The bastardinmiekka, the French épée bâtarde and the English bastard sword, originated in the 15th century. Originally, the term referred to an 'irregular' sword that could be used with both one and two hands. By the middle of the 16th century, it could also refer to exceptionally large swords, which made the distinction between 'bastardinmiekka' and 'pitkämiekka' increasingly blurred. The Masters of Defence competition, organized by Henry VIII in July 1540, mentioned the 'two-handed sword' and the 'bastard sword' as two separate categories. It is uncertain whether the same term was also used for other types of shorter swords, but in the 19th century "bastardinmiekka" was clearly established as a reference to large swords. This causes the term to often be confused with the pitkämiekka or the kaksikätinen miekka.
Bastardinmiekan historia
With aseet and haarniska, there is 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 armored with gambesonit and ketjupanssaripaidat. These offered good protection against blows, limited protection against thrusts, and gave the wearer sufficient mobility to use his haarniska effectively. Around this period, the aristocracy fought with the miekka exclusively with the arming sword (miekka).
Varhaiset pitkämiekat
Already from the 12th century, experiments were made with making larger swords (Oakeshott type XIIa and XIIIa), with which more powerful blows could be delivered to break through the ketjupanssaripaita. These were the early types of pitkämiekat and served as precursors to the pitkämiekka and the bastardinmiekka from the late Middle Ages.
Pitkämiekat
Around the 14th century, plate haarniska developed, initially to protect the knees and elbows, with the coat of plates as its pinnacle, which was worn over the ketjupanssaripaita. By the end of the 14th century, people went a step further and the kyrassi, leg, arm and pauldrons were also developed. Around this period we speak of complete harniska. As a result, pitkämiekat became increasingly important. These mieka could, in addition to blows, also thrust much more powerfully than the traditional knight mieka. With these aseet, targeted thrusts were made at vulnerable parts of the body, such as the arms and neck.
Alongside the new pitkämiekka, the bastardinmiekka developed in the 15th century. The main difference is that pitkämiekat have a grip that is clearly intended for two-handed use, while bastardinmiekat have a grip that is suitable for one-handed use and sometimes also with two. The miekka owes its name to this: the bastard is neither a one-hander nor a two-hander. Bastardinmiekat are generally lighter and shorter than pitkämiekat, making them excellent to combine with a shield or beukelaar.
Rakenne
The bastardinmiekka consists of a blade that is often slightly longer than that of a normal miekka. The blade tapers and has two cutting edges. The crossguard is comparable to that of the traditional knight mieka and it is also equipped with a pommel. The grip is longer than that of an arming miekka (miekka) but shorter than that of a pitkämiekka. This makes the weight lighter than a pitkämiekka and the ase is more maneuverable and suitable for both easy hacking and thrusting.
Anderhalfhander
The term anderhalfhander is relatively modern (from the end of the 19th century). This name refers to the fact that the miekka could be used both one-handed and two-handed due to its balance. In the first half of the 20th century, the term bastardinmiekka was still regularly used for this type of miekka, while pitkämiekka, if used at all, referred to the rapier in the context of Renaissance or early modern fencing.
Pitkämiekka vai bastardinmiekka?
Despite many attempts, it remains difficult to make a clear distinction between a pitkämiekka and a bastardinmiekka. Both types regularly overlap in dimensions. In principle, one can assume the following: a bastardinmiekka has a shorter grip, allowing it to be used both one-handed and possibly two-handed, while a pitkämiekka has a longer grip and is primarily used as a two-handed ase.
