The knightly sword develops in the 11th century from the Viking Age sword.

The most evident morphological development is the appearance of the crossguard.
The transitional swords of the 11th century are also known as Norman swords.

Already in the 10th century, some of the "finest and most elegant" of the Ulfberht type of "Viking" (actually Carolingian/Frankish) swords began to exhibit a more slender blade geometry, moving the center of mass closer to the hilt to improve wieldability.

The one-handed sword of the high medieval period was typically used with a shield or buckler.

In the late medieval period, when the longsword came to predominate, the single-handed sword was retained as a common sidearm, especially of the estoc type, and came to be referred to as an "arming sword", later evolving into the cut and thrust swords of the Renaissance.

At the end of the medieval period, the estoc arming sword develops into the Spanish espada ropera and the Italian spada da lato, the predecessors of the early modern rapier.

In a separate development, the schiavona was a heavier single-handed sword used by the  Dalmatian bodyguard of the Doge of Venice in the 16th century.
This type influenced the development of the early modern basket-hilted sword which in turn developed into the modern (Napoleonic era) cavalry sword.
The knightly sword develops in the 11th century from the Viking Age sword.
The most evident morphological development is the appearance of the crossguard. The transitional swords of the 11th century are also known as Norman swords.
Already in the 10th century, some of the "finest and most elegant" of the Ulfberht type of "Viking" (actually Carolingian/Frankish) swords began to exhibit a more slender blade geometry, moving the center of mass closer to the hilt to improve wieldability.
The one-handed sword of the high medieval period was typically used with a shield or buckler.
In the late medieval period, when the longsword came to predominate, the single-handed sword was retained as a common sidearm, especially of the estoc type, and came to be referred to as an "arming sword", later evolving into the cut and thrust swords of the Renaissance.
At the end of the medieval period, the estoc arming sword develops into the Spanish espada ropera and the Italian spada da lato, the predecessors of the early modern rapier.
In a separate development, the schiavona was a heavier single-handed sword used by the  Dalmatian bodyguard of the Doge of Venice in the 16th century. This type influenced the development of the early modern basket-hilted sword which in turn developed into the modern (Napoleonic era) cavalry sword.
Knightly sword