, often made of wood and wrapped with leather, ensuring the user has optimal control during sword fighting.

The sword is finished with the pommel, which serves as a counterbalance to the blade, making the entire weapon more manageable. Pommels were shaped in various ways throughout the centuries and often adorned with engravings or metal inlay. Besides balance and safety, the pommel could even be used as a percussion weapon in emergency situations. These components together form the classic anatomy of a medieval sword: a carefully devised combination of technique, aesthetics, and functionality.

Oakeshott Medieval Sword Typology

The Oakeshott typology is a system for describing and categorizing medieval swords based on basic of their physical form. It divides European swords from the Middle Ages – roughly from the 11th to the 16th century – into 13 main types, designated with the Roman numerals X to XXII. The system was developed by the historian and illustrator Ewart Oakeshott, who introduced it in 1960 in his book The Archaeology of Weapons.

Oakeshott built upon an earlier system: the typology of Jan Petersen, who published an extensive overview of Viking swords in 1919 in De Norske Vikingsverd. In 1927, R. E. M. Wheeler simplified Petersen's classification to seven types, numbered I to m VII. Oakeshott later added two transitional types (VIII and IX) and then developed this into his own, much more extensive classification.

An important reason for Oakeshott to develop a new system was that dating swords often proved unreliable. Due to trade, war, and the prolonged reuse of weapons, the manufacturing date, period of use, and the moment when a sword fell out of use can significantly overlap. Therefore, Oakeshott found it more logical to classify swords based on basic of their shape and construction rather than on dating.