Due to its powerful image, the sword became a symbol of masculinity and strength. Noblemen started wearing swords also when in civilian dress. In Renaissance Europe, and through the industrial and technological revolution of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries when gunpowder weapons became more reliable, the sword saw gradually less battlefield use and fencing for the purpose of dueling or sport gained in popularity.
This book starts by discussing the role of the swordsmith and his understanding of sword dynamics for battlefield use. It analyzes the physical training of the swordsman and the techniques he committed himself to studying in order to defeat an enemy in battle, and the debate surrounding the "best" types of swords and training techniques. Next the book examines the use of the sword in mass armies, primarily the Crusades. It examines the saber and its use in nineteenth century infantry, cavalry, and naval warfare, followed by a discussion of the social mores of the times and the reasons why the sword evolved into a dueling and sport fencing weapon. The concluding remarks summarize the development of the sword from early medieval times to modern day.
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