12th Century Templar Sword

Classified as type XIIIa by Oakeshott, the Two-handed Templar stands as one of the most significant words of the medieval period. Favored for its reach and devastating cutting abilities, the two-handed sword gained ground as the most venerated weapon of the 12th and 13th c. It’s wide blade and reaches provided the knights with unmatched ability to break and penetrate the ever-developing armors of the 13th century.As single-handed swords became inadequate against the leather and mail armor of the 13th C. heavier blades with wider blades were needed to break the mail and cut through leather armor. Hence the one-handed swords of previous centuries were gradually replaced by larger cutting swords of the 12-13th C. Numerous variations are found throughout the European continent, establishing general conformity and indicating a clear pattern of influence among smiths of the time. Variations are found in the Royal Armoury of Turin, the Imperial Treasury of Vienna, the Royal Armoury of Madrid