14 Germanic Swords & What Made Them So Deadly

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Plus, the history of Germanic swords and how they were used

Co-authored by Gabriele Culot and Dan Hickey

Last Updated: June 11, 2026 Fact Checked

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Sword Types

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How were they used?

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Germanic Sword History

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When you picture a medieval sword, you probably imagine a large, imposing blade wielded by a knight clad in armor running into battle. Those were definitely used by Germanic peoples throughout the Middle Ages, but there were many other swords of various lengths and shapes that were used for everything from combat to hunting to everyday utility work. We spoke to historical weapon experts to show you the various types of Germanic swords that existed and how they were used, plus some history behind Germanic swordmaking after the fall of Rome.

Germanic Sword Types

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An illustration of the various Germanic swords used throughout history.

The earliest Germanic sword was the knife-like seax. After the fall of Rome, Germanic tribes created the Ulfberht and Migration Period swords, inspired by the Roman Spatha. The longsword and zweihänder (two-hander) were very large and famously used in battle, while other swords were designed for hunting or training.

Section 1 of 4:

Types of Germanic Swords

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Seax The seax was a dagger, knife, or short sword used by Germanic peoples in the Early Middle Ages and Migration Period (about the 4th to 10th centuries CE). In fact, the name of the well-known Germanic tribe the Saxons comes from the word seax! This weapon was a daily utility and battle instrument and was often buried with Germanic men during the Viking Age.^{[1]
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- The seax had a single-edged blade and minimal to no hilt, often using a simple handle instead.
- Earlier seaxes were shorter and simpler, but as the centuries went on, they became longer and heavier.
- Length: 14-24 in (35-60 cm)
- Weight: About 0.9-1.7 lbs (400-800 g)
Meet the wikiHow Experts

Nicole and Lee Smith are historical weapons experts and competitive rapier and historical fencing champions. They teach historical European fencing and martial arts and help direct tournaments around the world.

