Types of swords and rapiers. Dangerous couple: sword and daga

A real rapier can be called a one-handed piercing weapon. It has a long, narrow, hard, almost bladeless blade, voluminous in cross-section and tapering towards the tip. The point is very thin and sharp. Rapiers differ from one another in the length and width of the blades and, especially, in the appearance of the hilts. Rapiers are thin, light, balanced piercing weapons designed for duels with opponents who are not protected by armor.

Rapier: terminology

In the most diverse historical literature about weapons you can find various descriptions of rapiers. In terminology, rapiers were defined as swords with narrow cutting-and-piercing blades, poorly suited for cutting and cutting blows. They were used by military representatives and townspeople. As a result, rapiers began to be called weapons with long piercing blades without blades.

Rapiers have a wide variety of shapes and sizes, as well as common features: thin and hard, rigid blades, intended only for piercing blows.

Rapiers in the 16th century

Rapiers changed and adapted to the new environment. They can be conditionally called “early” - with blades that are wide and flat in cross-section, and “late” or “real” - with blades that are narrower and more voluminous in cross-section. Short one-handed swords, sharply tapering towards the tip (characteristic of the 15th century), would today also be considered varieties of rapiers, mainly because of the hilts, reminiscent of the hilts of rapiers of the late 16th century.

Strength of rapiers

There is historical evidence that rapiers could break during battle. They broke against bodies or from hitting each other. The rapier blade was very thin and light, which affected its strength. As a result, it broke upon contact with any hard object. It is known that gunsmiths recommended not to strike with the tip, or at least not to hit it very hard.

Although rapier blades are fragile, they are not that vulnerable. Rapiers can be quite strong and can parry thrusts from heavier weapons. but only with the middle, more durable parts of the blades, hilts, or with the help of attacks that divert blows, without placing hard blocks. The best option was to dodge the blow rather than deflect it.

Origin of the name rapier

There are a variety of theories about the origin of this name. At first, in the 16th century, French fencers called any long and thin weapon rapiére. While the Spanish warriors called the small blades carried by civilians spada ropera, which means “clothing sword.” In the next century, the British called similar weapons rapiers, and in the Germans - Rappier and Rapir. Over time, the word “rapier” began to be used to describe thin piercing blades.

It is not known for certain how espada ropera or la rapiére differ. Nothing is known about their sizes. But it is known that the Italian nobility of 1480–1490 had blades that were longer and heavier than daggers, but lighter than combat swords. These blades had complex wicker or completely closed hilts. It is possible that over time they became longer, and this is how rapiers appeared.

Why were rapiers created?

Rapiers evolved from earlier cutting-and-stabbing swords and were a weapon of self-defense in the city, as well as in frequent duels. For this purpose, master gunsmiths made fast, mobile, one-handed piercing weapons. They could be used on streets, alleys or places with limited space. There was close interaction between swordsmen and weapons masters.

All new inventions were tested in practice. And the most successful elements were retained and improved taking into account the requests of those who used them. Initially, rapiers were created as something of a kind of response to cut-and-pierce swords, and later they began to be used as a counter to other rapiers.

Over time, new types of weapons were invented along with the technology for their use. At the beginning of the 16th century, people could not go out on the street with huge battle swords. Then lighter, thinner and less huge weapons began to appear. However, the appearance of thin and light blades for everyday duels continued to change throughout the century. They acquired their final forms only towards the end of the 16th century.

When were rapiers used?

Weapons resembling rapiers appeared by the middle of the 16th century, but the name itself appeared earlier. Forms more similar to the current ones appeared later, and then continued to be modified until the end of the 17th century. The Spaniards used rapiers even in the 19th century. In certain European regions in the 18th-19th centuries, ancient rapiers were sometimes used in so-called “formal” fights. In addition, other hilts were often attached to old blades, and sometimes they were shortened.

There is a well-known legend that master swordsmen had a hand in the invention of piercing swords in the 16th century to replace “heavy cutting swords.” This is not entirely true, because sharpened piercing swords (heavy and light) have existed in huge quantities since the 14th century. In addition, despite the almost two hundred years of use of “heavy chopping swords,” they were still widely used, but in a slightly modified form (such as sabers, broadswords, etc.). Moreover, even after rapiers ceased to be popular.

The influence of rapiers on fencing technique

Essentially, rapier fencing was about the shortest distance between a pair of points being a straight line of thrust. The speed and reach of rapiers in battle could be a surprise for warriors who did not know this style of fighting. In the hands of a master, rapiers were unpredictable, swift, and inexperienced opponents could simply underestimate them.

