A () is a short
arming sword, used in
early modern Europe
Early modern Europe, also referred to as the post-medieval period, is the period of European history between the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, roughly the mid 15th century to the late 18th century. Histori ...
notable for its sturdy build and a distinctive s-shaped or figure-8 shaped guard. Measuring long and weighing , it was the signature blade of the ''
Landsknecht
The (singular: , ), also rendered as Landsknechts or Lansquenets, were German mercenaries used in pike and shot formations during the early modern period. Consisting predominantly of pikemen and supporting foot soldiers, their front line was ...
''.
Overview
The is a side-arm, often used by pikemen, archers, and crossbowmen as a last resort if the enemy were to draw too close for bows or pikes to be effective.
Mostly a cutting sword, the rounded tips on many examples are ill-suited to thrusting, while the flat, broad blades are specialized for cutting. As with other similar cutting-centric arming swords, it can still be used for thrusting, though it is only likely to do damage to unarmored targets.
As with many sword varieties, variations exist within the type and katzbalger-style hilts can be found paired with slimmer and more thrust-oriented blades.
The large, characteristic guard helps to block and parry other cutting attacks. However, its openings leave the hands vulnerable to thrusting attacks.
Terminology
There are several different explanations about the origin of the name : one is that it comes from the custom of carrying a sword without a
scabbard
A scabbard is a sheath for holding a sword, dagger, knife, or similar edged weapons. Rifles and other long guns may also be stored in scabbards by horse riders for transportation. Military cavalry and cowboys had scabbards for their saddle ring ...
, held only by a cat's skin (German word ' means "cat", while ' means the skin (fur) of an animal. Whether such a custom actually existed is disputed.
Another theory is that the word derives from ' (brawling), and refers to intense, close-quarter combat like fights between feral cats. The most common translation is "cat-gutter", with an allusion to
cat fight.
See also
*
List of daggers
The following is a list of notable daggers, either historical or modern. A dagger is a knife with a sharp point designed for fighting.
Ancient daggers
* Acinaces
* Bronze Age dagger
* Parazonium
* Pugio
* Sica
European tradition
;High Middle Ages ...
*
Baselard
The baselard, ''Schwiizerdolch'' in Swiss-German (also ''basilard, baslard'', in Middle French also and variants, Medieval Latin, Latinized etc., in Middle High German ) is a historical type of dagger or short sword of the Late Middle Ages.
E ...
*
Swiss arms and armour
*
Cinquedea
The cinquedea (, ) or cinqueda is a civilian short sword (or long dagger). It was developed in northern Italy and enjoyed a period of popularity during the Italian renaissance of the 15th and early 16th centuries.
The name ''cinquedea'' means "f ...
*
Types of swords
This is a list of types of swords.
The term :wikt:sword, sword used here is a narrow definition. This is not a general List of premodern combat weapons and does not include the machete, macuahuitl or similar "sword-like" weapons.
African sword ...
References
Early Modern European swords
European swords
Renaissance-era swords
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