The flamberge, also known as a flamberg (German: → flamme → “flame” → flamberge), is a kind of wavy (flame-bladed) sword, often designed as a two-handed (sometimes one-handed or hand-and-a-half) edged weapon. In the 15th and 17th centuries, the flamberge sword was widely used across Europe, particularly in Switzerland and Germany. The Swiss Guard at the Vatican still uses ceremonial two-handed polearms (called the partisan weapon) along with the flamberge sword.
Design of the Flamberge Sword
The blade of the flamberge sword was curved in wavy patterns. Most flamberge swords used in battle were only undulated for two-thirds of their length. The tip of the blade often remained straight, so it could still chop and stab like a regular sword.
This was true even for two-handed versions, which would normally require much practice and impact force. The whole length of the sword was sharpened, and the “flames” were diluted ever-so-slightly so that they cut like a saw.
The flamberge often had a little wavy guard in front of the main guard, which functioned to intercept the enemy’s sword and protect the warrior’s hands. The standard mounting angle was 45 degrees, which dramatically amplified its effect.
A ricasso (an unsharpened part of the sword) was placed in the space just between the two guards for greater grip strength with the use of the index fingers. All flamberge swords came with blades undulating like a flame.
The Advantage of the Flamberge Sword
The flamberge swords were advantageous because their blades significantly reduced the striking surface upon contact with the target, which was a major benefit over traditional sword designs. In other words, the sword’s weight and the blade’s curves greatly increased the destructive effect per unit area.
The concentrated force of the wavy blade’s impact made the curved edge superior for cutting. Particularly, the flamberge sword took advantage of a curved blade and merged it with the more conventional European straight sword.
The wavy blade of the flamberge sword allowed the projecting parts to break through hard objects more easily, such as armors. When the sword made contact with the target, the projecting parts would hit first, making it easier to penetrate the surface. Additionally, the unique design of the blade resulted in a noticeable saw effect on the surface being cut, especially on the reverse stroke.
When used to stab an opponent, a flamberge sword was far more effective than a traditional sword. Flamberge wounds always healed worse than conventional swords because of the unusual shape of the blade, which was literally against most types of wounds in nature.
The “waves” created a lacerated wound with multiple parallel incisions as they passed repeatedly through the victim’s body.
The flamberge swords were incredibly lethal weapons, to the extent that in many armies it became customary to immediately retaliate against any prisoner found with a flamberge sword. Therefore, using a flamberge sword in battle could be as lethal as defending against it.
The “waves” created a lacerated wound with multiple parallel incisions as they passed repeatedly through the victim’s body, which, given the unsanitary conditions of the military field and the state of medieval medicine at the time, nearly invariably got inflamed and caused gangrene that made the flamberge sword twice as deadly.
This effect was active up to the end of the sharpened wavy blade, which was around a third of the wound’s breadth. Furthermore, these characteristics were more pronounced when the flamberge’s wave proportions were higher.
For the same reasons, a stab wound from a flamberge was often quite broad. The effective breadth of the wound was 1.5–2 times the width of the blade, which was equivalent to the distance between the extreme points of the waves.
Furthermore, the wavy shape of the flamberge made it less likely to get stuck between the ribs of the victim. Because the wavy blade naturally found the path of least resistance. Although this property almost disappeared when holding the sword firmly.
Flamberge also provided a lot of benefits while defending, since the attacker’s blade would stay on the waves longer than conventional swords after being repelled.
The Drawbacks of the Flamberge
However, the flamberge sword was not without its drawbacks. For instance, the flamberge was less durable and heavier than a conventional sword. Because its relatively narrow profile necessitated a larger blade. A two-handed flamberge like the one above from Toledo weighed 8.5 lbs (3.86 kg).
Blades having an undulated pattern were more likely to shatter upon application or reflection of force since the metal was stressed in many zones (one for each half-wave).
Another factor reducing the flamberge sword’s longevity was the fact that at negative half-waves, the blade’s hardened edge operated in tension to a higher degree than it did on straight or slightly curved swords.