Stabbing wounds were easily inflicted and were often fatal. If someone tried to deliver slashing or cutting blows with the help of a less agile slashing weapon, then he quickly received a thrust from a rapier, which was more maneuverable.

During linear attacks, fighters, as a rule, tried to synchronously defend and counterattack with scrupulously calibrated movements, avoiding the opponent’s thrust in advance. This could be done with one movement. At the same time, the connection with the enemy’s blade was preserved.

In addition, this was done with a free hand or an additional weapon. The long, thin blades were perfect for these actions. However, sometimes the large length could interfere, and all because the enemy with a short weapon could, technically bypassing a rapier strike, use a stiletto.

Thin, unpredictable rapiers were an everyday weapon, mainly for resolving conflict situations. They were created for street fighting, and were the main civilian weapon of self-defense. From simple practical objects, they became popular attributes in the “noble art.”

Fencing with rapiers in combat

Rapiers were not used at all in the same way as is shown today in films like “The Three Musketeers” or “The Mask of Zorro.” In popular culture, fencing fights are often portrayed inaccurately. In reality, rapiers were not used for frequent thrusting or deflecting, as modern fencing athletes do, and certainly not for cutting ropes, leather belts, or carving symbols. These are all movie inventions and special effects.

A rapier strike could be either rough and hard or very careful and precise. They dodged the injections more often than they repelled them. However, when the defense had to be blocked, then the enemy’s blade was pulled to the side, and after this a transition to a counterattack followed.

The effectiveness of rapiers in combat

Rapiers have the unique ability to carry out incredible, unpredictable and swift attacks. In addition, rapiers could deliver precise, swift, biting injections to the face, throat, eyes and teeth. And mainly on the hands to distract, provoke and wear down the enemy.

Rapid thrusts with rapiers, given their penetrating power, were lethal. Simple puncture wounds a few centimeters deep could lead to immediate death. You should know that it was impossible to live long with puncture wounds, because they did not heal. However, this did not always lead to immediate death. When the heart or skull was not pierced, the warrior could still live for some time and even win in battle. However, he later died from blood loss and painful shock.

Chroniclers of past times often complained that with rapiers it was practically impossible to deliver a single decisive and lethal blow. They argued that people could easily resist after receiving several thrusts from a rapier. Judging by the historical records of fights using rapiers, this was the case. However, in primary sources there are a considerable number of examples that describe the instant death of people from quick and accurate injections.

Despite its exclusivity, rapier fencing techniques were still based on proven principles. These were carefulness in controlling the distance, prudence, and, naturally, good command of the weapon itself. Experienced fighters operating from these positions will be successful against broad swords. The main difference is not in the weapons, but in who, how and where they used them.

Fencers holding rapiers

Rapiers were always balanced and held in the hand so that the tip was controlled to deliver a precise thrust. The handles for the rapiers were made in such a way that injections by straightening the shoulder were made much more convenient. The original grip options made it easy to remove the rapier from its sheath by lifting your hand up.

At these moments, the thumbs lay in the middle of the crosses. Another grip option involved wrapping your index finger around the cross. With this grip, the thumb could rest on the butt.

What is the difference between training rapiers and real ones?

Real rapiers are extremely stiff. They were made so that they could easily pierce human bodies in battle. In addition, rapiers were supposed to deflect blows, and blades were not supposed to bend. To avoid this, the rapiers had a special cross-section.

As a result, the blades remained rigid and durable, and at the same time light and thin. And they were hardened in a special way to give them additional strength, while maintaining the required degree of flexibility. Whereas modern rapiers exhibit excessive flexibility.

This is the result of fencers' desire to have safe training weapons. It could bend to a certain level without breaking or penetrating into the bodies of opponents. Such flexibility is precisely inherent in sports fencing. Which in turn influences the general opinion about rapiers, and also changes the actual techniques of fencing with them.

At the Summer Olympics there is such a type of competition as sports fencing.

This is one of the five sports included in the program of all modern Games. And depending on the weapon used, it is divided into rapier fencing, saber fencing and epee fencing.

Rapier

A rapier is a piercing weapon (blows can only be delivered with the tip of the blade) with a flexible tetrahedral blade with a length of 90 to 110 cm and a weight of 500 g, the hand is protected by a round guard with a diameter of 12 cm. The total length of the rapier should not exceed 110 cm.

In foil fencing, only hits made into a metallized jacket (electric jacket) are counted. Injections in areas not covered by a metallic jacket are recorded with a white lamp and are considered invalid. The basic modern rule in foil fencing determines that the enemy’s attack must be repelled before a retaliatory action is initiated (right attack). The priority of the action passes from one fencer to another after an active action on the opponent’s weapon with his weapon (right of defense).

