English Archers were some of the deadliest warriors of the Middle Ages, and their fearsome weapon – the English longbow – was a marvel of engineering. It enabled the English armies to strike devastating
blows at great range at very little risk to themselves. Used with great effectiveness since the early 12th century, the longbow helped establish English dominance in many battles that followed. However, as
they were only truly effective at a distance, if the archers were attacked they would need a close range weapon to defend themselves with. This weapon would later be referred to as an Archer’s Sword.
Many English Archers had been drawn from the peasantry in order to bolster the ranks of the army. The swords they had access to were typically quite simple and required little training to use, since much of their time would have been taken up by becoming proficient with a longbow. Falchions – single edged hacking swords – would have been common, as well as straight double edged swords with little in the way of frills.
This particular sword is modelled after the ones that had been carried by the English Archers at the Battle of Agincourt, an English victory over the French on Friday the 25 in October of 1415. This battle was part of the larger Hundred Years War. This sword exhibits the basic characteristics of a plain fighting sword, with a mid length diamond shaped blade and elegant curved guard and wheel pommel.
Specifications
1060 High Carbon Steel, Tempered to a Rockwell of 53
Guard and pommel: Mild Steel
Total length: 36.5"
Blade length: 30"
Blade width at base: 2.25"
Weight: 3 lbs 4 oz.
Blade thickness: 1.8mm
POB: 3.5"