Royal Armouries 14th Century Long Sword

The Windlass Sword Collection is brought to you as a collaboration between the Royal Armouries and sword expert Matt Easton.  

You may have heard of Matt Easton through his YouTube channel, where he has rightly gained a wide and passionate following of enthusiasts who appreciate his expansive knowledge of swordsmanship. Matt had been searching for a set of medieval swords to recreate, with each minute detail and measurement captured. Naturally he came to the Royal Armouries, home of the UK’s national collection of arms and armour to make this selection.  

This new collection comprises a set of six historical swords, manufactured by Windlass Steelcrafts. Using the finest steel and materials, forged by the most skilled craftsmen, the Windlass Sword Collection is truly history brought to life. Every aspect of the original artefact has been considered in production, to deliver the most authentic experience. Whether it be the weight, proportion or feeling in the hand, the Windlass Collection Swords are replicas in a class of their own.

This is a reproduction of Royal Armouries IX.1106, a mid-14th century longsword, found in Lake Constance -, where Austria, Germany and Switzerland meet. This sword features a stiff tapered blade, which is double- edged and straight, with an acute tip. It has a hand-and-a-half hilt, which could be used one or two handed, and wheel pommel.

The blade is of a simple flatted diamond cross-section, but the pommel has some complex and subtle shaping, with the front and back planes uniquely canted inward at the top. Sword of this type are not uncommon, and several survive in various collections. This type of sword may have been used by armored men-at-arms and knights, usually one-handed on horseback or two-handed on foot. Swords like this were used in Europe in the second half of the 14th century and would likely have been familiar to fencing masters like Fiore dei Liberi and used at battles like Sempach in 1386. This sword seems quite specialized to armored combat and halfswording (gripping the blade with one hand), due to the notable stiffness and mass of the blade. The edge geometry is quite obtuse, but the blade has a lot of presence in the strike. Equally, the weighty pommel could be used with good effect to strike in close combat.

This replica is crafted with a hand forged blade by skilled blacksmith, using modern 1080 high carbon steel that is fully tempered and is distally tapered for proper weight distribution. The sheath is made with a wood body and covered with leather. The tip is reinforced with a brass chape that features a traditional cut-out. At the throat, the leather extends upward and covers part of the guard at the ricasso.

Includes a certificate of authenticity on heavy stock, Windlass Classic Wax and polishing cloth.