The makers of flamberges experimented with several methods of blade hardening to help the weapons last longer in combat. For instance, it has been observed that certain flamberges include hardening only for the cutting edge with varying degrees of surface carburizing.
In this scenario, the load distribution was better suited to bearing shock and vibration. Flamberges produced from the same metal still required distinct tempering techniques since they were effectively one-of-a-kind weapons with the varied shapes of their waves. Every flamberge was essentially a custom-made weapon.
As a result, flamberge swords were notoriously difficult to produce, had stringent quality control standards, were expensive, and saw very low volumes of usage.
The Use of Flamberge Swords
Mercenary infantry such as the condottieri and landsknechts who joined the battlefield towards the end of the 15th century were instrumental in spreading flamberge swords. They usually carried zweihänder swords (German “two-hander”), and some of them had undulating blades and were called flammenschwert, or flame-bladed swords.
Flamberge swords were relatively uncommon owing to their exorbitant price, but their value was immediately recognized. The Thirty Years’ War saw a surge in demand for flamberge swords.
Flamberge swords were still used in battle far into the 17th century, even after straight two-handed swords had fallen out of favor.
Some flamberge swords were created just for use in ceremonies. The blades of such swords often consisted of a single piece of metal that had not been properly hardened and was undulating all the way down its length.
Research into these blades has long supported the idea that flamberge swords were never intended for use in battle. Drawing comparisons between flamberge swords and the flaming weapon used by the Archangel Michael served as inspiration for this theory. Later research on flame-bladed swords, however, disproved this theory.
The End of Flamberges
Two-handed swords, used for fencing in the close combat of medieval times, went out of style as firearms became more widely available in the 17th century and plate armor became obsolete. Even though flamberge swords were extinct, the wavy blade style lived on in the flame-bladed sword.
This flame-bladed sword retained almost all of the benefits of the flamberge. These were the ability to slice through armored clothing and flesh without becoming trapped in the body, and the ability to better deflect an attacker’s weapon.
However, the flame-bladed sword provided an additional benefit: The design of the sword made it possible to stop the opponent’s sword and then grab it with leather gloves to strike the opponent without the person being able to parry. However, the use of a flame-bladed sword still made serious injuries likely.
As time went on, the flame-bladed sword became the standard for contract killers and professional duelists.
But because of their complexity and great cost, the flame-bladed swords were never mass-produced. The use of flame-bladed swords lasted until the early 18th century, when it eventually died out.
Weapons Similar to Flamberge
Flamberge Rapier
Swords of the Renaissance era included the flamberge rapier. The sword was inspired by the Spanish espada ropera, which was the preferred weapon of the upper class in the 16th and 17th centuries.
During the Renaissance era, one of the most notable swords was the flamberge rapier, which drew inspiration from the Spanish espada ropera sword. This particular sword (which also had a slightly wavy blade) was favored by the upper class in the 16th-17th centuries.
Despite its more common associations with dueling and style, the European military made extensive use of the flamberge rapier.
The blade of the flamberge rapier is shaped like a raging flame and is made of high-carbon steel. The hilt is made of steel, while the handle is often made of wood wrapped in leather and topped with twisted copper wire.
Flamberge Zweihander
During the late 15th century, mercenary infantry played a crucial role in the proliferation of flamberge swords, including condottieri and landsknechts. These soldiers often wielded zweihänder swords, known as “two-handers” in German, with some even using flammenschwert, or flame-bladed swords, which featured undulating blades like a flamberge.
Flamberge Dagger
In order to provide a more secure grasp when used in conjunction with a rapier, the flamberge dagger has been outfitted with a side ring, recurved quillons, and a depression at the base of one side of the blade.
The waves on the flamberge dagger’s blade allow it to absorb some of the force of a strike from an adversary’s blade. The piercing on the fullers (the grooves) is a design element.
The flamberge dagger was held in the left hand, with the sword held in the right. It is around 0.94 lbs (425 g). The blade was forged between 1550 and 1575.
Basket-Hilted Flamberge Sword
When this basket-hilted flamberge sword was made between 1625 and 1650, its inscription read, “I fight for the Fatherland.” This sword is from Portugal, and it has a one-handed design. There are not many flamberges with cross-shaped guards, let alone basket hilts. So, they are rare.
