Types of European Swords
Explore our illustrated index of European swords, sortable by period, region, use, length and blade. From the Greek xiphos to the medieval longsword and the cavalry sabre, this is one of the most complete guides to European sword types online.
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Antenna sword
Bronze Age sword named for the antenna-shaped pommel of its hilt.
- Group
- Short sword
- Region
- Central Europe
- Time period
- Antiquity (before 500 AD)
- Uses
- Infantry
- Length
- 55 to 70 cm (22 to 28 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed, antenna-shaped pommel
- Blade shape
- Straight, double-edged
Xiphos
Straight double-edged shortsword of the Greek hoplite, worn as a secondary weapon behind the spear.
- Group
- Short sword
- Region
- Greece
- Time period
- Antiquity (before 500 AD)
- Uses
- Infantry
- Length
- 50 to 60 cm (20 to 24 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed grip, leaf pommel
- Blade shape
- Straight, leaf-shaped, double-edged
Kopis
Forward-curving single-edged Greek sword built for heavy chopping cuts from horseback.
- Group
- One-handed sword
- Region
- Greece
- Time period
- Antiquity (before 500 AD)
- Uses
- Cavalry, Cutting
- Length
- 65 to 70 cm (26 to 28 in)
- Edge type
- Single-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed, hooked guard
- Blade shape
- Forward-curving, single-edged
Makhaira
Single-edged cutting sword of ancient Greece, ancestor to later curved blades.
- Group
- One-handed sword
- Region
- Greece
- Time period
- Antiquity (before 500 AD)
- Uses
- Cutting
- Length
- 60 to 70 cm (24 to 28 in)
- Edge type
- Single-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed grip
- Blade shape
- Single-edged, curved cutting blade
Falcata
Iberian forward-curved sword prized by Celtiberian warriors for its cutting power.
- Group
- Short sword
- Region
- Iberia
- Time period
- Antiquity (before 500 AD)
- Uses
- Infantry, Cutting
- Length
- 55 to 65 cm (22 to 26 in)
- Edge type
- Single-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed, hook-shaped pommel
- Blade shape
- Forward-curved, single-edged
La Tène sword
Long iron sword of the Iron Age Celts, a defining weapon of the La Tène culture.
- Group
- One-handed sword
- Region
- Celtic Europe
- Time period
- Antiquity (before 500 AD)
- Uses
- Infantry
- Length
- 70 to 90 cm (28 to 35 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed grip
- Blade shape
- Straight, double-edged iron blade
Sica
Short curved sword of the Thracians and Illyrians, designed to hook past a shield.
- Group
- Short sword
- Region
- Balkans
- Time period
- Antiquity (before 500 AD)
- Uses
- Cutting
- Length
- 40 to 50 cm (16 to 20 in)
- Edge type
- Single-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed grip
- Blade shape
- Curved, single-edged
Gladius
Short thrusting sword of the Roman legionary, the backbone of Rome's infantry for centuries.
- Group
- Short sword
- Region
- Rome
- Time period
- Antiquity (before 500 AD)
- Uses
- Infantry, Thrusting
- Length
- 60 to 85 cm (24 to 33 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed, spherical pommel
- Blade shape
- Straight, double-edged, tapered point
Spatha
Longer Roman cavalry sword that replaced the gladius and shaped every European blade after it.
- Group
- One-handed sword
- Region
- Rome
- Time period
- Antiquity (before 500 AD)
- Uses
- Cavalry
- Length
- 75 to 100 cm (30 to 39 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed grip
- Blade shape
- Straight, double-edged
Migration Period sword
Broad double-edged sword of the Germanic peoples after Rome's fall, bridging spatha and Viking blade.
- Group
- One-handed sword
- Region
- Northern Europe
- Time period
- Early Medieval (500 to 1000 AD)
- Uses
- War
- Length
- 80 to 95 cm (31 to 37 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed grip
- Blade shape
- Broad, straight, double-edged
Seax
Single-edged knife-sword carried across early medieval Northern Europe as tool and sidearm.