Areas in which hits are counted in foil fencing are highlighted in red. Source: Commons.wikimedia.org

Sword

An epee is a heavy piercing weapon, similar in design to a rapier and slightly longer in length, weighing up to 770 g. Its blade has a triangular cross-section, more rigid than that of a rapier. The hand is protected by a round guard with a diameter of 13.5 cm.

When fencing with swords, injections are applied to all parts of the athlete’s body, except the back of the head. The weapon and the fencing track are isolated from the apparatus, and the injection is not registered in them. In epee fencing there is no priority of actions. The device does not detect an injection delivered more than 0.25 seconds later than another. At the same time, the hits made are mutually registered and awarded to both fencers.

Areas in which hits are counted during epee fencing are highlighted in red. Source: Commons.wikimedia.org

Saber

A saber is a cutting and piercing weapon. Those. It can be inflicted not only with injections with the tip, but also with chopping blows with the entire blade. It has a length of up to 105 cm, weighs 500 g, a flexible steel blade with an oval guard with a bracket that protects the athlete’s hand and fingers.

Strikes and thrusts in saber fencing are applied to all parts of the fencer's body above the waist, including the arms (up to the wrist) and the mask. The affected surface is covered with protective clothing with special silver shavings, while the mask is also in electrical contact with the jacket. The blow and injection are recorded by a colored lamp on the device. Saber fighting is similar to rapier fencing. The same basic rules for determining the winner in a fight, where the attacker has an advantage over the counterattacker with simultaneous blows or thrusts. The main difference is that in practice the saber is used primarily for blows rather than thrusts; it is more difficult to defend against the former, and the battle becomes much more dynamic. Unlike foil and epee, in saber fencing the “cross step forward” is prohibited (and the “cross step backward” is allowed).

A sword (or rapier) is light and long, universal, capable of chopping and stabbing, with a long blade. It is a sword with a narrow, fairly flexible blade, up to 1 meter long, with a straight handle with a pommel, with a complex guard of a wide variety of shapes, which provided good protection for the hand. Weighing up to 1.5 kilograms.

The sword is the same age as firearms. With the advent of the first cannons and rifles, armor ceased to be relevant, and along with it, a heavy sword capable of cutting through or piercing armor ceased to be relevant. Gradually, one-handed swords are replaced by swords; this begins to happen in Spain in the mid-15th century. More precisely, in the 60s of the 15th century, nobles began to wear blades that were somewhat narrower than combat swords and had a more complex guard - arches appeared to protect the fingers, pas-dane rings (a ring on the side of the crossguard of a sword or dagger , located perpendicular to the axis of the blade), etc. These swords quickly spread among the nobility and nobles: they were lighter than swords, which made it possible to carry them with you all the time; and they turned out to be “more beautiful” - the gradual abandonment of armor (in particular, plate gloves, which interfered with the use of firearms), led to the development of complex guards for swords to protect the hand: baskets made of strips of metal, cups, plates with crosshairs and finger arches - these guards began to be decorated with gilding, stones, embossing, etc. And most importantly, swords made it possible, no worse than swords, to protect one’s life if necessary; they allowed one to successfully both attack and defend in battle. Gradually, the sword spread to almost all branches of the military, displacing the sword. Until the 18th century, the combat sword was in service with both infantry and cavalry, until it began to be replaced by the saber and broadsword. But it didn’t disappear completely. Even at the time of its dawn, the sword was divided into combat and civilian. Civilian swords were slightly lighter and narrower, often sharpened only near the tip. Such swords were worn as weapons - despite their lightness, such a sword was precisely a weapon, and as a piece of clothing. The military wore them in peacetime instead of military weapons, nobles and bourgeois in ceremonial attire, and some commoners. Even students had the right, and one might say the obligation, to wear swords. Almost until the 20th century, swords remained a part of ceremonial clothing for nobles, not a combat weapon for officers (in Russia until 1917, the sword was mandatory for cuirassier officers out of formation, generals), for civil officials during the parade (even officials of the Ministry of Education, Education , with ceremonial uniforms they wore swords), and weapons for duels. So, somewhere in the middle of the 19th century, the sword became a ceremonial, often reward, dueling and sporting weapon.

