Broadsword

The term broadsword is used to refer to different types of swords, depending on when the term is used, and on what period is being talked about.

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• during the 17th through 19th centuries, the term referred to contemporary European straight double-edged basket-hilted swords. Like the Italian schiavona and the Scots claymore (a troublesome term in itself), Surviving examples of such swords are around 105 cm long (90 cm of which is blade) with a base blade width of 3.5 cm and a weight of about one kilogram.
• From the late 19th century, however, museum curators began to use the term to refer to the medieval knightly sword, to distiguish them from the comparatively slimmer-bladed rapier, smallsword and épée, and it is in this manner that the term is used most often today.
• The Chinese Dao is sometimes translated as broadsword, although sabre is the more usual translation.