Moving on, the Metropolitan Museum of Art has another type of this sword on display (below). The blade is silver and ornamented in the English style with other elements of steel and wood.
It is dated to the year 1662, and the portrait on the hilt is believed to show the recently killed King Charles I in 1649. Swords with English hilts like this are known as “funeral swords”.
Johannes Wundes the Younger produced this basket-hilted flamberge sword. He was from Germany (Solingen) and was active in the mid-17th century.
Kris Sword
Also known as the Malay kris, the kris sword likewise has a wavy blade. The weapon has gained popularity across Southeast Asia and is conceptually very similar to the flamberge. Traditional ceremonial daggers of this kind continue to be produced today. The one above is from the 18th–19th centuries of Madurese culture in Madura, Jawa Timur. It is 18.4 inches (46.7 cm) in length.
Hand-and-a-Half Flamberge Sword
Hand-and-a-half swords are a hybrid between one-handed and two-handed swords. When it comes to swords with flamberge blades, this type of design is not unheard of. There are examples of hand-and-a-half flamberge swords in a wide range of public and private collections. This one was produced in the 1570s by a German or Swiss weaponsmith.
Swords with incised grooves at the base of the blade, on the unsharpened part (“ricasso”), always belong to the XIX type in the Oakeshott typology.
Spadone With a Flamberge Blade
Just like a few other examples, there are types of swords that are converted into flamberge swords with special sharpening. Spadone (an Italian longsword) is one of them. As we already see, a flame-bladed or wave-bladed weapon can be in any shape, and the flamberge is one example.
Spadone is longer than longswords but lighter than greatswords. It is of Italian origin, and its blade, grip, and pommel are all longer than a greatsword. It has ricasso quillons, which are two small spikes set a hand’s length from the crossbar.
Messer Sword with a Flamberge Blade
Flamberge swords came in both straight and curved varieties. The Germanic Landsknecht mercenaries used two-handed sabers called “gross messers,” like the one seen here.
The placement of the teeth on the saber’s blade reveals its method of sharpening. From the looks of it, this particular gross messer has been sharpened to a one and a half. That is, about a quarter of the blade’s lethality comes from its opposite side.
History of the Flamberge Sword
The emergence of flame-bladed swords like the flamberge was contingent on a variety of factors. The crusader knights learned to use sabers, curved-blade weapons common in North Africa and the Holy Land, as early as the period of the first crusades, at the end of the 11th century.
A light Mongolian saber—also known as the Turko-Mongol saber—made its way to Europe at the time of Genghis Khan’s expeditions, about the middle of the 13th century. Additionally, it was discovered that curved swords of the same weight outperformed straight swords in terms of striking power. However, curved-bladed cold weapons were rarely used by Europeans.
There were a few different factors at play here. To begin with, a heavy slicing sword had more impact strength than a light saber, and superior-grade steel armor was almost impenetrable to sabers.
It was also impossible for European weaponsmiths to create a saber with the same impact strength as a heavy sword, despite their best efforts. Because the sword’s original strength was drastically diminishing. Turkish weaponsmiths found a partial solution by adding a large yalman (or yelman)—the upper part of the saber near the tip—to their kilij and pala swords.
In addition, the Western European fencing school had begun to include piercing skills, for which the saber was far less suited than the sword. The fact that many confrontations took place in narrow places (the streets of towns, residences, and castles) further contributed to the saber’s decline in popularity.
The chopping sword was rendered almost worthless.
It was not until the development of metallurgy and the knightly armors in the 14th through 16th centuries that a chopping sword was rendered almost worthless on the battlefield. Three to five chopping strikes were necessary to break through the armor, and this was only conceivable in a one-on-one conflict.
The situation became dire enough that weaponsmiths started looking for alternatives. For instance, this may be seen in the development of “armor-piercing” swords like the estoc (known as panzerstecher or “tank breaker” in German), as well as the koncerz sword of Polish-Lithuanians.
At this time, the use of armor-piercing axes like the horseman’s pick proliferated across Europe and Asia. Spears and other shock-crushing weapons became more prominent in battles against armed soldiers.
