Longsword

The longsword was a versatile cut-and-thrust weapon used across late medieval and Renaissance Europe. Its defining feature was a grip long enough for both hands, paired with a blade typically between 33 and 43 inches. This let a fighter generate power for cuts while retaining the control needed for precise thrusts.

Longswords were carried by knights and men-at-arms both on the battlefield and in civilian dueling. A body of fencing manuals, most notably from German and Italian masters, documents formal techniques for their use. The weapon gradually fell out of military favor as firearms and pike formations came to dominate combat, surviving longest in judicial duels and as a mark of status.