Dash Rendar is an ancient weaponry expert with 10+ years of experience researching and educating about martial medieval and ancient weapons. He has over 700K followers across YouTube and TikTok.
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Migration Period sword The Migration Period began with the fall of the Roman Empire, overlapping with the Early Middle Ages from about the 4th to 7th centuries CE. The Migration Period sword was longer and heavier than the seax and was wielded by Germanic peoples migrating around areas formerly controlled by Rome. It was during this time that Germanic tribes came into their own as swordsmiths, replacing Roman-made Spatha swords.^{[2]
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- The blade was typically straight, double-edged, and had a sharp tip. Later Carolingian and Viking swords were developed from this style.
- The hilt was often made of organic material, like leather, rather than metal. The blade was proportionately very long and broad compared to the hilt and did not taper, making it ideal for “chopping” motions.^{[3]
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- Length: 28-35 in (70-90 cm)
- Weight: About 2.2-2.5 lbs (1-1.1 kg)
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Ulfberht sword “The Ulfberht sword was considered like a high-end sword of its day,” explains historical weapons expert Lee Smith. “It was made with a high quality of steel at the time.”^{[4]
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Expert Interview} It was used by Viking, Germanic, and Frankish tribes throughout the Middle Ages and featured a straight, double-edged blade that came to a gradual taper, making it slightly more balanced and maneuverable than the Migration period sword.
- Like the Migration Period sword, though, it also featured a proportionately very long blade compared to its shorter hilt.
- Ancient weaponry expert Dash Rendar explains that these swords often “have a unique H hilt or handle with a bulbous point on the back. If you try to do a big cut, it comes into your wrist a little bit.” He adds that it’s different from alter swords which have more “freedom and range of motion.”^{[5]
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- Length: 28-39 in (70-100 cm)
- Weight: About 2-4 lbs (0.9-1.8 kg)
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Arming sword Arming swords were straight, double-edged swords that could be held in one hand as a sidearm. It was often used by knights and nobles throughout the 11th and 12th centuries and was a popular choice for Crusaders, as they could wield a sword in one hand and a shield in the other. It typically had a straight, cruciform guard, a twisted hilt, and a round “perfume” stopper pommel.^{[6]
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- Length: 23-39 in (60-100 cm)
- Weight: About 2.2-2.5 lbs (1-1.1 kg)
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Longsword The longsword is a classic medieval sword, popular in the 14th through 16th centuries CE. Inspired by the earlier arming swords, it could be held with one of two hands but was longer and heavier while still being maneuverable. It was the sword of choice for war and was used in early forms of German fencing and dueling (there are dozens of surviving texts detailing how it was used for these martial arts).^{[7]
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- The blade was straight and double-edged, coming to a sharp point. The hilt was proportionally a bit longer compared to the blade than earlier swords.
- Length: 39-55 inches (100-140 cm)
- Weight: About 2.5-4.5 lbs (1.1-2 kg)
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Federschwert German for “feather sword,” the Federschwert was a flexible, light “training” sword often used for teaching fencing or dueling. It sometimes had a blunted tip and was not as razor-sharp as swords meant for war. Historical weapons expert Nicole Smith explains that “the feder was a modified sword to spar with. [Combatants] weren’t taking their regular swords and just blunting them.”^{[8]
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- It was popular among civilians in the 15th and 16th centuries for self-defense but also trial by combat, or “judicial duel,” to settle accusations of crimes.
- Length: 39-55 inches (100-140 cm)
- Weight: About 2-4.5 lbs (0.9-1.2 kg)
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Zweihänder "Zweihänder" means “two-hander” in German, and it certainly took both hands and lots of muscle and finesse to control this giant weapon! Appearing in the 16th century, the zweihänder is considered one of the largest and greatest swords in history. It could be up to 7 feet (2.1 m) long and was first used to hack down enemy pikes or mounted formations before it was adopted as a primary fighting sword.^{[9]
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- The sword was capable of devastating blows that could that could cut through some armor, and was often used by infantry troops, elite knights, and even bodyguards and mercenaries.
- The hilt and pommel were also elongated to counterbalance the blade’s immense length and weight. Some hilts even had elaborate hand guards to protect the wielder during battle.
- Length: 5-7 ft (1.5-2.1 m)
- Weight: About 3.5-11 lbs (1.5 to 5 kg)
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Messer The Messer was a single-edged straight or curved blade that was almost more like a giant knife than a sword. According to Lee Smith, “It was basically used like a one-handed longsword and was essentially the upgraded version of the seax. It was generally a single-edged sword with a clipped point, like a modern Bowie knife. These things were fast, like a machete beefed up on steroids.”^{[10]
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- Messers first appeared in the 13th century as a cheaper alternative to a longsword and were used for both battle and hunting. They peaked in popularity in the 15th and 16th centuries as martial arts weapons.
- Length: 30-42 in (75-105 cm)
- Weight: About 2.2-3 lbs (1-1.4 kg)
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Boar sword The boar sword was used for hunting wild boar, but was also a status symbol—it showed the sword proficiency and prestige of the nobles and ultra-wealthy who used it for hunting. It was a long, two-handed sword meant to deliver the final blow to wounded boars or similarly sized animals. It had a spear-like tip as well as a traversing stop bar that could stop a wild boar before it got within goring distance of the nobleman or his horse.^{[11]
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- Length: 43-53 inches (110-135 cm)
- Weight: About 4.5 lbs (1.2 kg)
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Panzerstecher German for “armor breaker,” the sharp-tipped Panzerstecher was designed for thrusting to counter heavily armored knights who exposed no skin. It was used from the 15th through 18th centuries and was lighter and more maneuverable than Zweihänders, perfect for punching holes into metal armor plates. The blade was double-edged and straight, and tapered at the end.^{[12]
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- Length: 36-52 in (90-130 cm)
- Weight: About 3 lbs (1.3 kg)
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Katzbalger The katzbalger was a shorter arming sword popular during the Renaissance, often used as a secondary or last resort weapon. It had a straight, broad, double-edged blade, and the gradual taper and rounded tip were useful for pushing through armor in close hand-to-hand combat. The sword gets its name from from the cat’s skin that attached the weapon to the owner’s waist (it was not kept in a scabbard or sheath).^{[13]
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- Length: 28-31 in (70-80 cm)
- Weight: About 1.7-3.3 lbs (0.8-1.5 kg)
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Dusack The Dusack was a versatile weapon used for everyday hunting, warfare, dueling or fencing, and utility work. It featured a broad, curved, single-edged blade with a pointed tip. It rose in popularity in wars between the Holy Roman Empire and the Ottoman Empire but was also a common choice for dueling. Older versions had a hand guard on the hilt for protection, but this was later removed, leaving an open hole to insert your hand through.^{[14]
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- Length: 35-38 inches (90-95 cm)
- Weight: About 3 lbs (1.4 kg)
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Imperial swords Imperial cavalry swords are a broad category of swords that came about with the rise of Prussia and the formation of the German Empire in the 19th century. Many were curved cavalry sabers, influenced by Eastern European cultures, although some were inspired by British swords that arrived in German territories during the Napoleonic Wars. They were often single-edged with a sharp tip, and straight varieties were made as well.^{[15]
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- As guns and ammunition became more prominent in warfare, imperial swords were often worn by officers to show rank. However, they were still used in combat as late as World War I.
- Length: 31-30 in (80-100 cm)
- Weight: About 2.2-3.3 (1-1.5 kg)
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Degen The degen was a lightweight cavalry sword adopted by the German military in the late 1800s. It featured a straight, single-edged blade and a sabre-like handle with a D-shaped guard.^{[16]
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Research source} As guns replaced swords in warfare after World War I, these swords largely became status symbols for army officers and weren’t used in battle. Degen-style swords known as “Honor Swords” were awarded to and worn by Nazi officers during World War II and often featured SS or Nazi symbols on the hilt or handle.
- Length: 27-39 in (70-100 cm)
- Weight: 1.7-3 lbs (0.8-1.4 kg)