The sword and its appearance gave a powerful impetus to the development of the art of fencing with long bladed weapons. I don’t want to say that before that they used swords without training, as God pleases, but it was the lightness of the sword that made it possible to invent a whole variety of fencing techniques. Fencing schools emerged: Spanish, English, French, German and Italian, each of which had its own characteristics, and whose adherents argued about whose school was better. Textbooks on fencing are being written: for example, Ridolfo di Cappo Ferro's "Gran Simulacro dell" arte e dell "uso della Scherma" ("Great Image of the Art and Practice of Fencing") of 1610. In each country, fencing knowledge is systematized and supplemented with something new. For example, the first epee fencing systems in Germany and Spain were focused on chopping techniques, and the principle of “killing with the point, not the blade” appeared in Italy only in the middle of the 17th century and, gradually, it was the Italian school that became dominant. Fencing became fashionable and was studied in prestigious educational institutions. In the reigning houses, and not only, the position of fencing master - fencing teacher - appeared. The sword becomes a sign of a noble person, a nobleman, a bourgeois, sometimes a commoner, a defender of a person’s honor in a duel (not only for men, but also for women). Having lost honor, a person lost his sword - it was simply broken over the person’s head. The production of swords was located in the same places as the production of other bladed weapons. German Solingen, where world-famous examples of bladed weapons were made, English Sheffield, French Tire, Spanish Toledo. Blades were forged, metal handles and pommels were cast, guards could be stamped or welded. But if when making a sword it was enough to be a blacksmith, then a sword master had to be more versatile. Sword guards, and then blades, were decorated with embossing and carved patterns, gilding, ink, set with precious stones, etc.

So, the sword itself: a long, relatively narrow blade, double-edged or having only a sharpened tip; one-handed straight handle with a massive pommel-counterweight; a complex guard that protects the hand well. By the way, it is different guards that are the criterion for the classification of swords created by Eworth Oakeshott. He distinguishes: guards woven from strips or rods - baskets; bowl guards in the form of a hollow hemisphere; plate guards - a slightly curved disc; loop guards - in the form of a simple arc that protects the fingers, and so on. Well, that's how it is.

Like almost any item that has been used for a long time, the sword has gone through a certain path of modification. Firstly, this concerned the blade - from a fairly wide double-edged one, to a thin faceted one, having only a sharp end. Secondly, this concerned the guard: from a simple cross with a finger arch, to a complex woven basket or a solid bowl, and again to a simple small disc. Historically, many researchers, Oakeshott, for example, divides swords into three types:
- reitschwert (literally “horseman’s sword”) - a heavy sword suitable for slashing attacks - it is what is called a “combat sword”. Appearing in the 15th century, this type of sword was the most popular in the cavalry of the 16th century, but from the 17th century it began to be replaced by sabers and broadswords. Although in some countries, Russia, Sweden, it was used in the 18th century both in cavalry and infantry.
- espada ropera (literally “clothing sword”) - intended to be worn with civilian clothing, slightly lighter and narrower than a combat sword, but with a double-sided sharpening. This type of sword was most popular in the 16th century, but from the middle of the 17th century it began to be replaced by even lighter swords.
- smallsword (literally “small sword”) - was an even lighter version of the sword with a shortened blade. Appearing in the middle of the 17th century under the influence of the French school of fencing at the end of the 16th century, it subsequently practically replaced other types of swords. It was this type that became the exclusively piercing type of sword, even with a blade it was inconvenient for them to cut due to their low weight. Most of these swords had a faceted hexagonal blade, which was replaced by a triangular section with fullers, which can still be seen in sports swords. By the way, the lightness of this type of sword made it possible to “painlessly” lengthen the blade and swords of almost one and a half meters in length appeared.

Well, now the second part of the topic: “Sword or rapier?”

To begin with, a quote from “The Three Musketeers”: “... Athos burst out when he saw Cahuzac’s sword fly away twenty steps. D” Artagnan and Cahuzac simultaneously rushed after it: one to regain it, the other to take possession of it by her. D'Artagnan, more agile, reached first and stepped on the blade. Cahuzac rushed to the guardsman whom Aramis killed, grabbed his rapier and was about to return to d'Artagnan, but on the way he ran into Athos, who had managed to catch his breath in these short moments. .." So, judging by the text, albeit artistic, in one place, at one time and, practically, in one type of army, there are two types of weapons, judging by the name. Cahuzak loses his sword, and raises a rapier. What is it, mistake of the author or translator? Or do people from the same branch of the military have different weapons? Are swords and rapiers different? Let's try to figure it out. The most common opinion: a sword is a weapon that can cut and stab, a rapier is only a piercing weapon. A modern fencer, without hesitation, he will answer exactly the same: a rapier with a tetrahedral cross-section, without pronounced cutting edges, which allows only piercing blows, and a sword, which has a flat triangle in cross-section, with a hint of sharp edges that allow an accentuated chopping blow. But this is a sporting weapon. What about ancient weapons? If we turn to literature, fiction and scientific, we will see descriptions of chopping blows with a rapier or only the piercing technique of working with a sword. Sometimes a rapier is described as something double-edged and wide, and a sword as something narrow, only with a sharp end. More inconsistencies.

