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The longsword is a European sword defined by its cruciform hilt with a straight double-edged blade. The longsword was most used during the late medieval and Renaissance periods (approximately 1350 to 1550), although archeological evidence suggests use as early as the 13th century and as late as the 17th century. The term longsword and bastard sword are commonly interchangeably used, although the bastard only accurately identifies a type of longsword during the late medieval and Renaissance period. Longswords are generally 33-43 inches long and weighed between two and three and a half pounds, but measurements can vary based on the style. Longsword subtypes can be linked to geographical region or by the cross-sectional design of the blade. Longswords generally had a grip that could hold either one or two hands and could be wielded with or without a shield. Longswords included spadone, espadon, zweyhandler, and flamberge. They were also called great swords. Bastard swords are often interchangeable with the term longsword. Bastard swords are considered to be hand and a half swords. They can either be one or two handed swords, the indifference generating the term bastard, but function essentially identically to a longsword.