They kept coming back to the concept of a curved sword, and the flamberge sword emerged.
Even though horseman’s picks were still in use, sovnya and bear spears were the weapons of choice for Russian warriors when facing heavily armed knights or other opponents with superior weaponry. Another weapon of choice was the pernach mace for its high hit rate.
The Taborites—a religious Hussite movement in the Czech Republic—used battle flails to defeat the opponent knights. Therefore, they kept coming back to the concept of a curved sword. The messer sword was specifically one such weapon.
At the end of the 15th century, the concept of using multiple bends to create a flame-shaped (or wave-shaped) sword emerged. However, it wasn’t until the middle of the 16th century in Germany (likely in the southern region) that blades in the shape of the flamberge sword appeared as a legitimate military weapon.
Flamberge Sword in Popular Culture
- Flamberge Kirby (video game): Flamberge, also known as the Blazing General and the Bringer of Flame, is a minor adversary who appeared in the Kirby Star Allies video game from Nintendo. In combat, she wields a flamberge sword.
- Dom Manuel (novel): The protagonist of James Branch Cabell’s Biography of the Life of Manuel (1901–1929) novel series is depicted with the flamberge sword.
- Prince Valiant (comic strip): Prince Valiant uses his mighty Singing Sword to battle the Huns; a witch in a 1939 comic identifies it as the famous Flamberge, a magical sword presumably crafted by the same enchanter who fashioned Excalibur.
- Elden Ring (video game): The beloved video game, which features 308 weapons, also features the flamberge sword with the description, “Greatsword featuring a flame-like undulation, Shreds enemy flesh, inducing blood loss.“
Flamberge Sword at a Glance
What is a flamberge sword?
A flamberge sword is a type of sword with a wavy, flame-shaped blade, designed as a two-handed edged weapon, sometimes used one-handed or hand-and-a-half. It was widely used in Europe, especially in Switzerland and Germany, during the 15th and 17th centuries.
What advantages did a flamberge sword have over traditional swords?
The flamberge sword was advantageous because its blade significantly reduced the striking surface upon contact with the target. The concentrated force of the wavy blade’s impact made the curved edge superior for cutting, while the waves were more likely to break through armor and other tough objects. When used to stab an opponent, a flamberge sword was far more effective than a traditional sword, and wounds from a flamberge sword always healed worse than conventional swords because of the unusual sharpening of the blade.
What were the drawbacks of the flamberge sword?
The flamberge sword was less durable and heavier than a conventional sword. Blades having an undulated pattern were more likely to shatter upon application or reflection of force since the metal was stressed in many zones (one for each half-wave). At negative half-waves, the blade’s hardened edge operated in tension to a higher degree than usual.
What were flamberge swords used for, and when did they go out of style?
Mercenary infantry, such as condottieri and landsknechts, used flamberge swords in the late 15th century. They were known for their undulating, “flame-bladed” design, and were used in battle for their ability to slice through armored clothing and flesh without becoming trapped in the body, and their ability to better deflect an attacker’s weapon. Flamberge swords were relatively uncommon owing to their exorbitant price, but their value was immediately recognized. The Thirty Years’ War saw a surge in demand for flamberge swords. Flamberge swords were still used in battle far into the 17th century, even after straight two-handed swords had fallen out of favor. The flamberge sword went out of style as firearms became more widely available in the 17th century and plate armor became obsolete.
What is a flamberge rapier?
The flamberge rapier was a sword that was favored by the upper class in the 16th-17th centuries. The blade of the flamberge rapier is shaped like a raging flame and is made of high-carbon steel. Despite its more common associations with dueling and style, the European military made extensive use of the flamberge rapier. The hilt is made of steel, while the handle is often made of wood wrapped in leather and topped with twisted copper wire. It drew inspiration from the Spanish espada ropera sword, which was the preferred weapon of the upper class in the 16th and 17th centuries.
References
- The Book of the Sword, by Richard F. Burton — A Project Gutenberg eBook
- The Sword in the Age of Chivalry – Ewart Oakeshott — Google Books