- Group
- Short sword
- Region
- Northern Europe
- Time period
- Early Medieval (500 to 1000 AD)
- Uses
- Utility, Sidearm
- Length
- 30 to 75 cm (12 to 30 in)
- Edge type
- Single-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed grip
- Blade shape
- Straight, single-edged
Carolingian sword
Frankish sword of the 8th to 10th centuries, the direct template for the Viking sword.
- Group
- One-handed sword
- Region
- Frankish Europe
- Time period
- Early Medieval (500 to 1000 AD)
- Uses
- War
- Length
- 85 to 95 cm (33 to 37 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed, cocked-hat pommel
- Blade shape
- Straight, double-edged
Viking sword
Broad double-edged cutting sword of the Norse, often pattern-welded with a lobed pommel.
- Group
- One-handed sword
- Region
- Scandinavia
- Time period
- Early Medieval (500 to 1000 AD)
- Uses
- War, Cutting
- Length
- 80 to 90 cm (31 to 35 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed, lobed pommel
- Blade shape
- Broad, straight, double-edged, fullered
Ulfberht sword
Elite Frankish blade signed +VLFBERHT+, famed for unusually pure crucible steel.
- Group
- One-handed sword
- Region
- Frankish Europe
- Time period
- Early Medieval (500 to 1000 AD)
- Uses
- War
- Length
- 85 to 95 cm (33 to 37 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed grip
- Blade shape
- Straight, double-edged, crucible steel
Arming sword
The classic one-handed knightly sword of the High Middle Ages, paired with a shield.
- Group
- One-handed sword
- Region
- Western Europe
- Time period
- High Medieval (1000 to 1300)
- Uses
- Knightly, One-handed
- Length
- 90 to 100 cm (35 to 39 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed, cruciform hilt
- Blade shape
- Straight, double-edged, tapering
Falchion
Single-edged medieval cleaving sword combining a knife's edge with a sword's reach.
- Group
- One-handed sword
- Region
- Western Europe
- Time period
- High Medieval (1000 to 1300)
- Uses
- Cutting
- Length
- 80 to 95 cm (31 to 37 in)
- Edge type
- Single-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed grip
- Blade shape
- Single-edged, broad cleaving blade
Curtana
The blunt-tipped Sword of Mercy used in English coronation regalia.
- Group
- Ceremonial sword
- Region
- Britain
- Time period
- High Medieval (1000 to 1300)
- Uses
- Ceremonial
- Length
- 90 to 100 cm (35 to 39 in)
- Edge type
- Edgeless (thrusting spike)
- Handle type
- One-handed grip
- Blade shape
- Straight, double-edged, blunt squared tip
War sword
Oversized single-hand sword of the 13th century, a heavier battlefield arming sword.
- Group
- Hand-and-a-half sword
- Region
- Western Europe
- Time period
- High Medieval (1000 to 1300)
- Uses
- War
- Length
- 100 to 120 cm (39 to 47 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- Hand-and-a-half grip
- Blade shape
- Long, straight, double-edged
Longsword
Two-handed cruciform sword of the late medieval knight, central to European martial arts.
- Group
- Two-handed sword
- Region
- Western Europe
- Time period
- Late Medieval (1300 to 1500)
- Uses
- War, Two-handed
- Length
- 100 to 130 cm (39 to 51 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- Two-handed, cruciform hilt
- Blade shape
- Straight, double-edged, tapering
Bastard sword
Hand-and-a-half sword with a grip long enough for one or two hands.
- Group
- Hand-and-a-half sword
- Region
- Western Europe
- Time period
- Late Medieval (1300 to 1500)
- Uses
- War, Hand-and-a-half
- Length
- 100 to 120 cm (39 to 47 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- Hand-and-a-half grip
- Blade shape
- Straight, double-edged
Greatsword
Large two-handed sword built for open-field fighting and reach.
