What did Swordsmen USE WITH Rapiers?

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What were the Top 8 most popular weapons to use in the off-hand, when using a rapier or sidesword during Europe's Renaissance?
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[@scholagladiatoria]

Get swashbuckling and play En Garde! here right now: bit.ly/ScholaGladiatoria_EnGarde

[@arnijulian6241]

Another companion weapon to a side sword rarer then a gauntlet is a hatchet/tomahawk. More common in the new world mind. You discussed weight & a hatchet doubles as a tool that only weighs about 1.1 to 1.5Ib's roughly. A Roman retiarii=net-men net you mentioned is called a rete. Daishou is the Japanese closest equivalent of (side sword & companion weapon) mentioned. Daishou from daitou= long sword & shoutou=short sword. This initially started as a paring of daitou=longsword with a tantou=dagger. Japanese 'long sword' is long 1 handed sword not a 2 handed sword meaning so a daitou is really equivalent to a 'side sword' I can't recall what writing of hand it described using a small (stool) & other random pieces of furniture as a companion weapon to a side sword! Beggars can't be choosers, as the adage goes I suppose. I wonder if rock & side sword was ever a thing? lob a rock in their face then run them through with a point. It's so simple I'd be shocked if no onw ever did it historically!

[@blacklight4720]

Matt, can you do video about strange armor experiments( I believe it was during 13 century). Plate armor only on hands for example. I can't seem to find information on the subject.

[@Fastwinstondoom]

I'm gonna have a look at En Garde once my infatuation with Baldurs Gate 3 abates slightly. Great sponsor, very thematic for the channel :)

[@charlesparr1611]

Deeply disappointed not to see the greatest of all off hand accessories, the whole roasted chicken.

[@takingbacktoxic7898]

When you first mentioned En Garde! I thought for a second you were talking about the old table top RPG from back in the 1970s! Been a while since I played that game.... (Its still in print, I recommend trying it haha)

[@georgeirvin473]

We have sparred with Tin Lanterns in a completely darkened room. You wouldn't think the light of a simple candle would blind you like a modern Torch/Flashlight and it doesn't really. What we did find was that the person behind the lantern completely disappeared. Any motion or movement made behind the Lantern was completely invisible as well. The most effective lantern “guard” we found was in the off hand, extended arm, hand upper chest level. If ya ever get the chance do it! It was great fun! p.s. an open candlestick does not work as well.

[@akumagouki8668]

I got the idea to modernize and work flashlight and Machete from old sources that mention the lantern, a strobing flashlight is debilitating.

[@williamromine5715]

I would think that the light of a lantern would blow out very quickly. I have to admit that I haven't been around lanterns for a long time(I'm 81), and it was a Coleman which was gasoline powered, and lit up in all directions. When battery lanterns became more useable I switched to them when walking around at night when camping.

[@theg0z0n]

That sounds absolutely amazing!

[@georgeirvin473]

The lanterns we used were the pierced tin type with a door on the front. We fought with the door open and didnt have a problem with them blowing out. Although we did figure out pretty quickly, hitting the candle and knocking it out was a good tactic. @@williamromine5715

[@azathoth3700]

@@akumagouki8668This is absolutely a thing that is taught in self-defense. A good flashlight, even a small one that fits entirely in the hand and cannot be used as a club, is a brilliant way to blind and/or disorient an attacker.

[@JustArten]

First time a game sponsor has my interest. What a time to be.

[@theonlymegumegu]

as long as it's not raid shadow legends XD

[@jamesnave1249]

Me too!

[@SaraphDarklaw]

I’ve watched a lot of gameplay. Reminds me of zorro.

[@johnandrewserranogarcia7223]

possibly because its a real game rather than a mobile gacha.

[@bobito8997]

The lantern didn't blow my mind because it's in the 1973 film of The Three Musketeers. They also used cloaks and even sheets grabbed from washing lines. Best sword fights in movie history for so many reasons.

[@michaelel650]

Just talking about this at my class this evening, great reference, all the best.

[@Kissamiess]

And Christopher Lee plays Rochefort.

[@ostrowulf]

In the Duelists they also do the left hand mitten, so that one made the movies too.

[@FionaAnstian]

I've actually saved my life before doing security with cloak techniques. They've always fascinated me so i had looked into them, and when someone attacked me with a knife i was able to gather up my trench coat and catch their knife. Scariest thing I've ever had to do, but i was very grateful to have at least casually studied the concept.

[@GarrettPetersen]

Glad you survived!

[@Quincy_Morris]

Nice Care to say more?

