Medieval Weapons

A rapier is a slender, sharply pointed sword with a long blade and a complex, sometimes embellished hilt primarily used for thrusting attacks in Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries.  The hilt of the rapier is made to protect the hand that wields it.  Also called a hilt rapier, this thrusting sword was called other things as well due to the tendency of sword masters of the time using description of a sword’s function as a method of naming it.

It is thought that the rapier began to develop in Spain around the year 1500 as a type of dress sword for civilians and duels.  It became increasingly fashionable over time in Europe among the wealthier classes, but always had its detractors. With its long reach, the rapier allowed for fast reactions suitable for civilian combat in the 16th and 17th centuries.  Military-style swords for cutting and thrusting purposes continued to evolve to meet battlefield needs, and rapiers continued to change with the times as well, becoming lighter and shorter and eventually succumbing to the widespread use of the smallsword in the 1700s.

A cuirass is a piece of medieval armor, formed of a single piece of metal or leather. The term is sometimes understood to refer to complete body armor, including breastplate and back plates, but during the Middle Ages referred to a breastplate only. Elizabeth I of England often wore one.

During the 14th century, the cuirass came into general use, usually resting on the hips so as not to impede the wearer’s ability to move, and often worn covered. Over the next few centuries, the cuirass evolved to feature different shapes, ridges, and formations. The use of the cuirass never ceased completely, and some more modern armies have utilized body armor of the medieval chivalry era. French and German heavy cavalry were still issued the cuirass as standard combat gear leading up to World War I. In the early part of that conflict, the French and German armies painted their cuirasses black, wearing canvas protection to cover the neo-Roman style helmets. Today, a leather cuirass could substitute for a metal one in live-action reenactments of historical battles.