Rapier
Literally: grater (nickname)
Also known as: espada ropera, espee rapiere, spada striscia
A one-handed sword with a long, narrow blade meant chiefly for thrusting, which arose around 1540 in Spain and Italy and was worn as a mark of noble status.
Quick Facts
About the weapon
The rapier arose around 1540 in Spain, where it was called espada ropera, a sword worn as a clothing accessory, and in Italy. The word rapier comes from the Middle French espee rapiere, first recorded in 1474; it was a nickname meaning grater. By 1715 the rapier had been replaced across most of Europe by the lighter small sword. The blade is straight, narrow and double-edged, with a sharp point, on average about 104 cm long and about 2.5 cm wide at the guard; some surviving pieces reach as much as 130 cm. The rapier is known for its elaborate hilt with a swept guard, quillons, a ricasso and a knuckle-bow protecting the grip. It was wielded with one hand and served chiefly for thrusting. The fencer often took a buckler, a dagger, a cloak or even a second sword in the other hand; the most common pairing was with a parrying dagger. Rapier technique is described in the printed treatises of Camillo Agrippa (1553), Vincentio Saviolo (1595), Salvator Fabris and Nicoletto Giganti (both 1606) and Ridolfo Capo Ferro (1610). In the 16th and 17th centuries the rapier was prized in western Europe for its elegance and ornate hilt and counted as a symbol of noble or gentlemanly status.
Related weapons
- Used together with: Main-gauche
- Evolved from: Sidesword
- Gave rise to: Small sword
Care and maintenance
Historical sources
- Trattato di Scientia d'Arme, con vn Dialogo di Filosofia (Camillo Agrippa, 1553)
- Vincentio Saviolo his Practise, in Two Bookes (Vincentio Saviolo, 1595)
- Scola, overo Teatro (Nicoletto Giganti, 1606)
- De lo Schermo, overo Scienza d'Arme (Salvator Fabris, 1606)
- Gran Simulacro dell'Arte e dell'Uso della Scherma (Ridolfo Capoferro, 1610) — Ridolfo Capo Ferro, 1610