While researching "hammerhead" for the embroidery post, I encountered this interesting bit in the Victoria and Albert's description of a sixteenth-century "hand-and-a-half sword."
This ‘hand-and-a-half’ sword for use in foot combat carries an early sign of this development. Held either in one or both hands, and also known as a ‘bastard’ sword as its grip was not as long as a traditional two-handed sword, it can be dated to around 1500 based on the decoration of its hilt. The rounded ends of the crossbars (quillons) are quite flimsy while the finely chiselled pommel recalls the swirling lobes that decorated contemporary flagons and candlestick stems. This appearance demonstrates a move away from the brutal simplicity of the medieval sword.You learn something every day.
No part of a medieval sword was made without both attack and defence in mind. Modern fencing encourages us to see the blade, in fact only the tip of the blade, as the sole attacking element of a sword and the hilt more as control room and protector. Tight rules prevent the sword hand ever straying from the hilt and the spare hand from getting involved at all. The fifteenth-century Fightbook published by the German fencing master, Hans Talhoffer, illustrates a more pragmatic approach as two fashionably dressed men settle their differences using undecorated swords with thick diamond-section blades. The blades could be gripped as well as the hilt. The rounded pommels at the end of the grip and at the ends to the quillons not only balanced the swing of the sword but acted as hammerheads to deliver the ‘murder-stroke’. As soon as these elements ceased to be functional they took on the role of adornment. This sword hints at the more decorative hilts produced later in the century.
An interesting addendum from a reader: "Interestingly, the word "pommel" is also the source of the bastardized "pummel", meaning to strike repeatedly. It has since come to mean to beat with the fists, but originally meant to strike with the pommel of a sword, which is gripped in one's fist."
You may like to read the Mongoliad - fron Neal Stephenson, Greg Bear and more. They're all big enthusiasts of the 'lost' western martial arts and the fight scenes are full of that sort of info.
ReplyDeleteThe Drawing of the Dark, by Tim Powers also has a load of greatsword sword-fights :-)
Having studied some Fiore and I.33, I guarantee you that the pommel thrust to the face was a very typical maneuver, rather than outside the norm. You learned to use either end of the sword with great efficiency.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, the word "pommel" is also the source of the bastardized "pummel", meaning to strike repeatedly. It has since come to mean to beat with the fists, but originally meant to strike with the pommel of a sword, which is gripped in one's fist.
ReplyDeleteThank you, anonymous person; I didn't know that, and I've added your info to the post. :.)
DeleteJust a couple of notes...
ReplyDelete"Modern fencing encourages us to see the blade, in fact only the tip of the blade, as the sole attacking element of a sword..." Modern fencing consists of use of 3 different swords - the foil, the epee, and the saber. The foil and epee are scored as if only the point is sharp, but the saber is a cutting weapon and is scored as if the edges are sharp, as well as the point. The use of the blade as a cutting weapon, or the more stylistic foil tip or the "everything goes" epee tip is a major point of goodnatured rivaly between fencers of the different weapons.
And interestingly, "pommel" has become a verb in modern fencing usage. To "pommel" a blade is to shift grips on the pommel to get an extra inch of two in reach by moving your hand back on the grip -- most commonly in saber, but also sometimes in foil or epee.