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Old 07-25-2005, 10:29 PM   #53
Dalamar Stormcrow
Banned User
 

Join Date: November 1, 2003
Location: My own little world
Age: 34
Posts: 828
Quote:
Originally posted by Calaethis Dragonsbane:


Wepon Mastery: Rapier As Dplex posted before me (due to 'net problems,) there are no rapiers in a psuedo medevial setting, so please change that?
Rapiers are very European, thats where they origniated!


Quote:
The name rapier is thought to have derived from the Spanish espada ropera, "sword of the robes." It is possible the name has French origins; a French document of 1474 references an epee rapiere. Either way, the term rapier was in common use throughout Europe by the end of the 15th century. In England, foreign teachers of fence taught the rapier in London. They were commonly called a Tuck, in England, which was a slang paraphrase of the French word for "thrust". The rapier's history, employment, and development is rich and detailed, probably more so than any other bladed weapon in history.

The rapier was, essentially, a civilian or gentleman's blade rather than a soldier's battlefield weapon. While the rapier design (small hilted, one handed weapon with a relatively thin blade) had been a popular weapon prior to the advent of firearms, the development of firearms for combat use furthered the development of the rapier. Full armor became a liability in the age of firearms; speed of movement became more important. Accordingly, weapons such as the mace, war hammer, and two-handed swords which were designed to penetrate armour were rendered useless. In this new age of combat, brawn was no longer the asset it once was; finesse and dexterity were paramount. The sword devolved from the primary weapon of combat to a secondary one. Smaller bodied, less brawny individuals (as many of the landed classes and nobility were) began developing the rapier and its use in sword fighting as a gentleman's endeavor.

During the first 100 years of its use as a weapon the original rapier blades were 1.25 inches wide with sturdy, straight quillons (sides of the crossguard which protect the hand). While the rapier blade remained relatively unchanged over the centuries, the weapon hilt changed considerably. To protect the fingers during combat, the quillons were extended, a knuckle bow was added for further protection, and the quillons grew curved bars which swept back over the hand, basket-style. Swept-hilt, basket-hilt, and cup-hilted rapiers became the most popular styles of rapiers, although dozens of styles existed across Europe. Rapier combat developed to the use of an off-handed dagger, cloak and small shields like the buckler, targe, and lantern for parrying the opponent's weapon. As the art of rapier defencing, or fencing for short, developed, the off-handed weapon and shields disappeared, leading into what we now think of as fencing. Rapier combat was the most involved, most studied form of sword fighting to date in history; it has been called an art form.
[ 07-25-2005, 10:36 PM: Message edited by: Dalamar Stormcrow ]
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