[@azathoth3700]

To piggyback on this and also Matt's point about instinctive flinch responses, I was once attacked by someone with a box-cutter and I instinctively parried the attack with my hand/arm. It cut through my jumper and slashed my arm a bit, but it was certainly a hell of a lot better than having my face or neck cut open. In the end, it didn't even require stitches, which I put down to a combination of an unskilled attacker, my own jumper's thickness, and the parry putting the blade into a shallower angle to my arm than the sort of perpendicular slash it would have been to my face.

[@j.f.fisher5318]

Great video. I've long felt the cloak is sadly neglected in games and fiction.

[@derstoffausdemderjoghurtis4346]

I once saw a fist fight in a subwaystation between two drunkards and midfight the weaker one suddenly took of his scarf and wrapped it around his right arm gripping it tight and hold the loose end with the oder fist. When his opponent attacked he wrapped the scarf either around the opponent's arm or neck making it easier for him to land a punch. It all happened slowmotion and the hits weren't hard because of their intoxicated state.

[@Magey_McMage]

One thing I would point about using a cloak, keeping in mind a historically accurate weight/density of the wool to make it useful as a cloak proper, is that these things can be REALLY HEAVY, definitely a drawback when I've done some sparring with anything that isnt lightweight polyester but a 14-24oz wool, whether it is wrapped around your arm or dangled will definitely give your forearm an INSANE workout!

[@farkasmactavish]

I've done sparring vs an opponent just using a jacket, actually, and can confirm that while it is heavy, that weight is the whole point, and what allows you to bat aside a sword blade, and weigh it down so that your opponent is slower to respond.

[@PJDAltamirus0425]

Yeah, also, to a point to Matt Easton's brigandine video, natural has some water proofing with lanonlin and mail is abrasive.@@farkasmactavish

[@ShadowyFox_86]

We also need to keep in mind there were cloaks made specifically for dueling that weren't quite so heavy, and it was more the texture of the fabric that did the capturing than the weight. Even with the weight of a normal cloak, used properly, it's not going to be that much of an issue for folks to use. I have a very traditionally made wool cloak. It has weight but not so much it would be unusable.

[@b.h.abbott-motley2427]

Another option would be the arquebus. In treatises from the end of the 16th century, Martín de Eguiluz & Sir John Smythe both mentioned the technique of using the arquebus in the left hand to parry while wielding a sword in the right. This was with military swords more like what we'd call sideswords than rapiers, though de Eguiluz did note that Spanish arquebusiers generally had longer swords than the arquebusiers of other nations. Bonaventura Pistofilo even shows rapier (or sword, but it looks very much like an iconic rapier) with a full musket & rest in the left hand. Sword/rapier with the pike in the left hand likewise appears in Pistofilo & another manual or two.

[@lightbox617]

I had my sons take fencing lessons. They did well enough that tone of them went on to (slightly) compete in collage. I always wanted to try to learn rapier but always thought it would be paired with a 12 to 16 inch dagger with a good hand guard. Fantasy is very rewarding, especially if you never have to do it in real life

[@wimmer3324]

I am surprised that a flintlock pistol wasn't one of the options. It has only one shot but at swordfighting range you propably won't miss. And even if you do you can still parry with it

[@krystalneko4094]

By the time flintlocks were common enough to be owned by the average person for self-defense, many would just have the pistol by itself or with a knife or would go for a saber and pistol combo, since rapiers were generally more expensive in both training needed and financial cost. Dueling for honor and war were also swapping out rapiers for flintlocks and sabers. Rapier and pistol is a pretty cool combo tho It's just that by the time they overlapped in common usage the rapier was often getting eschewed in favor of some other weapon when paired.

[@Quincy_Morris]

@@krystalneko4094not sure about this. There were entire treatises written regarding the use of sword and pistol at the same time.

[@petriew2018]

during the era in question, when swords as self defense was a common thing, people just tended not to carry the pistol outside of a purely military context. They were heavy, bulky, fragile and finicky things, pretty unsuited to personal defense. So in the sense of defending yourself with a sword and pistol.... yeah, most people are carrying the sword because the pistol isn't a practical option. You'll see it in military treatises or swashbuckler movies, but that's always in a strictly martial context frankly it wouldn't be until the metallic cartridge that people would see a pistol as a viable self defense tool at all among the urban population.

[@Neomalthusiano]

​@@petriew2018Black powder revolvers came before metal cartridge ammo. With them you had six shots to defend yourself. And before revolvers, there were lorenzonis but I concur that they were rare/expensive, so shouldn't count.