- Group
- Two-handed sword
- Region
- Western Europe
- Time period
- Late Medieval (1300 to 1500)
- Uses
- War, Two-handed
- Length
- 130 to 150 cm (51 to 59 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- Two-handed, long grip
- Blade shape
- Straight, double-edged
Claymore
Scottish two-handed Highland sword with forward-sloping quillons ending in quatrefoils.
- Group
- Two-handed sword
- Region
- Scotland
- Time period
- Late Medieval (1300 to 1500)
- Uses
- War, Two-handed
- Length
- 130 to 140 cm (51 to 55 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- Two-handed, sloping quillons
- Blade shape
- Straight, double-edged
Estoc
Rigid edgeless thrusting sword made to punch through gaps in plate armour.
- Group
- Thrusting sword
- Region
- Western Europe
- Time period
- Late Medieval (1300 to 1500)
- Uses
- Armour-piercing, Thrusting
- Length
- 90 to 130 cm (35 to 51 in)
- Edge type
- Edgeless (thrusting spike)
- Handle type
- Hand-and-a-half or two-handed
- Blade shape
- Rigid, edgeless spike, square or triangular section
Messer
German single-edged sword built like an oversized knife, a civilian and military staple.
- Group
- One-handed sword
- Region
- Germany
- Time period
- Late Medieval (1300 to 1500)
- Uses
- Utility, Cutting
- Length
- 75 to 95 cm (30 to 37 in)
- Edge type
- Single-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed knife grip with nagel
- Blade shape
- Single-edged
Bearing sword
Oversized ceremonial two-hander carried upright in processions, never meant for battle.
- Group
- Ceremonial sword
- Region
- Western Europe
- Time period
- Late Medieval (1300 to 1500)
- Uses
- Ceremonial
- Length
- 150 to 220 cm (59 to 87 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- Two-handed grip
- Blade shape
- Oversized, straight, double-edged
Zweihänder
Massive German two-hander wielded by Landsknecht Doppelsöldner against pike formations.
- Group
- Two-handed sword
- Region
- Germany
- Time period
- Renaissance (1500 to 1600)
- Uses
- Formation, Two-handed
- Length
- 150 to 180 cm (59 to 71 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- Two-handed, side rings and parierhaken
- Blade shape
- Straight, double-edged, flared ricasso
Katzbalger
Short arming sword of the Landsknecht, marked by its distinctive figure-eight guard.
- Group
- Short sword
- Region
- Germany
- Time period
- Renaissance (1500 to 1600)
- Uses
- Sidearm, Infantry
- Length
- 60 to 75 cm (24 to 30 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed, figure-eight guard
- Blade shape
- Straight, double-edged
Rapier
Slender civilian thrusting sword of the Renaissance, the weapon of the duel and the street.
- Group
- Thrusting sword
- Region
- Western Europe
- Time period
- Renaissance (1500 to 1600)
- Uses
- Civilian, Thrusting
- Length
- 100 to 130 cm (39 to 51 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed, swept or cup hilt
- Blade shape
- Long, slender, double-edged thrusting blade
Side-sword
Transitional cut-and-thrust sword bridging the medieval arming sword and the rapier.
- Group
- One-handed sword
- Region
- Italy
- Time period
- Renaissance (1500 to 1600)
- Uses
- Civilian, War
- Length
- 90 to 100 cm (35 to 39 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed, ring hilt
- Blade shape
- Straight, double-edged, cut-and-thrust
Federschwert
Blunt flexible training longsword of the German fencing guilds, still used in HEMA today.
- Group
- Two-handed sword
- Region
- Germany
- Time period
- Renaissance (1500 to 1600)
- Uses
- Training, HEMA
- Length
- 110 to 130 cm (43 to 51 in)
- Edge type
- Blunt (training)
- Handle type
- Two-handed, cruciform hilt
- Blade shape
- Blunt, flexible, double-edged with schilt
Executioner's sword
Wide, blunt-tipped two-hander used for judicial beheadings, not battlefield combat.
