| A rapier is a relatively slender, | | | | elegant dress, thus a "dress Sword". |
| sharply pointed sword, used mainly for | | | | Present day |
| thrusting attacks, developed in Europe | | | | This weapon is probably the oldest |
| around the 16th century. | | | | European sword for which some people |
| Description | | | | claim a living tradition. Note that all |
| Rapier generally refers to a relatively | | | | of these claims are yet unproven. |
| long-bladed sword characterized by a | | | | The classical fencing tradition |
| complex hilt which is constructed to | | | | Classical fencing schools can claim to |
| provide protection for the hand wielding | | | | have inherited aspects of rapier play in |
| it. While the blade might be broad | | | | their systems. Swords are common as |
| enough to cut to some degree, the | | | | shows of class and are very expensive. |
| strength of the rapier is its ability as | | | | Other traditions |
| a thrusting weapon. The blade might be | | | | According to Andrea Lupo Sinclair and |
| sharpened along its entire length, | | | | Maestro Ramon Martinez, a direct linear |
| sharpened only from the center to the | | | | rapier tradition has survived in Europe |
| tip (as described by Capoferro), or | | | | that is not connected with the classical |
| completely without a cutting edge as | | | | tradition. They claim that the rapier |
| discussed by Pallavicini. A typical | | | | was used in Italy and Spain as late as |
| example would have a relatively long and | | | | the first decade of the 1900s. |
| slender blade of 2.5 centimetres or less | | | | "Although teachers of these arts (rapier |
| in width, 1 meter or more in length and | | | | & Dagger) with living traditions are few |
| ending in a sharply pointed tip. | | | | and far between, they do exist". |
| The term rapier generally refers to a | | | | Traditional Fencing: A Western Martial |
| thrusting sword with a blade longer and | | | | Art by Ramon Martinez |
| thinner than that of the so-called | | | | This claim is disputed by members of |
| side-sword but heavier than the | | | | ARMA [1] and by many other leaders |
| smallsword and Italian dueling sword | | | | within the Historical Fencing community, |
| that would follow in the 18th century | | | | who consider this claim extremely |
| and later, but the exact form of the | | | | far-fetched since neither man has |
| blade and hilt often depends on who is | | | | publicly exhibited a lineage showing a |
| writing and when. It can refer to | | | | clear and unbroken line back to a known |
| earlier spada da lato (much like the | | | | Renaissance (or even pre-1800) rapier |
| espada ropera) through the high rapier | | | | master, as opposed to just a foil, |
| period of the 17th century through the | | | | épée, and sabre fencer who just |
| smallsword and dueling swords, thus | | | | happens to pick up a rapier. |
| context is important in understanding | | | | Maestro Sean Hayes, who has a clear, |
| what is meant by the word. (The term | | | | verifiable and unbroken fencing lineage |
| side-sword, used among some modern | | | | that dates to the late 18th century, has |
| historical martial arts | | | | written: |
| reconstructionists, is a translation | | | | "As any student of European Classical |
| from the Italian spada da lato--a term | | | | Fencing, Asian Martial Arts, or any |
| coined long after the fact by Italian | | | | other living tradition knows, the |
| museum curators--and does not refer to | | | | essence of the art lives in the |
| the slender, long rapier, but only to | | | | continued practice of it, and these |
| the early 16th-century Italian sword | | | | details are passed on first-hand by the |
| with a broader and shorter blade that is | | | | teachers of the arts. The further one |
| considered both its ancestor and | | | | looks back into time, the more study is |
| contemporary.) | | | | required to discover what we can about |
| Parts of the Sword | | | | the practice and implementation of these |
| Blade | | | | arts. There are solid theoretical and |
| Capo Ferro defines the forte as the | | | | practical connections between rapier and |
| blade from the hilt to the middle. From | | | | classical fencing that have been |
| the middle to the top is known as the | | | | transmitted through the centuries, but |
| debile (Chapter 3 verse 37). The Ricasso | | | | much detail is missing, because the |
| is that portion of the blade within the | | | | masters who supplied that detail, sword |
| rings that extend forward from the | | | | in hand and in the sala d’armi, are |
| crosspiece or quillons. | | | | long dead. Fencing lineage and the |
| Hilt | | | | living tradition are important: they are |
