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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.g., arrows) but useful in deflecting the blow of an opponent's sword or mace. There are two major forms of medievally documented bucklers. The first is a simple round shield with the fist positioned directly behind the boss with a variety of shapes of face and depths of rim. These could also have projections from the top and bottom as in Hans Talhoffer's Fechtbücher or serrated rings around the boss as in one example in the Wallace Collection. The second major form is a corrugated rectangle as suggested by Achille Marrozzo in his Opera Nova. Statue showing a Gallic shield with a butterfly boss. ...
The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ...
Japanese arrow (ya) and head // Weapon An arrow is a pointed projectile that is shot with a bow. ...
Swiss longsword, 15th or 16th century Sword (from Old English sweord, cognate to Old High German Schwert, literally wounding tool from a Proto-Indo-European root *swer- to wound, to hurt) is a term for a long edged weapon, fundamentally consisting of a blade, usually with two edges for striking...
Assorted maces For its symbolical derivative, see ceremonial mace. ...
Portrait of Talhoffer (pictured left), and his coat of arms, from the 1459 Fechtbuch plate 25 of Talhoffers Fechtbuch of 1467, showing two longsword fencers standing in the ward (Stand beid in der Hut) plate 170 of Talhoffers Fechtbuch of 1467, showing rondel dagger combat Hans Talhoffer (also spelled Talhofer...
fol. ...
The Wallace Collection is a national art museum located in London. ...
MS I.33 (around 1300) contains an early description of a system of combat with buckler and sword. fol. ...
Swiss longsword, 15th or 16th century Sword (from Old English sweord, cognate to Old High German Schwert, literally wounding tool from a Proto-Indo-European root *swer- to wound, to hurt) is a term for a long edged weapon, fundamentally consisting of a blade, usually with two edges for striking...
Uses
The buckler was more widely used than is commonly known. It was a simple yet effective weapon, often combined with a short sword, falchion, or rapier. It was popular circa 1100 to 1600. The buckler had a variety of roles when it came to swordplay, but three principal means come to the fore. Each use recognizes the shield's small size and maneuverability when dealing with light blades. Of particular note is the circular bulge in the center of the shield.[1]
1. As a deflector: The buckler's lightness and curved center made it excellent for deflecting the thrusts of rapiers and other light fencing blades. Such a deflection would leave the attacker open for a rapid counter-attack.
2. As a blinder: The light blades used in conjunction with the buckler depended on rapid movements, which meant that a single second was an important advantage. The wielder of the buckler could certainly used the metal disc to shield his sword-hand's position from view, keeping his opponent from guessing his next strike.
3. As a "metal fist": The name buckler is actually derived from old French meaning 'metal fist'. As the name implies, a buckler is very useful for simply punching one's opponent in the face when both blades are locked.
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