Espada ropera
Encyclopedia
Classification Sword
Time Period ca. 1450 - 1650
Avg. Length 44" (111.8 cm)
Avg. Weight 2 lbs. (0.9 kg)
Blade Type Narrow, double-edged, tapered
Hilt Type One-handed swept, with pommel


The espada ropera was a sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...

 developed in the mid-15th century in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

. The name referred to swords worn by civilians, as opposed for those meant for battlefield use. Compared to earlier swords, the espada ropera was lighter, thinner, and more ornate. It was first mentioned in an inventory of Don Álvaro de Zúñiga in 1468.

Overview

The espada ropera (lit. "dress sword") was the forerunner of, and in Spain a contemporary of, the rapier
Rapier
A rapier is a slender, sharply pointed sword, ideally used for thrusting attacks, used mainly in Early Modern Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries.-Description:...

.
The French term éspée rapière is a derivative of espada ropera.
The espada ropera distinguishes itself from the rapier in that its blade
Blade
A blade is that portion of a tool, weapon, or machine with a cutting edge and/or a pointed tip that is designed to cut and/or puncture, stab, slash, chop, slice, thrust, or scrape animate or inanimate surfaces or materials...

, though thin, could be used to make effective cuts. Modern tests have shown it capable of cutting cleanly through a pig. These swords were manufactured in Toledo
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...

.

It is a sword that stands between a Baroque period rapier and a late medieval arming sword
Arming sword
The arming sword is the single handed cruciform sword of the High Middle Ages, in common use between ca. 1000 and 1500, possibly remaining in rare use into the 16th century...

 and it is also considered to be the starting point of the light-blade lineage. The espada ropera has a cross-guard and despite the fact that the sword is narrowed it maintains an effective cutting edge.

Dimensions

In comparison with other swords of the 15th century, the espada ropera is a narrow and long sword. They have a weight of 2 to 3 lb (0.90718474 to 1.4 kg), a blade width of about 3 to 5 cm (1.2 to 2 in), and a blade length of 80 to 130 cm (31.5 to 51.2 in).

Origins

According to Claude Blair, the etymology
Etymology
Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during...

 of the term "espada ropera" probably comes from the , which means "wearing"; or it may also be the word , which means "to scratch". This is why experts consider the espada ropera to be more a clothing accessory than a weapon. Although its country of origin is Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

, the name was used through Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

.

Although not in fashion during the Middle Ages, the wearing of swords became very popular in Europe during the 15th century.

In The Book of the Sword by Richard Francis Burton
Richard Francis Burton
Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton KCMG FRGS was a British geographer, explorer, translator, writer, soldier, orientalist, cartographer, ethnologist, spy, linguist, poet, fencer and diplomat. He was known for his travels and explorations within Asia, Africa and the Americas as well as his...

, the origins of the espada ropera are traced from prehistoric time through the formation of the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....

. The author concludes that the thrusting ability of the espada ropera made it advantageous over cutting swords when engaged in on-one-one combat. It may have been used on the battlefield for that purpose only; otherwise, the espada ropera was used exclusively as a dueling weapon.
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