| Rapiers often had complex, sweeping | | | | part of a foundation of traditions, |
| hilts designed to protect the hand | | | | skills and philosophies from which the |
| wielding the sword. Rings extended | | | | teacher develops his own traditions, |
| forward from the crosspiece. Later these | | | | skills and philosophies. But fencing has |
| rings were covered with metal plates, | | | | changed over time, and there are limits |
| eventually evolving into the cup hilts | | | | to what can be learned simply by being |
| of the later rapiers. A knuckle bow | | | | one in a line of several fencing |
| extended back from the crosspiece | | | | masters." Sean Hayes, Preface, The Art |
| protecting the hilt which was usually | | | | of Dueling: Salvator Fabris' Rapier |
| wood wrapped with leather or wire. A | | | | Fighting Treatise of 1606, translated by |
| pommel (often decorated) secured the | | | | Tommaso Leoni. |
| hilt to the weapon and provided a | | | | Popular culture and entertainment |
| balance to the long blade. | | | | A common usage of the word is in the |
| History | | | | popular phrase "rapier wit". |
| The rapier began to develop around 1500 | | | | The rapier is the sword most often |
| as the Spanish espada ropera, or "dress | | | | associated with duels of honor depicted |
| sword" (citation needed). The espada | | | | in literature,e.g., the final scene in |
| ropera was a cut-and-thrust civilian | | | | Hamlet, and films, such as The Three |
| weapon for self-defense and the duel, | | | | Musketeers — however, the fighting |
| while earlier weapons were equally at | | | | techniques in such films are usually far |
| home on the battlefield. Throughout the | | | | from authentic. |
| 16th century, however, a variety of new, | | | | Anthony Cumia, of the popular CBS radio |
| single-handed civilian weapons were | | | | and XM satellite radio show Opie and |
| being developed, including the German | | | | Anthony, has mentioned several times |
| Rappier, another cut-and-thrust weapon | | | | that he owns a rapier that he uses for |
| used for sportive fencing, as described | | | | self-defense. |
| in Joachim Meyer's Fechtbuch of 1570. | | | | In a popular traditional Irish folk |
| Nevertheless, the English word "rapier" | | | | song, "Whisky in the Jar," a rapier is |
| generally refers to a primarily | | | | wielded by the highwayman to fend off an |
| thrusting weapon, developed by the year | | | | English officer. |
| 1600 as a result of the geometrical | | | | In the Midkemia-based novels by Raymond |
| theories of such masters as Camillo | | | | E. Feist, many main characters use the |
| Agrippa and Ridolfo Capo Ferro. | | | | rapier as personal weapons. The |
| The rapier became extremely fashionable | | | | expression "The edge is for cutting, the |
| throughout Europe with the wealthier | | | | tip is for killing" is often cited by |
| classes, but was not without its | | | | users of the rapier. Notable users of |
| detractors. Some people, such as George | | | | the weapon include, but are not limited |
| Silver, disapproved of its technical | | | | to, Arutha conDoin, Jimmy the Hand, |
| potential and the duelling use to which | | | | Arutha Jameson, and the prince Borric |
| it was put. | | | | conDoin. |
| By the year 1700, the rapier had been | | | | Robert E. Howard's character of Solomon |
| replaced by the lighter smallsword | | | | Kane, the Puritan swordsman, carries |
| throughout most of Europe. | | | | what is referred to as a rapier, though |
| The etymology of the word rapier is | | | | illustrations and descriptions of the |
| uncertain. Charles du Fresne, sieur du | | | | weapon's usage more closely resemble the |
| Cange uses the word Rapparia in 1484 to | | | | look and usage of a side-sword or |
| describe an espée in his Glossarium | | | | European dueling sword. |
| mediae et infimae Latinitatis. He | | | | The Princess Bride's character Inigo |
| proposes that the origin of the word may | | | | Montoya wields a German-style rapier |
| stem from the Greek ????????, to cut. | | | | throughout the film. |
| However, Walter William Skeat suggests | | | | The famous Zorro uses a rapier in his |
| that "rapiér" may derive from | | | | crusade for justice in Spanish-era |
| raspiére, a poker, and that this may be | | | | California. |
| a contemptuous term developed by older | | | | In the 1990's version of the game |
| cut-and-thrust fencers for the new | | | | Asteroids, the rapier is the name of one |
| weapon. The most probable root of this | | | | of the 3 ships selectable in the |
| term, however, appear to be from the | | | | beginning. |
| Spanish ropera that cames from ropa, or | | | | |