| Jeanry Chandler wrote: | ||
First, my compliments to all posters, this is an interesting and informative thread. Second, I thnk the dopplehander or zweihander seems to be a swiss invention, actually, which arguably isn't necessarily the same thing as german or even germanic. (at least according to my swiss aunt) Third, while the British did not use dopplehanders, they were hardly unknown in the British isles. The infamous half celtic, half norse Gallowglass mercenaries, having served on the Continent, brought dopplehanders back with them to Ireland and Scotland. They played a major role in the campaigns of Robert the Bruce among many others, and were known as specialists in the use of what were essentially dopplehanders: six foot two handed greatswords, albiet with a few unique design features such as ring-pommels. There is a famous Albrecht Durer illustration of Gallowglass with two such weapons. The larger 'claymores' were developments of these weapons, and some of them were larger than any greatswor JR |
The larger claymores weren't developments of these but rather were these weapons. Blade lengths were typically in the range of great swords, though with longer hilts. Six footers are rare. Additionally they were rarely used among pikes or to break them as pike formations were not a staple of highland warfare. My point of trying to stick to German examples is simply the nature of the thread as the initial question was about zweihanders and pike formations