A broad-bladed sword, slightly curved, shorter and lighter than the ordinary sword; -- used in the Middle Ages.
A name given generally and poetically to a sword, especially to the swords of Oriental and fabled warriors.
A heavy, single-edged blade that is curved along its cutting edge.
a short broad slightly convex medieval sword with a sharp point
a fairly short, one edged sword of European origin
a sword with a curved blade
Type of curved sword which contained a short,heavy, cleaver-like blade
a single-edged, heavy-bladed sword, usually widening noticably towards the tip. A form of sword that was little more than a meat cleaver, possibly even a simple kitchen and barnyard tool adopted for war. Indeed, it may come from a French word for a sickle, "fauchon". It can be seen in Medieval art being used by warriors of all stations, especially in close quarters fighting. The weapon is entirely European in origin, and is similar to the German "dusack," and has been linked to the Dark Age long knife or "seax." The falchion was used throughout the Middle Ages, predominantly by foot soldiers, but occassionally as a side-arm for mounted knights. More common in the Renaissance, it was considered a weapon to be proficient with in addition to the sword. The falchion appeared in several forms, but mostly all forms have a single edge and rounded point or "clipped" point. This wide, heavy blade was weighted more towards the point, and could deliver tremendous blows, making it ideal for combating heavy armours.
1. Short, heavy, broad-bladed sword with a single edge, bearing a similarity to a heavy scimitar. 2. Short, curved single-edged sword with a broad blade.
Broad-bladed cutting weapon. (Prestwich, Michael. Armies and Warfare in the Middle Ages: The English Experience, 347) Short, curved single-edged sword with a broad blade, used for cleaving blows. (Wise, Terence. Medieval Warfare, 248)
This type of sword was mainly used during the Middle Ages; it was a single edged small, broad sword, similar to a machete.
A falchion (pronounced fal-shun) is a medieval one-handed, primarily single-edged sword of European origin, whose design is reminiscent of the Persian scimitar and the Chinese broadsword. The weapon combined the weight and power of an axe with the versatility of a sword. Falchions are found in different forms from around the 11th century up to and including the 16th century.
