hi all,
was wondering if anyone has any info on late medieval / early renaissance longswords in europe. im looking for info on there design styles use and so on. all help is appericated

Start with the features section of this website. Then ask a more specific question.

Your question is rather tremendously broad.

Cheers and enjoy!
-Steven

Hi..

I've moved this to our "historical arms talk" forum because, well, it discusses historical arms. As already suggested, the original question is much too vague to really answer...

May I specifically recomend the spotlight articles on types XV and XVIII, their various subtypes are the mainstays of longswords in the 15th century (which is pretty much the period you are after)

You can try this thread also:

http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=13123

This topic is kind of confused as it's titled "Two Handed Swords" but asks about longswords.

sorry about this i wrote down this topic rather quickly. my area of interest is in two handed swords such as claymores as i dont know the names of their European style equivalents but im interested in these two period wise im looking towards 14th to 16th century. sorry about being so vague but thats mainly why i posted this topic i know very little about these weapons as they are not im my field of study.
also any information on there use would be much appericated thanks and sorry again for being so vague.

The term " two handed sword" does not really have a strict definition but to most collectors/students of swords this term is reserved for the very large swords that appeared during the early rennaisance. These are sometimes but not always distinct from their (usually) smaller medieval predecessors, the longsword, (hand and a half sword, bastard sword, great sword, sword of war, etc.-these terms are more commonly applied to the earlier medieval swords).
The Antique Arms and Armor albums here on the forum include an album of two-handed swords which shows enough examples to get an idea what is included under this term. They are generally in excess of 60" in length, have handles of 12" or more in length, and are not always practical/functional weapons, some being mostly ceremonial and often referred to as "bearing swords" (these latter were often outside the weight range of functional swords and may weigh 15 lbs. or more).