|
Oakeshott's
Typology of the Medieval Sword
A Summary
|
click
on image for larger graphic in PDF format |
Ewart
Oakeshott (1916 - 2002) is widely regarded as the preeminent scholar
of the Medieval sword. His contribution to our understanding of the
different types and their time-periods was groundbreaking.
Picking up where Jan Petersen's typology of the Viking Sword left
off, Oakeshott classified the Medieval sword into "types" which shared
the same basic blade profile and other characteristics related to
its function. Coupled with his classification of hilt components,
it is possible to approximate the time period of a particular sword.
To make this more understandable, and in order to be able to explain
Oakeshott's typology to people unfamiliar with swords, we have broken
it down into these 9 basic characteristics: Profile; Cross Section;
Average Blade Length; Fuller; Point; Grip; Average Weight; Primary
Purpose; and Period.
The source of the data represented here is not only from Oakeshott's
published sources, but also from Peter Johnsson's hands-on documentation
of period originals and the studies of other craftsmen here at Albion.
Please keep in mind that this typology is a modern construct and would
have been quite foreign to blademakers and cutlers of the period.
Not all swords fit neatly into a given "type" -- something that Oakeshott
freely admitted. The typology should be regarded as a tool to enhance
your understanding of the Medieval sword and its intended function,
not a final authority. |
|
|
Profile:
broad and medium length
Cross-section: lenticular
Average Blade Length: 31 inches
Fuller: wide fuller runs almost the entire length of
the blade, fades out about an inch before the point
Point: can be acute, but is usually rounded |
Grip:
single-hand, usually 3.75" (9-10cm)
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: cutting
Period: common during the Viking age (9th - 10th c.),
and well into the 12th c |
|
|
|
Profile:
same as Type X, a little longer than average Type X
Cross-section: lenticular
Average Blade Length: around 31 inches
Fuller: sames as Type X, fuller more narrow
Point: can be acute, but is usually rounded |
Grip:
single-hand, usually 3.75" (9-10cm)
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: cutting
Period: in use from 11th c to 14th c |
|
|
|
Profile:
longer, more narrow than Type X
Cross-section: lenticular
Average Blade Length: 37"
Fuller: narrow fuller
Point: often acute |
Grip:
single-hand, usually 3.75" (9-10cm)
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: cutting
Period: early to late 12th c |
|
|
|
Profile:
broader and shorter blade than typical Type XI
Cross-section: lenticular
Average Blade Length: 30"
Fuller: narrow fuller
Point: often acute |
Grip:
single-hand, usually 3.75" (9-10cm)
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: cutting
Period: early to late 12th c |
|
|
|
Profile:
broad, flat and evenly tapering
Cross-section: lenticular
Average Blade Length: around 32"
Fuller: 2/3's of the length of the blade
Point: acute |
Grip:
single-hand, usually 3.75" (9-10cm)
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: cutting
Period: 13th and 14th c. |
|
|
|
Profile:
broad, flat and evenly tapering
Cross-section: lenticular
Average Blade Length: 35"
Fuller: 2/3's of the length of the blade
Point: acute |
Grip:
hand-and-half to two-hand length, 6" to 10"
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: cutting
Period: Great Sword or War Sword, in use during much
of the High Medieval period, 13th and 14th c |
|
|
|
Profile:
broad, flat and parallel edges
Cross-section: lenticular
Average Blade Length: 35"
Fuller: 1/2 of the length of the blade, can be multiple
Point: rounded |
Grip:
longer than usual, single-hand to hand and a half
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: cutting
Period: middle of the 13th c to the latter half of
the 14th c |
|
|
|
Profile:
broad, flat and parallel edges
Cross-section: lenticular
Average Blade Length: 32" - 40"
Fuller: 1/2 of the length of the blade, can be multiple
Point: rounded |
Grip:
hand-and-half to two hand length, 6" to 10"
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: cutting
Period: Great Sword or War Sword, in use from middle
of the 13th c to the latter half of the 14th |
|
|
|
Profile:
broad, flat and parallel edges
Cross-section: lenticular
Average Blade Length: 35"
Fuller: 1/2 of the length of the blade, can be multiple
Point: rounded |
Grip:
single-hand, usually 4" (10cm)
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: cutting
Period: mid 13th c to latter half of the 14th c |
|
|
|
Profile:
broad, flat and sharply tapering
Cross-section: lenticular
Average Blade Length: 30"
Fuller: 3/4 of the length of the blade, can be multiple
Point: acute |
Grip:
single-hand, usually 3.5" (8-9cm)
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: cut and thrust
Period: late 13th c to mid 14th c |
|
|
|
Profile:
strongly tapered
Cross-section: flat diamond, some hollow ground and
some with a reinforced triangular midrib
Average Blade Length: 31"
Fuller: none
Point: acute |
Grip:
single-hand
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: thrusting
Period: end of the 13th c, more widely used in the
14th and 15th c, ending in the early 16th c |
|
|
|
Profile:
strongly tapered, more narrow and slender than
Type XV
Cross-section: flattened diamond, some hollow-ground
Average Blade Length: 33"
Fuller: none
Point: acute |
Grip:
hand and a half, from 7" to 9" (10" in a few cases)
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: thrusting
