Spadroon

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The typical hilt of the most commonly known spadroon, the British 1796 pattern infantry officer's sword. This is the fixed guard version. Many also had a hinged inner guard so that the sword rested flush against the uniform when worn. 1796 Pattern Infantry Officers Spadroon Hilt.jpg
The typical hilt of the most commonly known spadroon, the British 1796 pattern infantry officer's sword. This is the fixed guard version. Many also had a hinged inner guard so that the sword rested flush against the uniform when worn.

A spadroon [1] is a light sword with a straight-edged blade, enabling both cut and thrust attacks. The English term emerged in the early 18th century, although swords of this type were used in Europe from the late 17th century onward. Spadroons were primarily sidearms for military officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs) in the army and navy during the 17th to early 19th centuries. While prevalent in Europe and America, the term 'spadroon' remains uniquely Anglophone. [2]

Contents

The spadroon bridges the design gap between the small-sword—exclusively a thrusting weapon—and the more robust broadsword. Its blade may be either single- or double-edged, coupled with diverse hilts ranging from simple stirrup guards to fully enclosed double-shell guards. A definitive distinction between spadroon and broadsword varies temporally and geographically, but spadroons are typified by swift, agile handling due to reduced blade mass and hilts that allow significant wrist mobility. [3]

Castle (1892) noted:

"A cutting sword of still narrower dimensions, and with a much simpler guard, approximating the small sword, was called 'Spadroon' in England; it paralleled the German cut-and-thrust rapier of the eighteenth century, known as Spadrone." [4]

Nonetheless, terminology differences across Europe complicate direct correlations; German swords of similar style bore generic names like *Degen* or *Hieber*, without the distinct 'spadroon' nomenclature. [5]

Etymology

The term "spadroon" is first documented in Donald McBane's 1728 fencing manual, The Expert Sword-Man, which praised its versatility in offense and defense. [6] Its roots likely trace to French *espadon* or Italian *spadone*, denoting larger two-handed swords, though definitive evidence is lacking. [7]

Historical Development

The spadroon’s evolution aligns with the Mortuary and Walloon broadswords of the mid-17th century, whose pared-down hilts, by removal of sidebars, produced lighter, more maneuverable weapons. [8]

French infantry swords, known as *épée du soldat*—broadsword blades with small-sword hilts—bear functional similarity to spadroons and influenced British designs. [9]

From 1680 to 1720, British military swords embraced the spadroon style, characterized by light, often double-edged blades and minimalist hilts. Esteemed masters Donald McBane and Sir William Hope lauded the spadroon as a superior all-around sword. [10] [11]

Regulations

In 1786, the British Army introduced a de facto 'standard' for swords, specifying blade length (~32 inches) and width (~1 inch at guard) but granting flexibility in design. [12] The popular 'five ball' guard variant, featuring distinctive knuckles rings often bearing naval symbols, emerged during this period. [13]

The 1796 Pattern introduced greater standardization, with a brass double-shell guard and urn pommel. Decorations often replicated those used by Prussian officers. [14]

These swords served officers and NCOs across infantry, artillery, engineering, and naval branches until gradually overtaken by the more robust 1822 regulation sabre.

Later use and Legacy

Variants of the spadroon persisted worldwide, including the U.S. Army's Model 1840 NCO sword. Despite eventual replacement, spadroon designs remain influential in ceremonial and historical fencing communities. [15]

Modern Practice

The spadroon today is central to the study of British military swordsmanship from the 17th to early 19th centuries. Noted treatises by McBane and Roworth provide foundational techniques studied within Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA). Numerous clubs globally engage in reconstructing spadroon fencing using historical sources. [16]

References

  1. ↑ P. G. W. Annis (1970). Naval Swords, British and American Edged Weapons, 1660–1815, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole Books, p. 38.
  2. ↑ Egerton Castle (1892). Schools and Masters of Fence: From the Middle Ages to the Eighteenth Century. Bell & Sons. p. 21.
  3. ↑ Philip Haythornthwaite (2012). British Naval Weapons and Warfare, 1793–1815. The Crowood Press. p. 45.
  4. ↑ Egerton Castle (1892). Schools and Masters of Fence: From the Middle Ages to the Eighteenth Century. Bell & Sons. p. 21.
  5. ↑ Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d'Alembert (1751–1772). "Escrime". Encyclopédie (in French). p. 21.
  6. ↑ Donald McBane (1728). The Expert Sword-Man.
  7. ↑ J. de Saint Martin (1804). L'art de faire des armes reduit a ses vrais principes. Schrämble.
  8. ↑ "The Mortuary and Walloon Sword: A Transition in Hilt Design". Journal of Arms & Armour Studies: 45–59. 2002.
  9. ↑ Owen Bushnell (2019). An Illustrated History of the Edged Weapon. Arms & Armor Press.
  10. ↑ Donald McBane (1728). The Expert Sword-Man.
  11. ↑ Sir William Hope (1707). The Art of Defence on Foot.
  12. ↑ Philip Haythornthwaite (2012). British Military Edged Weapons. Crowood Press.
  13. ↑ Peter Tuite (2019). "British Naval Edged Weapons Overview" (PDF). American Society of Arms Collectors.
  14. ↑ Mark Barton and John McGrath (2013). British Naval Swords and Swordsmanship. Seaforth Publishing. pp. 40–45.
  15. ↑ Howard Blackmore (2000). British Military Swords. Royal Armouries.
  16. ↑ David James Johnson (2018). Historical Swordsmanship and the Spadroon. Society for Historical Fencing.
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