- Group
- Two-handed sword
- Region
- Germany
- Time period
- Renaissance (1500 to 1600)
- Uses
- Ceremonial, Justice
- Length
- 90 to 105 cm (35 to 41 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- Two-handed grip
- Blade shape
- Wide, straight, double-edged, blunt rounded tip
Flamberge
Two-handed sword with an undulating wavy blade that amplifies its cutting bite.
- Group
- Two-handed sword
- Region
- Germany
- Time period
- Renaissance (1500 to 1600)
- Uses
- War, Two-handed
- Length
- 140 to 170 cm (55 to 67 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- Two-handed, side rings
- Blade shape
- Undulating, wavy, double-edged
Cutlass
Short, broad naval sword ideal for close quarters aboard ship.
- Group
- Short sword
- Region
- Western Europe
- Time period
- Early Modern (1600 to 1800)
- Uses
- Naval, Cutting
- Length
- 60 to 75 cm (24 to 30 in)
- Edge type
- Single-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed, guard or basket
- Blade shape
- Short, broad, curved single-edged
Broadsword
Broad-bladed basket-hilted military sword of the 17th and 18th centuries.
- Group
- One-handed sword
- Region
- Britain
- Time period
- Early Modern (1600 to 1800)
- Uses
- Military, Cutting
- Length
- 90 to 105 cm (35 to 41 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed, basket hilt
- Blade shape
- Broad, straight, double-edged
Basket-hilted sword
Military sword whose cage-like hilt fully protects the hand, favoured by Scots and cavalry.
- Group
- One-handed sword
- Region
- Britain
- Time period
- Early Modern (1600 to 1800)
- Uses
- Military
- Length
- 90 to 105 cm (35 to 41 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed, full basket hilt
- Blade shape
- Straight, double-edged
Schiavona
Venetian basket-hilted sword carried by the Doge's Slavic guard.
- Group
- One-handed sword
- Region
- Italy
- Time period
- Early Modern (1600 to 1800)
- Uses
- Military, Cavalry
- Length
- 90 to 100 cm (35 to 39 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed, basket hilt
- Blade shape
- Straight, double-edged
Szabla
Polish sabre central to the Winged Hussars and national fencing tradition.
- Group
- Sabre
- Region
- Poland
- Time period
- Early Modern (1600 to 1800)
- Uses
- Cavalry, Cutting
- Length
- 85 to 95 cm (33 to 37 in)
- Edge type
- Single-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed, closed hilt
- Blade shape
- Curved, single-edged
Pappenheimer
Heavy rapier with perforated shell guards, named for a Thirty Years' War general.
- Group
- Thrusting sword
- Region
- Germany
- Time period
- Early Modern (1600 to 1800)
- Uses
- Military, Thrusting
- Length
- 100 to 120 cm (39 to 47 in)
- Edge type
- Double-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed, perforated shell guard
- Blade shape
- Long, double-edged thrusting blade
Mortuary sword
English basket-hilted backsword of the Civil War era, often with a carved hilt.
- Group
- One-handed sword
- Region
- Britain
- Time period
- Early Modern (1600 to 1800)
- Uses
- Cavalry
- Length
- 90 to 100 cm (35 to 39 in)
- Edge type
- Single-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed, half-basket hilt
- Blade shape
- Straight, single-edged backsword
Backsword
Single-edged straight military sword offering a sturdy spine behind its cutting edge.
- Group
- One-handed sword
- Region
- Britain
- Time period
- Early Modern (1600 to 1800)
- Uses
- Military
- Length
- 85 to 100 cm (33 to 39 in)
- Edge type
- Single-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed, guarded hilt
- Blade shape
- Straight, single-edged with a spine
Hanger
Short curved sword for infantry and hunting, worn from a belt hanger.