To figure it out, you need to look into . More precisely, the first name of the sword. In Spain in the 15th century, the “espadas roperas” - “sword for clothing” appeared. Many researchers make two mistakes in translating this name: they translate “espadas roperas” or as “sword for civilian clothes”; or translated as “sword for clothes.” For example, such a translation is given by John Clements, well-known in historical fencing circles. And, based on this inaccurate translation, incorrect conclusions are drawn regarding the sword and rapier. But the word “espadas” comes from the Latin “spata” - sword, which was the name of the long cavalry sword of ancient Rome. And “for clothing” we mean “clothing, not armor,” and not civilian clothing, since the concept of “civilian clothing” did not yet exist. Reading carefully “espadas roperas”, it is easy to see that the words “sword” and “rapier” are two parts of this name: “espadas” - sword, “roperas” - rapier. In many languages, these two names simply do not exist: in Spanish, all the weapons described above are called “espada”; in Italian - "spada"; in French - “epee”; the English use the word “sword” - sword: court sword - court sword, town sword - city sword, scarf sword - sword for an order ribbon, small sword - small sword, to designate a sword in relation to more massive English swords; in German, the word “degen” refers to everything that we are accustomed to calling a sword or rapier. In practice, only in Russian these two names are used; in other languages ​​they use only one: either “rapier” or “sword”. Yes, and these names are prefabricated, among swords or rapiers there are also proper names - papperheimer and Valonian sword, for example, comishelard - a type of sword in which 1/3 of the blade was much wider than the remaining 2/3. Even if these conclusions based on the analysis of names are erroneous, it is very difficult to argue with museum collections that contain exhibits with similar, clearly piercing-cutting blades, differing only in the shape of the guards, but called either swords or rapiers. Moreover, they were made in different countries and at different times, but for weapons, their changes and development, 20 years is a long time.

In the photo with various guards, all four types of weapons are called rapiers, despite the fact that only the 3rd and 4th blades can be called piercing, and the first two have pronounced cutting blades. Strange, isn't it?

Here are five types of blades: two clearly cutting, one something in between and two thin piercing. But they are all called rapiers.

So, we can safely make the assumption that the piercing-cutting light swords that appeared in Spain in the 15th century, which subsequently differed only in the design of the guard and the length of the blade, can be called both a sword and a rapier at the same time, and there is no mistake. Because, initially, a sword and a rapier are one and the same. And it is possible that the name rapier was the first. And confusion arose later, when “old” cutting-and-piercing rapier swords and “new” exclusively piercing rapier swords began to exist at the same time. Later, these names were assigned to sports weapons in order to emphasize the differences in the structure and operating principle of sports swords and rapiers. The most interesting thing is that it is quite difficult to prove or disprove my conclusions based on the works of weapons specialists, which is why I do not refer, for example, to von Winkler, Oakeshott or Beheim in this matter - their opinions on this issue are very different. And some researchers call swords or rapiers and estoks with konchars - exclusively piercing swords (although this is simply ridiculous - the sword appeared when armor began to disappear, and konchar or estok appeared to pierce this very armor), and ancient narrow Irish swords made of copper and bronze .

In 1536, King Charles V of Spain gave a speech at the Vatican. The “Italian Wars” raged in Europe: Spain and France divided spheres of influence and fought for political and religious hegemony. In a report that was addressed to the Pope and the cardinals who had gathered to measure the warring parties, Charles V called on his enemy King Francis I of France to resolve the protracted confrontation in a duel. The challenge went unanswered, but apparently gave impetus to a new fashion. It was from the second quarter of the 16th century that “duel fever” began in Europe (mostly in France), which would hit the Old World for almost three centuries. During the 20-year reign of Henry IV of Bourbon alone, according to various estimates, 6-10 thousand people would die in duels, which is comparable to losses in a major battle of the same time. Yuri Kukin figured out how disputes were resolved, and why it was the sword and dagger that stood up to defend noble honor in the material on the site.

Fighting with swords and dags (from a fencing textbook of 1626)

Daga

The dagger is one of the oldest types of weapons. It appears as a type of large knife (such as the sax of the Germans), but is subsequently used primarily for stabbing. In the Middle Ages, the dagger was used to mainly finish off opponents, which is why it even acquired a special name - “dagger of mercy” (ancestor of the stiletto). A blow from such a dagger could hit the joints of military armor plates and even pierce chain mail. Since the 13th century, the dagger has become a permanent piece of equipment for the nobility, who wear it along with the sword. The dagger was worn on a chain, and later, with the advent of wide noble belts, daggers began to be attached to the right side.