[@jaspermooren5883]

​@@petriew2018 yeah, the biggest problem is that in a self defense scenario, your pistol wouldn't be loaded anyway. It would be absolutely mental to walk around with a loaded gun all the time in a time when there was no such thing as a safety pin. Drawing a sword is pretty quick, but you'd never have the time to load a pistol in a self defense scenario, at least not in the 16th and 17th century.

[@b.h.abbott-motley2427]

Domingo Luis Godinho gave this bit of advice about parrying cuts with a cloak: "Entering in the fight, it is not permissible to crudely take the opponent’s blows on the cloak, because although sometimes it doesn’t do damage, other times it does notable damage; I have seen arms mangled from having taken blows on the cloak."

[@ShadowyFox_86]

I love that the advice says to not crudely do it. That sort of phrasing seems to imply there were "right ways" to work with a cloak and "wrong ways." Based on this quote and the context this video provides for using cloaks, do you think Domingo is suggesting caution in using a cloak to block with in general? Or in using a cloak specifically for blocking repeated blows? I could definitely see the latter but don't have the full context.

[@superrobotmonkeyhyperteamf3194]

Palladini gives more info about how exactly he expected someone to get hands on two rapiers. He writes that this case often arise when two or more people attack and you ask your page, servant or friend or even a bystandard to loan you their sword so they can be used like the spadone.

[@Quincy_Morris]

Ah. Or when your ‘friends’ decide to throw down their sword and book it instead of fight. A true ‘and you have my sword’ moment.

[@ShadowyFox_86]

Ooh! That makes sense! Sounds like a situation of near desperation rather than one you'd be planning to find yourself in.

[@YTPrule]

The two sword style has its advantages against more than one person. Still sucks to get ganged on though.

[@fattiger6957]

I recall cloaks being used in the movie Alatriste during rapier fights. I've always wondered about that. Thanks for clearing it up for me.

[@thelegendaryklobb2879]

It is described with detail in the novels. I fully recomend them

[@barnettmcgowan8978]

There's a great example of Rapier and Lantern fighting in The Four Musketeers (1974). The fight between d'Artagnan and Rochefort on the road to Calais. They fight at night using Rapier and Lantern. I think that scene would make a great subject for a review.

[@peterchristiansen9695]

I wonder if Matt (our ‘hero of the people’) has considered the ULTIMATE off-hand sidearm (as demonstrated by those intrepid explorers, Nate and Tyranth): POCKET SAND !!!)?! 😂

[@Quincy_Morris]

Which is not a joke. it is in fact a real technique.

[@bbb462cid]

In the 1973 Richard Lester film "the three Musketeers" I always found it interesting the way that Reed portrayed Athos' fighting style, how he'd wrap a cloak around his left arm, and how many of the Cardinal's guards used an off-hand dagger.

[@shotgunridersweden]

Cloaks: Also when the fabric covers the opponents blade they tend to loose proprioception of the weapon. Ive tried this quite a bit against both knives and daggers

[@ShadowyFox_86]

This is definitely something fabric is apparently good at, not just when a weapon was trapped. I saw someone who tried on an Irish leine, who said they had trouble knowing where their body was in relation to the blade and that their movements were sometimes timid and cautious because of it. I love complicating factors in combat.

[@malahamavet]

these rapier videos really help me whith my swashbuckling novel. This video helped me think cool weapon combinations for diferent characters and even inspired me to think of new characters just because of certain combinations, thank you! always love the rapier videos because I'm not a swordsman and still wish to create stories around fencing :D

[@Nerdsammich]

I've seen a lot of SCA fencing, and a common off-hand item in those circles is a cane. It's something a gentleman would carry and is very useful for hooking and controlling an opponent's blade.

[@Kamamura2]

During my HEMA reenactment days in the 90s, my favorite off-hand weapon was a wooden cross while playing the role of somewhat belligerent priest - the cross could be used to parry weak cuts and push thrust aside, as well as in the "Confess!!!" posture in between the exchanges for some extra theatric effect.

[@cp1cupcake]

I was surprised that one of the weapons wasn't a pistol.

[@SaftonYT]

Yeah, I kept expecting a wheellock/matchlock pistol.

[@derstoffausdemderjoghurtis4346]

He didn't specify it in the title, but I think this was meant as an "top8 off-hand [melee] weapons used with rapier..."

