The bastard sword, the French épée bâtarde and the English bastard sword, emerged in the 15th century. Originally, the term referred to an 'irregular' sword that could be used with both one and two hands. By the mid-16th century, it could also refer to exceptionally large swords, which made the distinction between 'bastard sword' and 'longsword' increasingly blurry. The Masters of Defence competition, organized by Henry VIII in July 1540, listed the 'two-handed sword' and the 'bastard sword' as two separate categories. It's unclear whether the same term was also used for other types of shorter swords, but in the 19th century, "bastard sword" became clearly established as a reference to large swords. This has caused the term to often be confused with the longsword or the two-handed sword.
History of the Bastard Sword
With weapons and armour, there's a clear relationship between the development of both. Anyone who wanted to survive on the medieval battlefield had to constantly take new measures. During the high Middle Ages (1000–1300 AD), knights were armoured with gambesons and chainmail shirts. These provided good protection against cuts, limited protection against thrusts, and gave the wearer enough mobility to use his armour effectively. Around this period, the aristocracy fought with the sword exclusively using the arming sword.
Early Longswords
From as early as the 12th century, experiments were made with creating larger swords (Oakeshott type XIIa and XIIIa), with which more powerful cuts could be delivered to break through the chainmail shirt. These were the early types of longswords and served as predecessors to the longsword and the bastard sword from the late Middle Ages.
Longswords
Around the 14th century, plate armour developed, initially for the protection of knees and elbows, with the coat of plates as its pinnacle, which was worn over the chainmail shirt. By the end of the 14th century, things went a step further and the cuirass, leg, arm and pauldrons were also developed. Around this period, we speak of full armour. As a result, longswords became increasingly important. These swords could, besides cuts, also deliver much more powerful thrusts than traditional knight swords. With these weapons, fighters thrust deliberately at vulnerable parts of the body, such as the arms and the neck.
Alongside the new longsword, the bastard sword developed in the 15th century. The main difference is that longswords have a grip clearly intended for two-handed use, while bastard swords have a grip suitable for one-handed use and sometimes also for two. The sword owes its name to this: the bastard is neither a one-hander nor a two-hander. Bastard swords are generally lighter and shorter than longswords, making them excellent when combined with a shield or buckler.
Composition
The bastard sword consists of a blade that is often slightly longer than that of a normal arming sword. The blade tapers and has two cutting edges. The crossguard is comparable to that of traditional knight swords and it is also provided with a pommel. The grip is longer than that of an arming sword (arming sword) but shorter than that of a longsword. This makes it lighter in weight than a longsword and makes the weapon more manoeuvrable and suitable for both easy cutting and thrusting.
One-and-a-Half Hander
The term one-and-a-half hander is relatively modern (from the end of the 19th century). This name refers to the fact that the sword, due to its balance, could be used with both one hand and two hands. In the first half of the 20th century, the term bastard sword was still regularly used for this type of sword, while longsword, if used at all, referred to the rapier in the context of Renaissance or early modern fencing.
Longsword or Bastard Sword?
Despite many attempts, it remains difficult to make a clear distinction between a longsword and a bastard sword. Both types regularly overlap in size. In principle, you can assume the following: a bastard sword has a shorter grip, which allows it to be used with one hand and possibly with two hands, while a longsword has a longer grip and is primarily used as a two-handed weapon.