Daga - dagger "for the left hand"

In Germany, such daggers were called “degen”, in Spain and Italy - “daga”. Moreover, if the German name for the dagger undergoes a change in the 16th century, and the word “degen” will be used to designate a sword, then the term “daga” will be strengthened to mean not just a dagger, but specifically “for the left hand.” In France, the same weapon was called men-gauch, which, in fact, is a literal translation of the purpose of the dagger. Daga or men-gosh replace the shield, following the general vector of weapon development: heavy armor and large swords give way to lighter weapons that allow you to move freely in battle, combine a series of predominantly piercing, but also cutting (instead of strong chopping) blows . For the first time in duels, they began to hold a dueling sword in the right hand for attacks, and a dagger with the tip down in the left for parrying in Spain in the 16th century. But unlike a shield, the daga was used equally for blocking attacks as for executing them, especially if the sword broke or was knocked out of the hands. The dagger blade resembled a rapier blade, the handle was short, but with a long crosspiece, and especially the daga (specifically Spanish) was distinguished by its triangular, sometimes openwork guard on the outside (although variations were possible). Since the middle of the century they have been produced in large quantities in Italy.

Types of daggers (daga). XVI-XVII centuries

Your weapon?

A rapier and a dagger, if these weapons suit M. de Bussy.

From the book “The Countess de Monsoreau” by Alexandre Dumas

Sword

In most European languages, sword does not have a special term or word and, as a rule, is used in the meaning of “sword” (for example, English - sword). However, in German, as stated above, the word sword (degen) had the same meaning as the word dagger, from which some weapons researchers conclude that the sword originated from the dagger, which nobles everywhere carried with them already in the 14th century. Subsequently, the blade of the dagger was lengthened, turning into a sword and replacing the heavy sword. According to another version, the sword comes from a saddle sword with a narrow blade - a horseman’s combat weapon for delivering piercing and slashing blows. Although they were mainly used for piercing blows, its large weight and the size of the blade itself limited the owner in ordinary foot combat.

Types of swords

According to another version, there were originally two types of swords: military and civilian. The military sword, as you might guess, differed from the sword, perhaps, only in the hilt (hilt). It was used in battle, it was used to perform various attacks from piercing blows on the enemy to slashing, and it could also be used to parry attacks. The civilian sword looked more like an elegant accessory, an attribute of a noble family that emphasized the status of its owner. The latter is supported by the custom of civil execution, when in the presence of a witness the sword was broken over the owner’s head or broken over the knee.

Italian sword hilt

Initially there were two types of swords: military and civilian

Despite the variety of versions, it is clear that the type of weapon itself and its modifications developed along with fencing techniques, which varied quite a lot depending on the school and, even more so, the country. The Germans, for example, emphasized cutting blows, while in Italy, where fencing is believed to have originated, the principle of the primacy of the piercing blow was in effect. It was in Italy at the beginning of the 16th century that the first duels began, which replaced knightly tournaments and duels. Deuli at that time called it a “duel in the bush”: the main and strictest rule, which was fundamentally different from the principle of tournaments, was secrecy. In addition, over time, another distinctive principle was the complete absence of armor, which especially took root in France, where they considered such a battle pure and noble, so they fought in white shirts (in which it was immediately clear where the duelist was wounded).

Rapier

Spanish rapier hilt

All this could not help but influence the transformation of the weapon, which also became lighter and longer, but still retained a double-edged blade that allowed it to leave serious cuts. This type of sword was called a rapier or “clothing blade” (from Spanish espadas roperas). The key differences from a heavy sword are size and weight. The length of the rapier was no more than 100 cm. The guard of the rapier was not only beautiful (which served as an indicator of the status of the noble owner), but also tightly protected the owner’s fingers from enemy attacks, which was vital for the continuation of the fight, since neither armor nor chain mail gloves were no longer available was. It was in Spain, where the names “daga” and “rapier” came from, that the fencing school of this “couple” was strong, where the main thing was the ability to keep and change the distance, moving as if in a circle that either contracts or expands. In the 17th century, also in Spain, the daga was replaced by a cloak, which every representative of the stronger sex had with them: they tried to throw it over the hand with a weapon, thereby neutralizing the enemy for the time being to strike.

Rapier (from Spanish espadas roperas) - “clothing blade”

And in France, where the “fever” occurred, which the elder Dumas sang in his novels already at the end of the era of duels (19th century), at the end of the 17th century they began to fight with only one weapon - a shorter and only piercing rapier, which would spread in the future in Europe along with the increasingly popular saber.