- Group
- Short sword
- Region
- Western Europe
- Time period
- Early Modern (1600 to 1800)
- Uses
- Infantry, Hunting
- Length
- 60 to 75 cm (24 to 30 in)
- Edge type
- Single-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed grip
- Blade shape
- Short, curved, single-edged
Colichemarde
Smallsword variant with a wide forte tapering sharply, balancing parry and point.
- Group
- Thrusting sword
- Region
- France
- Time period
- Early Modern (1600 to 1800)
- Uses
- Civilian, Duelling
- Length
- 90 to 100 cm (35 to 39 in)
- Edge type
- Edgeless (thrusting spike)
- Handle type
- One-handed, shell guard
- Blade shape
- Wide forte tapering to a thin thrusting point
Smallsword
Light court and duelling sword of the 18th century, worn as a gentleman's accessory.
- Group
- Thrusting sword
- Region
- Western Europe
- Time period
- Early Modern (1600 to 1800)
- Uses
- Civilian, Duelling
- Length
- 80 to 100 cm (31 to 39 in)
- Edge type
- Edgeless (thrusting spike)
- Handle type
- One-handed, shell guard
- Blade shape
- Light, triangular-section thrusting blade
Sabre
Curved single-edged cavalry sword, the dominant military blade of the 18th and 19th centuries.
- Group
- Sabre
- Region
- Eastern Europe
- Time period
- Modern (1800 onward)
- Uses
- Cavalry, Cutting
- Length
- 85 to 100 cm (33 to 39 in)
- Edge type
- Single-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed, knuckle guard
- Blade shape
- Curved, single-edged
Briquet
Short curved infantry sidearm of Napoleonic armies, a hanger for the common soldier.
- Group
- Short sword
- Region
- France
- Time period
- Modern (1800 onward)
- Uses
- Infantry Sidearm
- Length
- 70 to 80 cm (28 to 31 in)
- Edge type
- Single-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed, brass stirrup hilt
- Blade shape
- Short, curved, single-edged
Spadroon
Light straight officer's sword of the late 18th century, a cut-and-thrust compromise.
- Group
- One-handed sword
- Region
- Britain
- Time period
- Early Modern (1600 to 1800)
- Uses
- Officer's, Military
- Length
- 90 to 100 cm (35 to 39 in)
- Edge type
- Single-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed, five-ball hilt
- Blade shape
- Light, straight, single-edged
Shashka
Guardless Caucasian and Cossack sabre drawn and cut in a single fluid motion.
- Group
- Sabre
- Region
- Caucasus
- Time period
- Modern (1800 onward)
- Uses
- Cavalry, Cutting
- Length
- 80 to 95 cm (31 to 37 in)
- Edge type
- Single-edged
- Handle type
- One-handed, guardless
- Blade shape
- Slightly curved, single-edged
Fencing foil
Light blunt thrusting weapon of modern sport fencing, scoring on the torso.
- Group
- Fencing weapon
- Region
- Western Europe
- Time period
- Modern (1800 onward)
- Uses
- Sport, Thrusting
- Length
- 90 to 110 cm (35 to 43 in)
- Edge type
- Blunt (training)
- Handle type
- One-handed, French or pistol grip
- Blade shape
- Light, blunt, rectangular section
Fencing épée
Heaviest sport fencing weapon, descended from the duelling smallsword, valid target is the whole body.
- Group
- Fencing weapon
- Region
- France
- Time period
- Modern (1800 onward)
- Uses
- Sport, Thrusting
- Length
- 90 to 110 cm (35 to 43 in)
- Edge type
- Blunt (training)
- Handle type
- One-handed grip
- Blade shape
- Stiff, blunt, triangular section
Fencing sabre
Sport fencing weapon scored with cuts as well as thrusts, echoing the cavalry sabre.