[@thekaxmax]

the pistol is your _main_ weapon, at least until it needs reloading. :D

[@peterchristiansen9695]

@@thekaxmaxBack in those days it would need reloading immediately! The sage advice would thus have been: "Make your one shot count!" 😁

[@SaftonYT]

@@thekaxmax Regardless of whether you consider it your "main" weapon, pistols were frequently used in the off-hand during later periods in conjunction with a sword. And that's ostensibly the subject of the video: off-hand weapons to be used with a rapier.

[@issen2291]

Oh wow, I didn't expect Scholagladiatoria to get an En Garde! integration. It helps that it's an absolutely PHENOMENAL game.

[@ElDrHouse2010]

6:39 Rob Childs is god tier with this weapon combination. He uses it with the blade of the Rapier down to bait out mistakes from the opponent, also because he doesn't like to get his rapier controlled by the opponent ofc easiest way to do that is to not have it in line & rely on your own speed more.

[@robertusaugustus2003]

I’d love to hear more about the 16th-17th centuries in regards to weapons and armour, the more I learn about it the more it just looks like the late middle ages with a ton of gunpowder

[@thekaxmax]

that's exactly what it was. Watch the Three Musketeers movies and series, all of them. :P

[@Primalintent]

En Garde is great. It's short, but really punchy and well made. Hopefully future updates/dlc will add more modes or levels, but it's kind of like a playful, easier version of sekiro.

[@Quincy_Morris]

Ooh that’s what I was hoping for.

[@Primalintent]

@@Quincy_Morris I've already beaten it on normal and hard mode. Only have one Arena stage left that I've put off til last

[@JC-Denton]

Fun Fact: Had to look that term up. What apparently you call in English "Swashbuckler film", is actually "Mantel-und-Degen-Film" (coat and eppee/small sword film) in German. Therefore the cloak coming up did not surprise me at all. Cheers, J. ⚔

[@ShadowyFox_86]

That makes so much sense! Thank you for providing this info.

[@Trav_Can]

14:21 This makes me think about how these older practices continued on in Latin America. The duels fought by gauchos with their poncho and facón. And Samuel Chamberlain's account of dueling a Mexican with a machete and poncho around his arm. This is a topic not really covered much, but in an age of when blade combat was common, this was probably a big consideration.

[@ShadowyFox_86]

That makes so much sense! Spanish influence abounds in quite a few of the areas in Central & South America.

[@Trav_Can]

@@ShadowyFox_86 Absolutely! Many cultural traits that Spain left behind continue on in parts of Latin America to this day. Unlike North America where we pretty much exterminated and moved the ingenious population, Spain and Portugal had a different form of colonialism which primarily focused on the extraction of resources. They weren't really there to settle initially, more just to take stuff. Who does this work? Young men. Young men need women. Hence the birth of mestizo cultures. It's fascinating this mix of medieval Spanish and Native American cultures. Probably nothing like that will happen again in human history. Two alien worlds meeting like that. And melding together. At the end of the day, if you find yourself in a knife fight, and you can wrap a blanket around your arm, do it! Cheers!

[@valandil7454]

The blocking and grappling came naturally when I started HEMA because of all the Jujutsu, but I've always wanted to learn to use shields, cloaks and lights like that. So cool 🙂 I was surprised you didn't mention a gun though Matt, I guess you 'were' focusing on earlier stuff 🤔

[@kaoskronostyche9939]

A Maille glove with a parrying dagger in ones belt could be the ultimate combination. Thank you very much for more follow up regarding the Rapier. Your enthusiasm is infectious and your love of the subject matter is clear. Cheers!

[@neutronalchemist3241]

Mind that, first to use something, you have to carry it and, being a rapier a civilian weapon, it obeyed to the dress codes of it's time. While it was normal in 16th-17th century, for a gentleman, to wear a sword everywhere, in many occasions he would have seemed too much stuffed wearing also a parrying dagger, or a buckler. Everyone had a cloak instead.

[@kaoskronostyche9939]

@@neutronalchemist3241Did you not see the video??? Matt just gave us thirty minutes of alternatives, I made a fanciful suggestion. The rapier was NOT just a civilian weapon - as Matt JUST SAID. You have no idea what you are talking about and you remain stupid even after seeing a video on the topic. What is WRONG with you? Do you have to spew idiocy just to get some attention or are you so tiny minded that you can't learn from an expert. I doubt everyone was wearing a cloak in the scorching Spanish summer. Jeez I hate stupid people.

[@juliusagh9038]

Didn’t know about the lantern used as a defense tool or a purpose made gauntlet. Thanks for the information sir. I for one really enjoyed the lesson.

[@ASMRDoodlez]

This was a really interesting video. I hadn't heard of a set of rapiers before, which is really cool just how they fit together. Also, imagine fighting someone who has one of those stealth gauntlets. You'd swing at them, and all of a sudden, they've basically got a Superman hand.

