The Medieval Longsword

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.