- Group
- Fencing weapon
- Region
- Western Europe
- Time period
- Modern (1800 onward)
- Uses
- Sport, Cutting
- Length
- 85 to 105 cm (33 to 41 in)
- Edge type
- Blunt (training)
- Handle type
- One-handed, guard
- Blade shape
- Light, blunt, flat blade
What is a European sword?
A European sword is a bladed weapon developed across Europe from antiquity to the modern era, from the Greek xiphos and Roman gladius to the medieval longsword and the cavalry sabre. Historians document more than 300 distinct European sword types, grouped by period, region, blade profile and intended use.
What unites them is a shared line of development. The Roman spatha shaped the Migration Period sword, which became the Viking sword, which in turn became the knightly arming sword. From there the family branched into the two-handed longsword, the thrusting rapier and, finally, the curved cavalry sabre. Each type answered a specific problem of its age: mail armour, plate armour, the duel, or the cavalry charge.
European swords by period
The quickest way to place any European sword is by its period. The table below maps the seven major eras to their defining types.
| Period | Years | Defining types |
|---|---|---|
| Antiquity | Before 500 AD | Xiphos, Gladius, Spatha, Falcata |
| Early Medieval | 500 to 1000 | Migration sword, Seax, Viking sword |
| High Medieval | 1000 to 1300 | Arming sword, Falchion, War sword |
| Late Medieval | 1300 to 1500 | Longsword, Bastard sword, Estoc, Claymore |
| Renaissance | 1500 to 1600 | Zweihänder, Rapier, Side-sword, Katzbalger |
| Early Modern | 1600 to 1800 | Broadsword, Cutlass, Smallsword, Schiavona |
| Modern | 1800 onward | Sabre, Shashka, Fencing foil, épée and sabre |
How European sword types differ
Three features separate one European sword from another: the blade, the hilt and the intended use.
Blade
Blades range from short and broad cutters like the falchion to long, rigid thrusters like the estoc. A double edge suits cut-and-thrust fencing, a single edge favours heavy chopping, and an edgeless spike is built to defeat armour.
Hilt
Early swords used a simple cruciform guard. As unarmoured fencing grew, hilts gained rings, shells and full baskets to protect the hand, seen on the rapier, the schiavona and the Scottish broadsword.
Use
Use decides everything else. Battlefield swords favour reach and durability, naval cutlasses favour compact power in tight spaces, and civilian smallswords favour speed and a lethal point for the duel.
Frequently asked questions
What is a European sword?
A European sword is a bladed weapon developed across Europe from antiquity to the modern era, spanning the Greek xiphos, Roman gladius, medieval longsword, Renaissance rapier and the cavalry sabre. European swords are grouped by period, region, blade profile and intended use, and over 300 distinct types have been documented.
What are the main types of European swords?
The most recognised European sword types include the gladius and spatha of Rome, the Viking and arming swords of the early Middle Ages, the longsword, bastard sword and greatsword of the late medieval period, and the rapier, broadsword, sabre and smallsword of the early modern era.
What is the difference between a longsword and a broadsword?
A longsword is a two-handed medieval cruciform sword with a straight double-edged blade around 90 cm to 110 cm (35 in to 43 in). A broadsword is a later basket-hilted military sword, usually one-handed, from the 17th and 18th centuries. The two belong to different eras and were used very differently.
Which European sword is best for HEMA?
Historical European Martial Arts practitioners most often train with a blunt federschwert, a flexible feder built to the proportions of a longsword. Arming swords, messers and sabres are also used depending on the discipline and the historical source being studied.
What steel were European swords made from?
Medieval and Renaissance European swords were forged from carbon steel, often pattern-welded in the Viking age and later made from higher-carbon crucible or bloomery steel. Modern reproductions use spring steels such as 5160, high-carbon steels like 1060 and 1095, or 65Mn steel for durable, battle-ready blades.
Are European swords legal to own?
In most countries European swords are legal to own as collector and display pieces, and functional battle-ready swords are widely sold for HEMA, cutting practice and reenactment. Local laws on carry and sale vary, so buyers should check their national and regional regulations.