[@fitz12ify]

I was waiting for the good old stick. I must say that the cloak is surprisingly really good. It is still used now a days in modern knife fights.

[@dscrye]

4:15 interestingly, there are also a fair few off-hand defensive moves in the taiji and (competition) wushu jian forms. We call them circle blocks. I really wouldn't want to do it with a sharp blade unless I had heavy gloves on or could get close to the hilt where it wasn't so sharp, mind. That last third of the blade is razor edged, and not being careful is just asking for your opponent to flick their wrist a bit and cut you in a very veiny area.

[@ShadowyFox_86]

That's fascinating! I love that amount of finesse those martial styles require, and I could see where you'd have to be very adept and accurate to pull those off well.

[@daveyoder9231]

Very nicely done! I appreciate you mentioning sources in your presentation

[@shmuckling]

A free hand is perhaps the most useful off all, as many good spells require material and somatic components.

[@thekaxmax]

...in D&D and some other games, not all. And sometimes not even then, some versions of D&D have that requirement as optional.

[@shmuckling]

@@thekaxmax 😐

[@kaialoha]

Mailed palm.

[@crazypetec-130fe7]

I've used lanterns a couple of times, and everything else a lot in SCA fencing. I'm surprised there was nothing about using a stiff scabbard or a baton to parry in this video, they work quite well. Tavern brawls are more colorful with a heavy metal stein as a left-hand parry; it's a little awkward, but still useful. But my all-time favorite off-hand is the Indian madu (basically a buckler with dagger blades sticking out of both sides of the handle). It makes a VERY effective parrying device, and a somewhat awkward offensive weapon. You just have to be careful to not hit yourself in the leg with the lower blade.

[@ShadowyFox_86]

I've thought that it would be interesting to see someone have a smaller shillelagh as an offhand weapon. The protrusions that naturally occur with that could be quite a challenge to overcome.

[@il_solitario55]

Magnificent coverage of the topic. Great video.

[@firestrom44]

Wow really knocking it out with the amount of rapier videos you're dropping!

[@Tupinamba77]

As always, excellent research and presentation!

[@TheLord0Ice0Wind]

I dig the lantern, a high lumen pocket torch is an underrated tool....I wonder if a calcium carbide lantern would suffice as well

[@librabys]

I found the bare hand to be indeed extremely useful against another thrust centric weapon. I love the cloak, for style, for diversion, and because it still allows to use the bare hand if you want (very disposable at need). That being said, main-gauche daggers are super sexy.

[@neutronalchemist3241]

Mind that, first to use something, you have to carry it and, being a rapier a civilian weapon, it obeyed to the dress codes of it's time. While it was normal in 16th-17th century, for a gentleman, to wear a sword everywhere, in many occasions he would have seemed too much stuffed wearing also a parrying dagger, or a buckler. Everyone had a cloak instead.

[@jamesedmison2768]

Always enjoy your insights

[@outsideiskrrtinsideihurt699]

Ok but how do we combine all of these to make an abomination? I’d imagine it as a shield-sized buckler with a built in, chain maille lined gauntlet with tons of quillions sticking out the front as well as a 40 inch rapier blade sticking straight out of the boss with long fabric hanging all around the outside as well as a lantern hanging from the bottom. Just so the rapier doesn’t feel left out you could give it one of those built in firing mechanisms. What are we left with? The most versatile off hand tool? Or just an extremely sore arm? Both?

[@masoluboxD]

something close to this is the lantern shield

[@Parostem]

@@masoluboxD I was thinking the same thing. Maybe that's how the Lantern Shield was invented? Someone couldn't make up their mind on what kind of sidearm to carry with their sword and just decided to have all of them :P

[@victorro8760]

A vambraced gauntlet with the large buckler around it so the hand is sticking through where the boss would be. The lantern is built in to the buckler just like the lantern shield. The rapier blade is fixed to the vambrace so it's parallel-ish with your bottom forearm bone. Wear a parrying dagger and the cloak, ready to be deployed. Actually employing them might be a problem though.

[@CrunchyPBJ]

Honestly, I had the gauntlet in mind pretty much since you mentioned the hand. When you got to the lantern, I just assumed it had been left off of the list.

[@Primalintent]

In the Musketeer drama book series Captain Alatriste, the titular character likes to use Rapier and in the offhand a Bilbao, called Vizcaína in the book, which is basically the shorter sailor's rapier that Bilbo Baggins is named for. It provides a shorter weapon but still larger and substantial. In the movie he also uses a Bullfighter's dagger. It's pretty cool.

