Georgian weapons

[Mr Orange]

right so i need some georgian weapons, specifically swords:

long, singlehanded sword

shorter sword that could be handled with one in each hand

both of the above will be in Georgian England (or equivalent) but will be wielded by Frenchmen so can have French influence

i also need a simpler, typical sword/blade that someone might carry, more for show than anything else

struggling for terminology so any help would be appreciated

thanks!

 

[Juliana]

I don't know anything about Georgian swords, but have a look at some of the links on this thread. Maybe you might find something there?

Good luck!

 

[Laeraneth]

Rapiers were very popular pre georgian times, but would still be around as heirlooms perhaps? Or status symbols. They're fairly distinctive as sword-types go as well, which is always helpful

The Epée came later... a bit of quick 'research' (ie, wikipedia) tells me that the inbetween period just seems to be 'small sword'... which is amazing in it's lack of definition
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_sword

"D" shaped hilt/handle-guards, relatively light swords, built for parrying, fencing, and dueling, I THINK pretty much sums up the georgian era.

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

I would think eighteenth century swords would include most of what is seen currently. But dueling was a big thing in that time so I would expect epees and foils to be popular in polite society.

On the battlefield, sabres (especially for cavalry), long swords and short swords would be typical.

If you're going to dual wield my thought would be that you don't want two swords of equal size. You want a smaller sword in your off hand for parrying in place of a shield. And one of the stranger French swords invented specifically for parrying was the flamberge. This came in a variety of sizes, and because it had a twisted blade was supposedly better at deflecting an opponent's sword in an unpredictable way. However a short sword or even a long dagger with a good guard should work equally as well.

However dual wielding is a highly skilled art requiring an enormous amount of training and practice. My thought would be that not many woul try it, especially in combat. If you do want to parry with a blade instead of using a shield a better option would be a two handed great sword of some sort.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Sounds like Googling for "Napoleonic swords" might help?

 

[Locrian]

Main gauche (I think, not sure on era) was a short sword usually paired with a light sword like a foil. Might be earlier than Georgian, but could still be around.

 

[Mr Orange]

thanks everyone

psychotick, had a look at flamberge swords and they suit my villians perfectly. so going to have the different characters all have flamberge swords of differing types:

a doublehanded long sword; rapier and main gauche / parrying dagger; and a shorter, straight sabre...

thanks again

 

[JonH]

I think you could consider someone having a firearm too. Personal firearms became popular in England at the end of the Tudor era: have a look at Queen Anne pistols. I don't think they were as big in France, but if you have an English setting, there would be pistols throughout the eighteenth century.

 

[Mr Orange]

cheers jon, one of the other characters does have a pistol but for plot reasons, these guys don't.

here is an introduction to their weapons, let me know if it rings true:

Crystal blades appeared in the brothers’ hands; wavy, flamberge swords that the French families loved. Bies wielded a two-handed long sword, Lui drew a thin rapier with a parrying dagger, and the twins had identical thick, straight sabres.

cheers all

 

[JonH]

Crystal blades appeared in the brothers’ hands; wavy, flamberge swords that the French families loved. Bies wielded a two-handed long sword, Lui drew a thin rapier with a parrying dagger, and the twins had identical thick, straight sabres.

I'm not sure who the characters are. Perhaps it will work if your readership knows that "the brothers" only refers to Lui and Bies, and not to the twins. Thick straight sabres are not flamberge by definition.

I have an issue with a two-hander "appearing" in someone's hands. It's not a quick-draw object that appears from nowhere. If it's carried on the back it's not going to be drawn quickly from there (and probably not drawn from there at all). If you think you're going to need it, you are already holding it.

I don't have a problem with the distinction between a flamberge and a flambard. Having misspent a few years of my youth playing D&D, I'm more used to the two-handed flamberge than the one-handed.

 

[Mr Orange]

Cheers Jon

The straight sabres was meant to refer to lack of curve to the blade. I can see how it might be misleading so will take it out. I might also take out the two handed reference.

The story does not need to be historically accurate so not too worried if not all the swords mentioned were typically flamberge

 

[M Harold Page]

Um.

I am a bit confused by some of the responses on this thread. We're talking "Georgian-the-era" here, not "Georgian-pertaining-to-Georgia-the-Eastern-European-Country", right?

In Western Europe, rapiers and maine gauches etc belong roughly to the 16th-17th century. Flamberges to the 16th-century battlefield. Longswords to the early-16th and earlier. Claymores are just in period, though an odd anachronism carried by Highlanders, who might also carry basket hilted broad swords and targes.


Basically, 18th and early 19th century gentlemen carried and fought duels with smallswords, a nasty spiky weapon resembling a modern fencing foil but less pleasant. Cavalry officers might instead fight duels with sabres, often light duelling versions for use on foot. Cavalry sabres tended to be heavy curved weapons primarily for carving up fleeing infantry.

Oh, and the martial arts for these weapons are well documented, still practiced, and different from modern fencing. Google "HEMA" and the weapon of your choice.

Why these weapons and not others?

Choice of civilian weapon has always been a matter of fashion and legal framework. The smallsword was easy to carry and socially acceptable.

Choice of military weapons was dictated by gunpowder. Infantry fought with musket and bayonet, so no need for two handed swords and polearms. Since muskets could penetrate it anyway, nobody wore full armour, so cavalry could use slashing sabres rather than picks and maces etc.

Things, however, were quite different in the Far East...