Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

DJTilapia t1_j7gwcdi wrote

“...shows an evolutionary leap from a medieval sword to more modern designs that would eventually dominate the 17th century battlefield” is a bit hyped. While it's hard to say with the corrosion, it looks like a pretty normal sidesword, and those were numerous in the 16^th century. I suppose it's less common to find a Danish sword from this period, though.

15

banneryear1868 t1_j7h4ha1 wrote

There was a lot of modernization on the battlefield at this point as well with cannons and other siege artillery, arquebusiers, pike and shot formations. Swords were starting to take on a more symbolic role as they were associated with "honorable" combat, I mean they were technically "used" until WW1 by some units and certain positions still carry swords, although now almost entirely symbolically.

6

impossiblefork t1_j7hf7fz wrote

For our (Swedish) armies swords were among the primary weapons even after this period, even into the 1700eds since they used shock tactics involving infantry charges after a short-range volley.

Gustavus Adolphus introduced some of this in the decade after this war.

10

banneryear1868 t1_j7ib7hk wrote

Oh yeah swords we're totally still used at this time, but technology was advancing and Aldolphus (badass) was one of the first to switch things up successfully. Apparently some of his tactics developed in the Thirty Years War were borrowed in to the 19th century.

4

Dlatrex t1_j7i5pmw wrote

With just one picture to go from this particular example looks like a “crab hilted” styled side sword as were popular on Italian made swords in the late 16th-early 17th century.

example with a sail guard also

Not super common in Denmark, but in Latin countries these type of swords were certainly popular ~1620s.

Sideswords like this would have co-occurred with basic “medieval” style simple cross arming swords for a while into the 17th century.

3