[@issen2291]

A Vizcaína and a Bilbo sword are different things! Vizcaína typically refers to the "Daga Vizcaína" (dagger named after the Basque city of Bizkaia), which is essentially just a sail guard main gauche. A Bilbo sword (named after the Basque city of Bilbao) is a fully fledged cut and thrust sword or, as you described it, a shorter, wider-bladed rapier with a shell guard often used by sailors). The Vizcaína carried by Alatriste is, indeed, a parrying dagger with a sail guard! Also known as a "spanish left hand dagger", extremely common companion to the spanish cup hilt rapier in period. It's worth mentioning that the name "Vizcaína" was made up by Perez-Reverte himself.

[@Primalintent]

@@issen2291 Ah I see. I recall the translation I read referring to it as a "short sword" rather than a dagger, which is why I googled it and looked it up in the first place to discover the Bilbo sword in the first place. I actually had a training Bilbo made for myself and it doesn't do too bad in the offhand, but it makes sense it was just a sail dagger. I figured that it was just the author taking artistic license and giving Alatriste an offhand sword to make him feel more distinct.

[@acidic_magpie]

Bizkaia is actually a region within the Basque Country, not a city (Bilbao is its capital)

[@-RONNIE]

Thanks for the video ⚔️

[@Kenjitsuka]

Great stuff, Matt!

[@markthomason9723]

I'd like to see Matt discuss the concept of a tempo in itself, for any and all weapons. To strike in same tempo, gain a tempo, parry then use next tempo set up by that parry. It is a key concept for many weapons, and explains the proper use of many of them. Matt clearly knows it well, and mentions it in discussion of many weapons, but it deserves attention for itself as much as for any given weapon.

[@Scuzzlebutt142]

The issue is tempo is a big topic, as every different system has a different explanation/use for it, and different sets of time, So an hour video may be in the cards to explain it properly.

[@markthomason9723]

@@Scuzzlebutt142 Great. I would look forward to Matt's attempt to make sense of it.

[@dutchboy9273]

I saw an original Italian Case Set, single scabbard, where the blade on one was significantly shorter oroviding an off hand dagger. Unfortunately the owner wouldn't sell😢.

[@dougsundseth6904]

In addition to those, I'd mention scabbards (assuming you have a rigid scabbard that is not firmly attached to your belt) and hats, especially leather hats, which are comparable to cloaks in their ability to catch an opponent's point.

[@SrGundisalvus]

Awesome video! I love the topic of exploration of the weapons and styles of the era Also i'm eager to play En garde!

[@keldon_champion]

Another important thing to consider with why dagger was the most common accompanying weapon is utility it can be handy to carry a cutting tool with you.

[@darinsingleton3553]

I was introduced to a lot of these options throughout the 3 & 4 Musketeer movies from the mid 70's. A lot of rousing, boisterous, fun.

[@epone3488]

I'm so glad you got to the hand. Watching the previous videos I was always thinking 'hand'. its so important it defines what the layman thinks of as 'sword stance' where it moves to just a balance aid.

[@mallardtheduck406]

I read where the Spanish Conquistador Francisco Pizarro in Lima Peru was attacked by several of his men....a coupe perhaps? Anyways, he used a cloak wrapped around his arm and his side sword Spada Ropera and killed what 6 or 7 men before finally being killed. They also cut off his head. I believe he was close to his late 60's when that took place. One tough old dude. That is a nice cup hilt rapier, it reminded me of one of the rapiers right out of the movie "Alatriste".

[@coralmar5329]

Did not expect the lantern- thank you for shining a light on it

[@scholagladiatoria]

Glad to hear that it was illuminating.

[@Kinetic.44]

That dagger you showed looks fantastic! I adore the 15th century backsword from the collection, its more of a falchion than the falchion lol. i sharpened the false edge to use arming sword short edge techniques with it as well. I hope your working on the 1788 heavy cavalry sword for the collection, we need a cutlass as well.

[@GallowglassAxe]

The left hand gauntlet was very popular in Ireland during the 16th century. We can see it being used in Dravn after the Qvick picture and a couple others of it being worn or just carried.

[@ShadowyFox_86]

Do you happen to know when the first known instances of it being used are? I am leaning towards an Irish persona in the SCA, and would love to incorporate something like that

[@GallowglassAxe]

@@ShadowyFox_86 All the pictures I know of come about the 16th century. I know their is some writings as my reenactment friend (The Wilde Irishe) has told me but I do not know where they are referenced nor the time period of those writings.

