Astronomy Astrophysics Introductory

The history of Spanish rapiers started in 15th Century in Toledo, Spain. The Spanish masters used several different types of steel. They mixed very hard and very soft steel to give a rapier a strength and flexibility as well. The rapiers were narrow, very long, and had only a slight edge.

Early rapiers did have sharp edges, the sword was meant almost exclusively as a thrusting weapon. It is theorized that the sharp edges on early rapiers were used to discourage opponents from grabbing the weapon with their off hand, although there is some evidence that the edges also allowed the sword to slide into a body more easily. And that's really what it's all about isn't it? That said, there is also evidence that early rapier wielders did use the edges to slash, but the type of rapiers they used were probably closer to their side-sword cousins than to the rapier in its prime.

A rapier was used almost entirely for offense when it was first introduced (in the 15th century). If swordsmen were going to parry, he or she would use a parrying dagger in the left hand, or perhaps a small buckler shield. As the weapons became smaller and more agile, parrying with the blade was introduced. This meant much more contact with opponents blades, and, as anyone who did any amount of broomstick fencing when they were kids knows, quite a few hand wounds. Because of this, elaborate crosses (metal guards perpendicular to the blade) and rings were developed to help protect the hand. These protections evolved and became more elaborate, culminating with spiraling crosses and beautiful swept hilts. Later, swordsmen went to a more practical, if less aesthetic, cup hilt. This was a small, curved metal disk at the top of the hilt, just above the cross.

The term rapier has been used to describe all of the swords in this category at one time or another, and is fast becoming a catch-all to light swords in general. The term is believed to have come from the Spanish/Italian word ropera meaning clothes, being a sword that is worn with clothes, or a dress sword.

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