The Battle of Hastings, fought on the 14th of October, 1066, shaped the future of Medieval England. If Harold could hold out on Senlac Hill, William would have had great difficulties sustaining his campaign and securing his supply lines or retreat. If William won, he would have control of the only proper road to London – the heart of the English kingdom. The incline from the bottom of the hill to the top is reasonably steep and, though Norman soldiers of the time would have been fit and strong, the climb would still have been tiring in the best of circumstances — in a battle, it would have been a distinct disadvantage. In the end, however, the superior position was not enough to spell victory for the Anglo-Saxon king and instead it fell to the brilliant and ruthless William.
Though this type of sword would have seen use on both sides of this conflict, the simple cruciform design is more strongly associated with the Norman knights. Many swords of this type are represented in the Bayeux Tapestry. They are cousins of their Viking age predecessors but are generally of greater length. Most of these swords are found in the high medieval period and we have chosen to recreate two swords that could be contemporary to the Battle of Hastings or still be in use a century later. These weapons are simple in outline but have a strong character nonetheless. This is difficult to appreciate from pictures alone.
When handling original swords of this type one is impressed by a surprisingly good balance, despite them having long blades and short hilts. It is obvious they were meant to be used together with a shield and often from horseback. Their reach is long and they deliver powerful blows with little effort. This sword is a good example of the swords used by Norman warriors and their contemporaries — not ostentatious, yet brutally efficient like the warriors who bore them.
The Senlac has a hand ground high carbon steel blade is tempered for flexibility and edge retention. The crossguard and pommel are cast from mild steel. The grip is stabilized birch wood, cord-wrapped and fitted over with tight leather.
The sword grip comes in a selection of colors, please select an option below.
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