Swiss degen
Encyclopedia
The Swiss degen was a short sword, an elongated version of the Swiss dagger
, with the same double-crescent shape of the guard.
It was used as a type of side arm
in the Old Swiss Confederacy
and especially by Swiss mercenaries
, from the first half of the 15th century until the mid 16th century.
The native term used in the 15th century for this weapon was basler
. The term Schweizerdegen (as Early New High German
) is first attested in 1499.
The blade length could be anywhere between 40 cm (16 in) and 70 cm (28 in).
Although there was a general trend towards longer blades over time, this development was not linear and disparate blade lengths coexisted throughout the 1400s, and only in the 16th century a more or less discrete split between the short dagger () and the long becomes evident.
These weapons were widely worn both by soldiers and by civilians. They were very popular with the Swiss mercenary
pikemen throughout the late 15th and early 16th century.
Degen were not usually issued as ordnance weapons, but purchased privately as secondary weapons by soldiers. For this reason, there never emerged a definite standard form, and variations in hilt and blade design remained the rule from their inception in the 13th century until the weapon's decline in the 17th century.
The Cgm 558
(Hugo Wittenwiler) mentions a few techniques for unarmed defense against an attack with a (Swiss degen). Use of the weapon has parallels to the fencing with the German , and indeed the section on the basler in Wittenwiler's treatise takes the place of the Messer section in comparable German manuscripts (Wittenwiler treats techniques alongside the longsword
, rondel dagger (),
Swiss dagger
() and unarmed ringen).
The type of secondary weapon evolved into the Early Modern fascine knife
used by artillerists
.
Swiss dagger
The Swiss dagger is a distinctive type of dagger used in Switzerland and by Swiss mercenaries during the 16th century.It develops from similar dagger types known as basler which were in use during the 14th and 15th centuries...
, with the same double-crescent shape of the guard.
It was used as a type of side arm
Side arm
A side arm is a weapon, usually a pistol but can be a dagger, as used in pre-modern times, which is worn on the body in a holster to permit immediate access and use. A side arm is typically required equipment for military personnel and sometimes carried by law enforcement personnel...
in the Old Swiss Confederacy
Old Swiss Confederacy
The Old Swiss Confederacy was the precursor of modern-day Switzerland....
and especially by Swiss mercenaries
Swiss mercenaries
Swiss mercenaries were notable for their service in foreign armies, especially the armies of the Kings of France, throughout the Early Modern period of European history, from the Later Middle Ages into the Age of the European Enlightenment...
, from the first half of the 15th century until the mid 16th century.
The native term used in the 15th century for this weapon was basler
Baselard
The baselard is a historical type of dagger or short sword of the Late Middle Ages.In modern use by antiquarians, the term baselard is mostly reserved for a type of 14th...
. The term Schweizerdegen (as Early New High German
Early New High German
Early New High German is a term for the period in the history of the German language, generally defined, following Wilhelm Scherer, as the period 1350 to 1650.Alternative periodisations take the period to begin later; e.g...
) is first attested in 1499.
The blade length could be anywhere between 40 cm (16 in) and 70 cm (28 in).
Although there was a general trend towards longer blades over time, this development was not linear and disparate blade lengths coexisted throughout the 1400s, and only in the 16th century a more or less discrete split between the short dagger () and the long becomes evident.
These weapons were widely worn both by soldiers and by civilians. They were very popular with the Swiss mercenary
Swiss mercenaries
Swiss mercenaries were notable for their service in foreign armies, especially the armies of the Kings of France, throughout the Early Modern period of European history, from the Later Middle Ages into the Age of the European Enlightenment...
pikemen throughout the late 15th and early 16th century.
Degen were not usually issued as ordnance weapons, but purchased privately as secondary weapons by soldiers. For this reason, there never emerged a definite standard form, and variations in hilt and blade design remained the rule from their inception in the 13th century until the weapon's decline in the 17th century.
The Cgm 558
Cgm 558
The Cgm 558 is a convolution of two 15th century manuscripts with a total of 176 folia, bound together in the 16th century. It is kept at the Bavarian library in Munich...
(Hugo Wittenwiler) mentions a few techniques for unarmed defense against an attack with a (Swiss degen). Use of the weapon has parallels to the fencing with the German , and indeed the section on the basler in Wittenwiler's treatise takes the place of the Messer section in comparable German manuscripts (Wittenwiler treats techniques alongside the longsword
Longsword
The longsword is a type of European sword designed for two-handed use, current during the late medieval and Renaissance periods, approximately 1350 to 1550 .Longswords have long cruciform hilts with grips over 10 to 15 cm length The longsword (of which stems the variation called the bastard...
, rondel dagger (),
Swiss dagger
Swiss dagger
The Swiss dagger is a distinctive type of dagger used in Switzerland and by Swiss mercenaries during the 16th century.It develops from similar dagger types known as basler which were in use during the 14th and 15th centuries...
() and unarmed ringen).
The type of secondary weapon evolved into the Early Modern fascine knife
Fascine knife
The fascine knife was a side arm / tool issued to 17th to 19th century light infantry and artillery. It served both as a personal weapon and as a tool for cutting fascines . It could be straight or curved, double edged or single edged with a sawtoothed back...
used by artillerists
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
.
See also
- List of sword types
- List of daggers
- BaselardBaselardThe baselard is a historical type of dagger or short sword of the Late Middle Ages.In modern use by antiquarians, the term baselard is mostly reserved for a type of 14th...
- Swiss daggerSwiss daggerThe Swiss dagger is a distinctive type of dagger used in Switzerland and by Swiss mercenaries during the 16th century.It develops from similar dagger types known as basler which were in use during the 14th and 15th centuries...
- Swiss saber
- Swiss swordSwiss swordSwiss sword can refer to:*the Swiss degen*the broadsword used by the Swiss, see walloon sword*the Swiss sabre...