Types of swords
From Free net encyclopedia
This is a list of sword types found through history all around the world.
Contents |
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Sword types sorted by countries of origin
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Africa
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Mediterranean
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China
- Butterfly sword
- Dao (刀 pinyin dāo)
- Jian (劍 pinyin jiàn)
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Europe
- Anlace
- Arming sword
- Backsword
- Cinquedea
- Dirk
- Espada Ropera
- Estoc
- Flamberge
- Grossmesser
- Kriegsmesser
- Rapier
- Sabre
- Seax
- Shashka
- Two-handed swords
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Japan
- Aikuchi (合口, 匕首)
- Bokken (木剣)
- Chokutō (直刀)
- Dōtanuki
- Katana (刀; かたな)
- Ken
- Kodachi (小太刀)
- Nagamaki
- Nodachi (野太刀)
- Ōdachi (大太刀)
- Shikomizue
- Shinai (竹刀)
- Tachi (太刀; たち)
- Tantō (短刀; たんとう)
- Wakizashi (脇差; わきざし)
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Philippines
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Middle East
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South Asia
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South East Asia
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Named swords
Many swords in mythology, literature and history are named by their wielders or by the person who makes them.
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History and mythology
- The Sword in the Stone - King Arthur's sword, placed by Merlin into a stone in a churchyard, which only the rightful king could remove. This sword is often identified with Excalibur (see below), but in some versions The Sword in the Stone is broken in a fight with King Pellinore.
- Excalibur (Caledfwlch,Caliburn, etc. see also Caladbolg below) - King Arthur's sword, given to him by the Lady of the Lake; the sword itself as well as the scabbard was magical.
- Galatine - The sword of Sir Gawain in the Arthurian legends.
- Secace - The sword of Sir Launcelot in the Arthurian legends.
- Kusanagi (Grasscutter) - A sword of equivalent importance to Japan as the Excalibur is to Britain
- Zulfikar (Thul fiqar) - The legendary two-tipped sword of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib.
- Tizona - the sword of El Cid.
- Szczerbiec - The sword of Polish kings
- Hrunting - Unferth, associate of Beowulf
- Gram (in the Volsung Saga) or Balmung (sometimes in later traditions) - Sigurd
- Tyrfing - a cursed sword from the Tyrfing Cycle, which includes the Hervarar saga and parts of the Poetic Edda.
- Durendal - the sword that belonged to Roland, a hero of the medieval French epic "The Song of Roland", supposedly once belonged to Hector of Troy
- Joyeuse - the sword of Charlemagne (Charles the Great), the famed medieval king of the Franks and first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.
- Grus- the historical sword of Boleslaw Krzywousty (Boleslaus the Wrymouthed), medieval prince of Poland
- Caladbolg - The sword used by the hero Fergus mac Róich in the Irish epic Táin Bó Cuailnge.
- Legbiter - Viking King Mangus Barelegs's sword.
- Sword of Gou Jian - The sword used by King Gou Jian of Yue.
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Literature and popular culture
- Buster sword - The oversized sword belonging to the video game character Cloud Strife.
- Callandor - "The Sword That Is Not A Sword" of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time novels.
- Catclaw - The sword used by The Gray Mouser in a series of stories by Fritz Leiber.
- Daiklave - Large 4–6 feet (1.2–1.8 m) long and 8–12 inch (20–30 cm) thick swords used by Exalted in White Wolf's Exalted pen & Paper roleplaying game.
- Sword of Damocles - mythical sword of decision
- Dyrnwyn - The legendary sword used by Gwydion in the Prydain stories by Lloyd Alexander.
- Energy Sword - A type of sword made of pure energy manufactured by the Covenant in the video game Halo
- Four Sword - A weapon from Legend of Zelda that can split the user into four beings.
- Glamdring (Foe-hammer) - Originally the sword of Turgon, King of Gondolin in the Silmarillion, then the sword of Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings.
- The Grandfather, generally considered one of the most powerful swords in the Diablo universe.
- Green Destiny Sword - The sword used by Li Mu Bai in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
- Holy Antler - A powerful rapier used by Raphael Sorel in Soul Calibur IIand Soul Calibur III.
- Holy Avenger - A powerful sword which only a paladin can wield in the Dungeons & Dragons based computer games Neverwinter Nights & Baldur's Gate series
- Jingizu - also called Sorrow. forged from Sithi witchwood and regular iron by the Storm King Ineluki, from the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn by Tad Williams
- Masamune - Named after a Japanese swordsmith. Also used throughout the Final Fantasy series and Chrono Trigger, as well as other video games.
- Master Sword - Also known as the "Blade of Evil's Bane", this sword is generally considered a divine weapon in Nintendo's epic Legend of Zelda video game series used by Link.
- Bright-nail - also called Memory. forged by the Dervings (Tinukeda'ya) from the iron from the keels of the ships that brought the Rimmersmen to Osten-Ard. sword of the Prester John, High King of Osten-Ard. from the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series by Tad Williams
- Narsil (Sun and Moon) (later Andúril, Flame of the West) - The sword of Elendil, and later Aragorn in J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy.
- New Moon - ElfQuest sword.
- Ragnarok - A powerful sword in several of the Final Fantasy video games, and a spacecraft in Final Fantasy VIII.
- Soul Calibur and Soul Edge - legendary swords in the Soul Calibur series.
- Soul Reaver - Another soul-devouring sword that plays a pivotal role in the Legacy of Kain game series.
- Sting - The Elven short-sword wielded by Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit and Frodo Baggins in Lord of the Rings.
- Stormbringer - The black sword used by Elric, a character invented by Michael Moorcock.
- Thorn - magical black sword forged from the metal of a meteor, sword of the hero Camaris, from the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series by Tad Williams
- Vorpal Sword - The sword mentioned in Lewis Carroll's poem "The Jabberwocky" and now a well-known blade in Dungeons & Dragons
- Ultima Weapon - A powerful sword in the Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts computer role-playing game series. It is sometimes referred to as the Atma Weapon.
- Lightsabertooth - Christopher Lambert's too mighty sword in the classic Highlander-movies.
- Dragon Fang - the main weapon used by Tirakh, from the Eye of the Dragon trilogy by Glen Ojanpera.
- Viper Point - the main weapon used by Kirat, from the Eye of the Dragon trilogy by Glen Ojanpera.
- Zar'roc- (meaning misery in the ancient language), a sword used by Eragon in the Inheritance Trilogy.
- PaSa Sword - A cursed sword from the pages of the manga Chronicles of the Cursed Sword. Possessed by a demon who constantly hungers for demon blood, which makes it more powerful. However, there is the risk of the wielder merging permanently with the sword spirit. It is wielded by Rey Yan, the blade's chosen wielder.
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