John Barnett Great War Sword Museum Quality

Referred to as "swerdes of were" or Great War swords, larger-sized knightly swords appear to have been developed in Germany, and medieval French chroniclers frequently refer to knights employing "big German swords". Essentially hand-and-a-half variants of the more usual cruciform-hilted single-handed sword, these Great War swords most likely resulted from the need for a more powerful weapon to counter improvements in the armour of the period. The longer grip of the Great War sword facilitated a two-handed cut, delivering a more forceful strike against armoured opponents on the battlefield; however, the sword was still light enough to be used one-handed in most cases.