Introduction
A greatsword is a large, double-edged weapon designed to be wielded with two hands. Greatswords stand among the largest two-handed swords ever committed to the battlefield. The Iberian/Spanish greatsword is called a montante, the German a Zweihänder, and the Italian a spadone. Greatswords usually weigh around four to eight pounds; however, the sword’s point of balance was engineered such that it could be used fluidly and gracefully.
A striking picture of James Clark wielding a Montante.
Courtesy of Véronique McMillan. All Rights Reserved.
The greatsword is primarily designed for dealing with multiple attackers and lines of spearmen. The style emphasizes large sweeping motions and changes in direction. In the Spanish tradition, the montante was also used to clear streets or ship decks, either alone or while escorting a VIP.[1]
Sources
Italian
Francesco Fernando Alfieri Lo Spadone (1638-1641): Alfieri was a prolific author publishing a treatise on the banner, then a text on fencing, before penning an extremely popular text on the rapier. This latter text was reprinted in 1646 then received a new edition in 1653 which not only includes the entirety of the 1640 edition, but which also adds a concluding section on the spadone. His spadone section gives advice on how to carry and handle the weapon, as well as advice for specific tactical situations like narrow streets or defending against enemies on a bridge.
Portuguese
Diogo Gomes de Figueyredo (1628-1651): Figueyredo was an experienced soldier and author of at least two fencing manuals, one on rapier and the other on the montante. He presented sixteen rules (i.e. sequences of movements) for the montante which trained the user for everything from clearing the deck of a ship, to protecting a VIP, to deflecting thrown weapons.
German
Andre Paurñfeyndt (1510-1564): Paurnfeyndt was a German Federfechter (a member of an established fencing guild) and mentions that the schlachtschwert (battle sword, or zweihänder) is one of the three subcategories of longsword that his system can be used for.
Demonstration
An exhibition of Spanish Montante techniques.
James Clark’s interpretation of Alfieri's rules of the spadone, handling the drills from chapters 7-18.
Matt Galas demonstrates large swords are not unweildy or clumsy in the right hands.
Equipment
I have made an extensive list of recommended greatsword equipment for beginners in HEMA.
Written by Nicholas Allen, founder and former head instructor of the VCU HEMA club.
Edited by Kiana Shurkin, xKDF
Historical sources fact-checked by James Clark, CKDF
Works Cited
Footnotes
[1] Spencer Bilodeau, Montante, video, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp1Gsh5W4vs.
Citations
Bilodeau, Spencer. Montante. Video, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp1Gsh5W4vs.
