John Barnett 10th Cent Norman long sword, museum quality

By the beginning of the eleventh century a new style of sword was making its appearance in Western Europe. With a Brazil nut shaped pommel, a long straight guard and a long tapering double edged blade the first clearly recognisable medieval sword had made its debut. The Viking name for this sword type was gaddhjalt-spikehilt. When the Normans invaded England in 1066 a great many of these swords came ashore with these heavily armoured horse mounted warriors-the era of the medieval knight was about to begin. These swords with their greater reach were especially suited to the tactics of the Norman warriors although the Saxons and Vikings of the time were also using similar Sword types.