On turning the pages of history a fact which would stand out immediately is the presence and frequency of warfare. Wars were common and probably even more frequent in the Middle Ages than what we might have witnessed as the successive generation. Also evident is the method of warfare – in the Medieval Ages the countryside was dotted with imposing castles which served as battalions for the soldiers who wielded weapons like swords, daggers, knives, clubs and so on. Amongst these it was not just the sword which varied as per the region but even the other weapons differed as per their ethnicity.

When we watch movies based on the First World War or the Second World War, we see soldiers firing at each other with guns and probably bombarding the enemy with bombs. However, our ancestors living in the Middle Ages were yet to discover the convenience of such armory and hence were dependent mostly on swords. Although there were other weapons which were used in combat it was the sword which was accorded special status and was the prized possession of any warrior. These were sharpened to the extent that when swung by the horseman while charging they could cut off the enemy’s head.

Equally valued was the smaller version of the sword namely the knife or the dagger. Because they were designed to kill with a single shot, they were truly feared by one and all and were mostly used in hand-to-hand combat. Unlike swords, the blade of the dagger is small and sharply pointed so that when thrust with careful aim it could pierce through the armor and cause injury to the opposition. Daggers were used widely during the Crusades and some of the common varieties were machetes, stilettos and cinquedea. Katara and poniard were varieties which were regarded as being the most dangerous.

While swords and daggers were known for their sharp edges, they were often combined on the battlefield with blunt weapons like bludgeon, mace and maul. The mention of a blunt weapon brings to mind the image of a Neanderthal man carrying a club on his shoulder. True to this image these weapons need a lot of strength to be wielded effectively and contrary to the popular opinion they are capable of causing more damage than the sharp sword. They were meant to inflict blunt injury to the opponent and were particularly effective in shattering bones into splinters.

Other varieties of weapons used by Medieval soldiers were ranged, meaning long distance and some of the examples under this category were catapults, javelins, slings, bows and arrows. In sharp contrast to the sword which was used in one to one combat the ranged weapon like a crossbow was used by the soldier from the rampart of the castle. All that was required to operate this weapon was to pick a target, pull the string and release it. But this required a lot of practice and just like learning to wield swords the soldier was required to cultivate this skill of archery as well.

Given the types of weapons used, Medieval warfare was indeed ugly because swords, maces, daggers and arrows inflicted direct injury and hence spilled a lot of blood in the process. Much of the face of warfare changed when more sophisticated and mechanized weapons were introduced and soon replaced the sword, the knife and the machete. But these carry a charm of their own which can hardly be resisted which is why they make great collectibles. Courtesy of the ornate nature their presence adds an aura to any room in which they are displayed.
Leafing through the pages of history would reveal that the sword http://www.swordsetc.com was only one of the weapons which was used by soldiers on the battle front. Unlike swords http://www.swordsetc.com some of the other weapons were small like daggers while others were blunt and even long ranged.