Section 2 of 4:

How were Germanic swords used?

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Germanic swords were primarily used for warfare. Unsurprisingly, battle was the primary function of swords for most Germanic peoples throughout history. Longer, heavier swords were used as primary weapons in hand-to-hand combat, while smaller swords were used as secondary or side arms to use if your main weapon was compromised. Swords were easy to carry and very accessible, making them fast to draw and use.^{[17]
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- Civilians often also carried swords and large knives for protection, self-defence, and even judicial dueling.
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Swords were also used for hunting, ceremonial use, and martial arts. Some Germanic sword types, like the messer, could double as combat and hunting weapons, while other types, like the boar sword, were designed specifically for the hunt. Swords also communicated your status in society or your rank in the army, and ceremonies like coronations, knighting, or oath-swearing featured them as symbolic instruments of combat skill or position in society.
- Around the Renaissance and beyond, dueling and fencing became martial arts of their own that could be studied by both soldiers and civilians. Some swords, like the Federschwert, were designed specifically for this purpose.

Section 3 of 4:

Germanic Sword History

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Germanic tribes adapted and improved Roman-era swords after the fall of the Empire. In the Dark Ages after the fall of Rome, Germanic peoples adapted the Spatha (a long, straight-bladed Roman sword) for their own use, adding a ring to the hilt for grip and protection, confirms Historical Weapons Expert Gabriele Culot.^{[18]
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Gabriele Culot
Historical Weapons Expert

Expert Interview} Later innovations included the cross-guard (a horizontal metal bar between the blade and the hilt) and a more ergonomic grip that allowed swords to be used as an off-hand weapon. ^{[19]
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- Germanic, Viking, and Frankish tribes all contributed to the evolution of European swords throughout the Middle Ages.
- Swords gradually got larger, heavier, and more deadly throughout the Crusades and into the late Middle Ages. The purposes for swords diversified too, with some being designed for battle while others were for hunting, training, or fencing (martial arts).
- Beginning in the 17th century, guns gradually overtook swords as the preferred battle weapon. However, German armies continued to use swords as late as World War I.