[@KendoSwordsman]

Super interesting. I had some idea of some things you could use your free hand for with Rapier but this goes into more detail than I was aware of. Those more detailed bucklers are awesome looking bits of kit. Would be cool to see a partnered demo of some of the techniques you can pull off with those. I've only seen the early plain surface ones demoed before.

[@BYGTraining]

Great video! I watch a lot of your videos but I didn't know they made offhand gloves/gauntlets. That seems like it would be the best thing.

[@leppeppel]

I don't know how historically accurate it is, but I've seen reenactors use rapier and stein. The premise is that since many unofficial duels would have been brought about by a bit too much liquid courage, the stein would be readily to hand, if not already *in* hand. It can parry incoming thrusts aside, and of course you can also glass your opponent with it. You can even splash your drink in their face, rather like shining a lantern in their eyes.

[@andreweden9405]

I've always loved those Capo Ferro engravings!

[@kevinstewart1870]

Flipping amazing!

[@knightjack]

I'm really excited about En Guard, I've been hearing about it recently

[@frederikklotzskov9673]

Wacthing an omni dexterous swordsman on the battlefield most have been a sight to see.

[@HoJu1989]

This is finally a sponsorship I won't skip

[@brucemagee3199]

Never would have thought that as lantern for a off hand weapon, thought a hat might be used . Thanks great video.

[@reaperwithnoname]

I was thinking of the mail glove when you were talking about the left hand at the beginning. Was not expecting the middle finger, though!

[@hilossrt4]

A related topic is concerning the addition of pistols as side arms used in combination with rapiers and how long did it take for them to replace the sword as the primary weapon in duels.

[@il_solitario55]

Pistols didn't replace the sword as primary duelling weapon until the Napoleonic era, and post- 1800 at that. I think Matt did a video on this in the past, or I could be thinking of someone else...

[@1jimmarch]

You missed pistols. Some were set up for parrying once they'd been fired.

[@xact13]

What an excellent video

[@pearceelliott7855]

Two things (and I unfortunately can't recall where I have seen either) - I believe I saw or read about a lantern that had some sort of door or flap that could be opened or closed while the lantern was held in one hand so you could not only shine the light at your opponent, but you could flash it on or off. I recall reading or seeing something about using your hat. Depending on the time and place, they may have had rather large and sturdy hats that could be used in a similar way to the cloak.

[@CZOV]

Excellent overview of the rapier. Glad to see u finally getting into it ;)

[@danjorissen]

I highly enjoy your content, keep up the good work!!! I also was easterly shocked about the lantern. I have been telling folks for years how excellent a flashlight or torch is for self defence and this brings historical backing to my argument lol thanks mate cheers!

[@danjorissen]

Pleasantly*

[@BidwellRunner]

Lantern blew my mind. Also thought #8 was going to be something piratey like a flintlock pistol or those little ship axes

[@BaronVonHardcharger]

"Hero of the people. like ME" Bahahah! I love this channel. Thanks Mr.Easton!

[@user-xl1eo6nr5i]

3/4 Musketeers did a great job of portraying most of those techniques. If you want a start on a mail glove, check out butcher's supplies. I had a butcher's glove stitched to a gauntlet and it worked quite well.

[@ShadowyFox_86]

I'm so glad to know someone has done that because I've thought of trying that very thing.

[@M.M.83-U]

A very complete presentation. Thanks 10:48 Hurrà, my favorite style! (It's targhetta, the targa is the big version, like rotella size)

[@starkparker16]

Can confirm blown status of mind.

[@edward9674]

I have seen some pictures of rather fancy lanterns being made in italy for this kind of purpose. One of them was a gauntlet shield with spikes and a slot in the shield to blind the opponent with the internal lantern.

[@felixheitzer2262]

Cool, the vid was again rather inspirational, cause I do at the Moment wright my own ttrpg set in an age of Rapiers, gunpowder and witchcraft.

[@wizardozark2735]

15:59 cloaks with thrusting attacks, it's quite effective if done with proper technique. You must angle the arm properly, I'll admit this can allow for some grazing cuts but it also can trap the opponents' blade even more effectively than other offhand weapons. The cloak is definitely one of my favorite offhand weapons and I'll tell you now a kevlar weave cloak can do amazing things😊 not stop bullets obviously, don't try to take it into combat, that's what Shields and armor are for. But for the dueling it is simply amazing. It allows an abundance of blocking styles from an infinite amount of styles.

[@bassemb]

"A case of rapiers / falchions / what not" is completely new to me. Wow!