Sources:

Beheim Wendalen. Encyclopedia of weapons. S.-P. 1995

Salnikov A.V. Formation and development of European sword-saber combat fencing of the 15th-18th centuries. Ekov. Armavir.

Novoselov V. R. Duel code: theory and practice of dueling in France of the 16th century. M. 2001.

A complex shape designed to provide protection for the hand holding the sword. While the blade may have been wide enough to be sharpened to some extent (but nowhere near the width of the blades of the somewhat heavier swords used in the Middle Ages), the main property of the rapier is the ability to deliver rapid thrusting blows. The rapier blade could be sharpened along its entire length, or could be sharpened only from the center to the tip (as described by Rudolf Capoferro, an Italian fencing master of the early 17th century). Pallavicini, a rapier master of the 1670s who strongly advocated the use of double-edged blades. A typical rapier weighed 1 kilogram and had a relatively long and thin blade, 2.5 cm wide or less, with a length of 1 m or more, which ended in a sharp point.

The term "rapier" generally refers to a thrusting sword with a blade longer and thinner than the so-called "sidesword" (Italian spada de lato) but heavier than the épée, a lighter weapon that emerged in the 18th century and later, but the exact shape of the blade and hilt often depends on who describes it and when. "Rapier" refers to the early spada de lato (similar to espada ropera), through the rapier's heyday throughout the 17th century, and refers to swords and dueling weapons, so context is important in understanding the meaning of the word "rapier". (The term "sidesword", used among a small number of modern historical martial arts reenactors, is a direct translation of the Italian "spada da lato", a term coined much later by Italian museum curators, and does not refer to the thin, long rapier, but only to early Italian a 16th century sword with a wider and shorter blade, which is considered both its ancestor and contemporary).

It is important to remember that the word "rapier" was not used by Italian, Spanish, and French owners during the sword's heyday, but instead the terms "spada", "espada" and "epee" (or "espee") were used as generic terms for the word "sword". Because of this, as well as the large number of variations of swords in the 16th and 17th centuries, some scholars simply describe the rapier as a one-handed, double-edged sword with a straight blade that is self-sufficient for both attack and defense, without requiring a pair. weapons. To avoid the confusion of lumping all types of swords together, some categorize swords according to their functions and uses. For example, John Clements categorizes thrusting swords with poor cutting ability as rapiers, and swords with good both thrusting and cutting ability as thrusting swords. Some researchers, however, look at the rapier throughout its existence, and conclude that the rapier never fit into any single definition. Much throughout Europe, weapons varied according to culture and prescribed fighting style; be it Italian, Spanish, or any other school of fencing, thus the length and width of the blade, the variations of the hilt, and even the absence or location of the blade (or blades) differed at the same time. Some carried a rapier with a braided hilt and blades, while others at the same time had a rapier with a cupped hilt and a missing blade.

Rapier parts

Hilt

Rapiers often have a complex, wide hilt designed to protect the hand holding the sword. The rings continued forward from the crosspiece. These rings were later covered with metal plates, and eventually developed into the cup-shaped hilt of later rapiers. Many hilts included a curved arc extending from the crosshair and protecting the hilt, which was usually made of wood wrapped in cord, leather, or wire. Massive (often decorative), secured the hilt and balanced the long blade.

Blade

Various rapier experts divided the blade into two, three, four, five or even nine parts. Forte (“strong part”) is that part of it that is located closest to the hilt; in cases where the specialist divided the blade into an even number of parts, this is the first half of the blade. Debole ("weak part") is the part of the blade that includes the tip and the second half of the blade (in case the blade is divided into an even number of parts). However, some rapier experts divide the blade into three parts (or even multiples of three parts), in which case the central third of the blade, between forte and debole, is often called medio or terzo.

(the heel of the blade) is the part of the blade, usually not sharpened, that extends forward from the crossguard or quillion, and which is protected by a complex hilt.

History of the rapier

The rapier began to develop around 1500 as the Spanish espada ropera, or "dress sword" (that is, not for armor). The Espada ropera was a civilian thrusting sword for self-defense and dueling, while earlier swords were primarily intended for the battlefield. During the 16th century, a variety of new one-handed civilian weapons appeared, including the German Rappier, another piercing sword used for recreational/training fencing, as described in Jachim Meyer's 1570 fencing manual. 1570 was also the year in which the Italian swordsmith Signor Rosso Benelli settled in England and promoted the use of the rapier for thrusting as an alternative to slashing during combat. However, the English word "rapier" generally refers primarily to piercing weapons, which were developed in the 1600s as a result of the geometric theories of such masters as Camilo Agrippa and Rudolf Capoferro.