Period: end of the 13th c, more widely used in the
14th and 15th c, ending in the early 16th c |
|
|
|
Profile:
broad, flat and sharply tapering
Cross-section: flattened diamond
Average Blade Length: 28" to 32"
Fuller: 1/2+ of the blade
Point: acute |
Grip:
single-hand
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: thrusting while retaining good cutting
ability
Period: early 14th c |
|
|
|
Profile:
long and slowly tapering
Cross-section: flat hexagonal
Average Blade Length: 32"
Fuller: 1/3+ of the blade
Point: acute |
Grip:
hand and half 6" to 9"
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: thrusting while retaining good cutting
ability
Period: early 14th c |
|
|
|
Profile:
long, slender and acutely tapering
Cross-section: narrow and stout hexagonal
Average Blade Length: 35"
Fuller: shallow, 1/4 of the blade
Point: acute |
Grip:
hand and half 7" to 9"
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: thrusting
Period: between c. mid 14th c. to early 15th c |
|
|
|
Profile:
fairly broad (2"-2½") at the hilt, and tapers gracefully to
a sharp point
Cross-section: flattened diamond, often with pronounced
mid-rib, some hollow-ground
Average Blade Length: 32"
Fuller: some have a narrow, short fuller
Point: acute |
Grip:
single-hand, 4"
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: cutting and thrusting
Period: between c. mid 14th c. to early 15th c |
|
|
|
Profile:
somehwat slender and tapers gracefully to a sharp point
Cross-section: flattened diamond, often with pronounced
mid-rib, some hollow-ground
Average Blade Length: 36"- 42"
Fuller: some have a narrow, short fuller
Point: acute |
Grip:
single-hand to hand and a half, 5"+
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: cutting and thrusting
Period: between c. mid 14th c. to early 15th c |
|
|
|
Profile:
long, slender and acutely pointed
Cross-section: flattened diamond, often with pronounced
mid-rib, some hollw-ground
Average Blade Length: 36"-42"
Fuller: none
Point: acute, usually reinforced |
Grip:
hand and a half, 10"-11", usually waisted
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: cutting and thrusting
Period: between c. mid 15th c. to early 16th c |
|
|
|
Profile:
broad and acutely pointed
Cross-section: flattened diamond, often with pronounced
mid-rib, some hollw-ground
Average Blade Length: 34"
Fuller: some have a narrow, short fuller
Point: acute |
Grip:
hand and a half, 6"+
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: cutting and thrusting
Period: between c. mid 15th c. to early 16th c |
|
|
|
Profile:
long, slender and acutely pointed
Cross-section: flattened diamond, often with pronounced
mid-rib, some hollw-ground
Average Blade Length: 36"-42"
Fuller: none
Point: acute, usually reinforced |
Grip:
hand and a half, 10"-11", usually waisted
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: cutting and thrusting
Period: between c. mid 15th c. to early 16th c |
|
|
|
Profile:
long and acutely pointed
Cross-section: flattened diamond, often with pronounced
mid-rib, some hollw-ground
Average Blade Length: 36"-42"
Fuller: narrow, short fuller in ricasso
Point: acute, usually reinforced |
Grip:
hand and a half to two-handed
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: cutting and thrusting
Period: between c. mid 15th c. to early 16th c |
|
|
|
Profile:
not always so broad, some are quite slim, but always a
flat hexagonal sectiont
Cross-section: flat hexagonal with chamfered edges
Average Blade Length: 30"-38"
Fuller: ricasso with narrow fuller in upper 1/3rd of
the blade
Point: sharp and spade shaped |
Grip:
single hand to hand and a half
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: cutting and thrusting
Period: mid 15th c. |
|
|
|
Profile:
broad, almost parallel edges gracefully tapering to a point
Cross-section: lenticular or octagonal with shallow
fullers
Average Blade Length: 30"-38"
Fuller: shallow central fuller 1/2 of the blade, with
two shallow parallel fullers
in the upper 1/4, sometimes with a ricasso |
Grip:
hand and a half
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: cutting and thrusting
Period: 14th and 15th c. |
|
|
|
Profile:
tapers more acutely than Type XX and a more acute point
Cross-section: flat hexagonal
Average Blade Length: 30"-38"
Fuller: central fuller 1/2 of the blade, with two parallel
fullers
in the upper 1/4, sometimes with a ricasso
Point: acute |
Grip:
hand and a half
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: cutting and thrusting
Period: 14th and 15th c. |
|
|
|
Profile:
broad, slowly tapering to an acute point
Cross-section: wide and flat with marked edge bevels
and sometimes a shallow midrib, or it can be wide and hexagonal
On some blades the cross section is almost like a flat diamond
section with the fullers cut out, leaving the midrib and the
edge bevels
Average Blade Length: 30"
Fuller: 2 wide and shallow fullers in the upper part
of the blade, or 2 fullers running almost the entire length
Point: acute |
Grip:
both long gripped and single hand. Some bigger ones are
War Sword size
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: cutting and thrusting
Period: late 15th c. |
|
|
|
Profile:
broad, flat blade, slowly tapering gracefully to an
acute point
Cross-section: flat hexagonal
Average Blade Length: 30"
Fuller: 2 short, deep and narrow fullers
Point: acute |
Grip:
both long gripped and single hand. Some bigger ones border
to true 2-handers
Average Weight:
Primary purpose: cutting and thrusting
Period: 14th and 15th c. |
|
| ©
2005 Albion Armorers, Inc. |
|
|
|