[@thinusconradie4297]

"Shank them with abandon"... Good. I have learned a new technical term. 😆 The lantern certainly blew my mind, as did the gauntlet.

[@DaiHachiHachi]

Great video as always; As a bit of an aside but Adam Savage has been releasing videos of his visit(s?) to the MET and one video from a few weeks ago now, features an example of the chainmail lined gloves.

[@ariphaos]

When I was introduced to the SCA, 'Florentine' was called 'suicide style'. But it was fun.

[@andrewt4456]

any chance of an extended video on bucklers through the ages?

[@Guildofarcanelore]

I always enjoyed using buckler with rapier when we played with them in Kandahar

[@richardjstuart3978]

I saw a woman at a Ren fair with a Gauntlet that was made up to be a puppet. Trim off the dressing and it was really just a heavy leather gauntlet, but with the puppet trappings it did add an element of distraction. Brilliant really.

[@JackEspadas]

My man that "heavy dagger" there is something I need

[@Jim58223]

I can't believe Matt flashed me in this video. Not disappointed. Also Adam Savage did a good video on his Tested channel at the MET where they show one of those maille lined gloves recently.

[@morat242]

Yeah, the *click* when the fingertip snaps to the magnet was a nice little surprise. It's such an elegant glove, it's too bad it's impossible to preserve the glove without wrecking the lining and vice versa.

[@markusturunen7929]

I wondered why you didn't mention musket, because one thing about being a "musketeer" was your ability to use musket alongside your rapier.

[@shotgunridersweden]

For gloves: i took part in a rapier tournament where several people wore spes heavies on their off hand, using it like a small buckler, as it was not disallowed according to the rules

[@scholagladiatoria]

lol

[@ulflidsman3064]

I have used the cloak against an opponent armed with the single rapier and it work surprisingly well. If you throw the cloak and it lands of the opponents rapier it's nearly impossible to hold up the rapier and you have a clear target for your thrust. If the cloak missed your opponent often moves his rapier to avoid the cloak in such a way that you can thrust or cut him och her. When we sparred with the cloak I think that the person with the cloak managed to hit the opponent more than 50% of the times and if it didn't work the opponent where often not in a position to launch a riposte and you kept the initiative.

[@sandmanhh67]

Re the first one - using your hand. I recall in the excellent film The Duellists in one fight with small swords Keith Carradines character is wearing a long heavy black leather or cloth gauntlet and sleeve that looks to be tied above the elbow with a lace on his left arm.

[@Tahllia]

Referencing @21:37 I show up to a duel, sword in hand, my opponent is confused about what I have in my off hand. I tell them not to worry about. “En Garde!” I shout. From my side and pull out a 100,000 lumen flashlight, the fans kick in to high gear to compensate, for the heat generated by the LED bulbs. My opponent drops his weapon and yields the duel, temporarily blinded by my onslaught. I have won without drawing a drop of blood.

[@elijahoconnell]

hand parries are always my favourite thing i feel so cool when it works especially cause the times ive done have been reactively rather than practiced, but it still working as its supposed to i love it sm. the first time it happened i had been pushed to the wall, delivered a number 2 cut with my right arm, my ex thrusts at me with the sword in her right, i parry with my hand pushing to the left and thrust. she said it was bullshit lol. the other time, my fencing partner and i were in a bind, sword in there left and on the left side of my flat, they thrust and i parry the sword to the left with my hand and thrust

[@DaveTheRred]

OK, the chainmail glove flipping the bird made me laugh too hard. 🤣

[@Blutroth]

Hey Matt, can you please make a video about french rapier styles or how the french in particular fought with rapiers? On the web it's always italian rapier and spanish rapier...but how did the french fought at that time with rapiers?

[@joshtiscareno1312]

In France, the rapier was typically paired with a croissant.

[@emmitstewart1921]

Very interesting. As you were talking about using a lantern as a weapon, it occurred to me that flashing the light in your opponents eyes could be an excellent aid to your defense because even if it only used a candle as a light source, even if the light isn't bright enough to blind your attacker, it would wipe out his night vision, and it would leave an after image. The more often you flash him, the more images will appear. If as many lanterns do, it has a reflector behind the light, you can use the light to interfere with his vision but limit the damage to your own to loss of night vision. It would be a very slight advantage, but it might be enough to make a difference.

[@eweasel1]

I don't know if it is just a modern fantasy trope, but I like rapier/ flint lock pistol. You have the one shot of the pistol and after most, military, flint lock pistols were built big and rugged enough to both parry with and use as a blunt weapon.