The rapier became extremely fashionable throughout Europe among the wealthy, but it also had its critics. Some, such as George Silver, disapproved of the technical potential of rapiers and their dueling purposes.

The etymology of the word "rapier" is unclear. Charles Ducange, in his Glossarium mediae et infimae Latinitatis, refers to the form "Rapperia" in Latin texts from 1511 onwards. He mentions the etymology of the word's origin from the Greek "to strike." However, Walter William Skeat has suggested that "rapier" may have come from "raspiere" ("poker"), and that it may have been an arrogant term, coined by older hack-and-sword swordsmen, for this new sword. The most likely root of the term "rapier", however, probably comes from the Spanish "ropera", which comes from "fine dress", so rapier literally meant "dress sword".

Combining quick response with long reach, the rapier was well suited for civil battles in the 16th and 17th centuries. While military cut-and-slash swords continued to evolve to meet new needs on the battlefield, rapiers evolved to meet the needs of civilian combat, eventually becoming lighter and shorter. Subsequently, the rapier began to give way to the sword.

By 1715 the rapier had been largely replaced by the lighter sword in most of Europe, although it continued to be used, as evidenced by the treatises of Donald MacBan (1728), P. D. F. Gerald (1736) and Domenico Angelo (1787). ).

Historical schools of foil fencing

Italy

• Antonio Manciolino, Opera Nova per Imparare a Combattere, & Schermire d'ogni sorte Armi - 1531
• Achille Marozzo, Opera Nova Chiamata Duello, O Vero Fiore dell "Armi de Singulari Abattimenti Offensivi, & Diffensivi - 1536
• Anonimo Bolognese, L "Arte della Spada (Manuscripts M-345/M-346) - (early or mid-1500)
• Giovanni dall "Agocchie, Dell" Arte di Scrimia - 1572
• Angelo Viggiani dal Montone, Trattato dello Schermo - 1575
• Camillo Agrippa, Trattato di Scientia d "Arme con un Dialogo di Filosofia - 1553
• Giacomo di Grassi, Ragion di Adoprar Sicuramente l "Arme si da Offesa, come da Difesa - 1570
• Marco Docciolini, Trattato in Materia di Scherma - 1601
• Salvator Fabris, De lo Schermo ovvero Scienza d'Armi - 1606
• Nicoletto Giganti, Scola overo Teatro - 1606
• Ridolfo Capoferro, Gran Simulacro dell"Arte e dell"Uso della Scherma - 1610
• Francesco Alfieri, La Scherma di Francesco Alfieri - 1640
• Giuseppe Morsicato Pallavicini, La Scherma Illustrata - 1670
• Francesco Antonio Marcelli, Regole della Scherma - 1686
• Bondi" di Mazo, La Spada Maestra - 1696

Spain

• Camillo Agrippa
• Jeronimo Sanchez de Carranza, De la Philosofia de las Armas - 1569.
• Luis Pacheco de Narvaez, Libro de las Grandezas de la Espada - 1599.

Netherlands

• Girard Thibault, Academie de l'Espee, ou se demonstrant par Reigles mathematiques, sur le fondement Cercle Mysterieu - 1628.

France

• Charles Bisnard - 1653
• Monsieur L "Abbat - 1669

England

• Joseph Swetnam, The School of the Noble and Worthy Science of Defense - 1617
• The Pallas Armata - 1639

Germany

• Paulus Hector Mair, Opus Amplissimum de Arte Athletica - 1542
• Joachim Meyer, Thorough Descriptions of the free Knightly and Noble Art of Fencing - 1570
• Jakob Sutor, Neu Kunstliches Fechtbuch - 1612

Classic fencing

Classical schools of fencing claim to have inherited aspects of the rapier forms in their systems. In 1885, fencing teacher Egeron Castle wrote: “There is little doubt that the French system of fencing can be traced to its origin, to the ancient Italian art of fencing; the modern Italian school is of course derived from the same source.” Egeron Castle noted that “the Italians retained the form of the rapier, with a cup, pas d'ane (French Pas D'ane - a term to describe one of the ovals that form a complex guard), and quillions, but with a thin tetrahedral blade.”

Popular culture and entertainment

Despite the widespread use of the rapier in the 16th and 17th centuries, many films about this period show fencers with swords. A real battle with rapiers did not have lightning-fast thrusts and depicted parrying of blows. Director Richard Lester attempted to more accurately depict traditional foil fencing techniques in the films The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers. Since then, many later films such as The Princess Bride and Queen Margot have used rapiers rather than the later weapons, although the fight choreography did not always accurately depict historical fencing techniques.