Longsword vs. Bastard Sword: What's the Difference?
The terms "longsword" and "bastard sword" are often mentioned in TV shows, movies, leading to confusion to many, as they look like very similar weapons. What truly sets them apart?
The Short Explanation
Both longsword and bastard sword are double-edged, straight swords. In modern terminology, the key difference lies in their handle: a longsword primarily refers to a two-handed sword, while a bastard sword (or hand-and-a-half sword) is designed for use with either one or two hands.
Historically, however, there was no clear distinction—the terms were used loosely and often overlapped.
The Historical Reality
Historically, "longsword" and "bastard sword" were descriptive rather than strict classifications. Medieval people did not categorize swords precisely, they typically just called a sword a "sword."
The term "bastard sword" (or épée bâtardein French) appears in English and French texts, but its exact meaning varied. It could describe a sword of intermediate size. Interestingly, "bastard" could also imply mixed or unknown origin—any sword of unclear owner or maker could be called a bastard sword.
Furthermore, longswords were not exclusively two-handed weapons. Historical accounts and artwork show them used one-handed from horseback or even with a shield.
Modern Classification
Today, we classify swords more systematically, Ewart Oakeshott classified medieval swords by their length, geometry, even cross guard and pommels have their classifications. In not so scientific way, we have more common ways to classify swords by it’s size and usage.
Arming Sword: A one-handed sword, typically used alongside a shield.
Longsword: An umbrella term for a double-edged sword with a grip long enough for two hands. As different to arming sword, so it is not wrong to call bastard sword, or a giant war sword, can be called longsword.
Bastard Sword: This term now usually describes a versatile sword between the arming sword and longsword in size. It is shorter than a typical longsword but longer than an arming sword, with a handle that allows for both one and two-handed use. Its adaptability made it a popular choice. A famous pop-culture example is Jon Snow's sword Longclaw from Game of Thrones, which is explicitly referred to as a bastard sword.
Conclusion
In essence, while modern enthusiasts distinguish the bastard sword as a specific subtype (the hand-and-a-half sword), historically it was often just one kind of sword under the broad and flexible "longsword" family.
