The Medieval Longsword (Weapon)

The formidable European longsword--featuring a double-edged straight blade in excess of 40 inches, and capable of being used with one or both hands--remains one of the most impressive and distinctive edged weapons of the late medieval era. Also known as the bastard sword or the hand-and-a-half sword, the longsword evolved from the war swords and great swords of the fourteenth century, and emerged as a battlefield weapon in the early stages of the Hundred Years' War.

Fully illustrated, with specially commissioned full-color artwork and an array of period illustrations and close-up photographs, this is the enthralling story of one of late-medieval Europe's most distinctive and deadly close-combat weapons, written by a noted authority on the subject.