Basket-hilted sword

The basket hilt is a development of the quillons added to swords' crossguards since the Late Middle Ages.

A true broadsword possesses a double-edged blade, while similar wide-bladed swords with a single sharpened edge and a thickened back are called backswords.

[3] One of the weapon types in the modern German dueling sport of Mensur ("academic fencing") is the basket-hilted Korbschläger.

[6] One of the earliest basket-hilted swords was recovered from the wreck of the Mary Rose, an English warship lost in 1545.

Before the find, the earliest positive dating had been two swords from around the time of the English Civil War.

The term was introduced to distinguish these cut and thrust swords from the smaller and narrower smallsword.

[9][10][6] The mortuary and claybeg variants were commonly used in the British isles, whether domestically produced or acquired through trade with Italy and Germany.

[11] During the 18th century, the fashion of duelling in Europe focused on the lighter small sword, and fencing with the broadsword came to be seen as a speciality of Scotland.

[6] Classified as a true broadsword, this war sword had a wider blade than its contemporary civilian rapiers.

[13] The schiavona became popular among the armies of those who traded with Italy during the 17th century and was the weapon of choice for many heavy cavalry.

[14] It was popular among mercenary soldiers and wealthy civilians alike; examples decorated with gilding and precious stones were imported by the upper classes to be worn as a combination of fashion accessory and defensive weapon.

The churches painted the swords black and used them in funeral displays until the 19th century, when many were sold into the antique market.

[18] This sword was Oliver Cromwell's weapon of choice; one he is supposed to have owned is now held by the Royal Armouries and displayed at the Tower of London.

They named the sword for George Sinclair, a Scottish mercenary who died in the Battle of Kringen in Norway (d.