The MS I.33 manuscript, dated to ca. 1290, shows fencing with the arming sword and the buckler.

The arming sword (also sometimes called a knight's or knightly sword) is the single handed cruciform sword of the High Middle Ages, in common use between ca. 1000 and 1350, and possibly even down to the 16th century. It is a common weapon in period artwork, and there are many surviving examples in museums. The arming sword was worn by a knight even when not in armor, and he would be considered 'undressed' for public if he were without it. fol 4v of MS I.33 The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... fol 4v of MS I.33 The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... fol. ... For broader historical context, see 1290s and 13th century. ... A buckler (French bouclier shield, from old French bocle, boucle boss) is a small shield gripped in the fist -- it was generally used in hand-to-hand combat during the Middle Ages, as its size made it poor protection against missile weapons (e. ... Swiss longsword, 15th or 16th century Sword (Old English: sweord; akin to Old High German: swert, wounding tool; Proto-Indo-European: *swer-, to wound, to hurt) is a term for a long-edged, bladed weapon, consisting in its most fundamental design of a blade, usually with two edges for striking... The cathedral Notre Dame de Paris, a significant architectural contribution of the High Middle Ages. ... // Events World Population 300 million. ... Events 29 August - An English fleet personally commanded by King Edward III defeats a Spanish fleet in the battle of Les Espagnols sur Mer. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... Alternative meanings: vehicle armour, Armor (novel) A hoplite wearing a helmet, a breastplate and greaves (and nothing else). ...

Typically used with a shield or buckler, the arming sword was the standard military sword of the knight (merely called a "war sword") until technological changes led to the rise of the longsword in the late 13th century. The first longswords were actually little more than two-handed arming swords, but the difference in length grew substantially as time passed. Long after these larger weapons came into use, the arming sword was retained as a common sidearm, eventually evolving into the cut & thrust swords of the Renaissance. Statue showing a Gallic shield with a butterfly boss. ... A buckler (French bouclier shield, from old French bocle, boucle boss) is a small shield gripped in the fist -- it was generally used in hand-to-hand combat during the Middle Ages, as its size made it poor protection against missile weapons (e. ... Swiss longsword, 15th or early 16th century (Morges museum) The late medieval longsword, also referred to as bastard-sword or hand-and-a-half sword, is a type of straight-bladed European sword. ... (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ... A side-sword was a type of war sword used by infantry during the Renaissance of Europe. ... The Renaissance was a social, cultural and economic revolution which began a period of scientific revolution, religious reform, artistic and architectural development, and philosophical openness, and marks the beginning of modern European history. ...

Although a variety of designs fall under the heading of 'arming sword', they are most commonly recognized as single-handed double-edged swords that were designed more for cutting than thrusting. Possessing wider and heavier blades than the Victorian smallsword, modern scholars have often erroneously classified them as broadswords. The Smallsword is a sword intermediate in historical period between the rapier and the classical épée, ancestor to the modern sporting épée. ... The term broadsword was originally used to describe the straight double-edged basket-hilted swords of Europe during the 17th through 19th centuries. ...

Arming swords correspond to Oakeshott types XI, XII, XIII, and XIIIa. Ewart Oakeshotts typology of the medieval sword is based on blade morphology. ...

See also

• Oakeshott typology
• Side-sword