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42-512: Swashbucklers often engage in daring and romantic adventures with bravado or flamboyance. Swashbuckler heroes are typically gentleman adventurers who dress elegantly and flamboyantly in coats, waistcoats, tight breeches, large feathered hats, and high leather boots, and they are armed with the thin rapiers that were commonly used by aristocrats Swashbucklers are not usually unrepentant brigands or pirates , although some may rise from such disreputable stations and achieve redemption. His opponent

84-638: A historical fiction genre, it is often set in the Renaissance or Cavalier era. The stock character also became common in the film genre , which extended the genre to the Golden Age of Piracy . As swashbuckler stories are often mixed with the romance genre, there will often be a beautiful, aristocratic female love interest to whom the hero expresses a refined, courtly love . At the same time, since swashbuckler plots are often based on intrigues involving corrupt religious figures or scheming monarchs,

126-403: A broader and shorter blade that is considered both its ancestor and contemporary.) Rapiers often have complex, sweeping hilts designed to protect the hand wielding the sword. Rings extend forward from the crosspiece. In some later samples, rings are covered with metal plates, eventually evolving into the cup hilts of many later rapiers. There were hardly any samples that featured plates covering

168-588: A derivation from Greek ραπίζειν (rapízein)  'to strike'. Adelung in his 1798 dictionary records a double meaning for the German verb rappieren : ' to fence with rapiers ' on one hand, and ' to rasp, grate (specifically of tobacco leaves) ' on the other. The terms used by the Spanish, Italian and French masters during the heyday of this weapon were simply the equivalent of "sword", i.e. espada , spada and épée ( espée ). When it

210-411: A fairly long and advantaged distance between the user and the opponent, and the protective hilt can deflect the opponent's blade when he or she uses rapier as well, the thrust-oriented weapon is weakened by its bated cutting power and relatively low maneuverability at a closer distance, where the opponent has safely passed the reach of the rapier's deadly point. Therefore, some close-range protection for

252-732: A first variation of the classic swashbuckler there have also been female swashbucklers. Maureen O'Hara in Against All Flags and Jean Peters in Anne of the Indies were very early action film heroines. Eventually the typical swashbuckler motifs were used up because they had so often been shown on TV screens. Later films such as The Princess Bride , the Pirates of the Caribbean series and The Mask of Zorro include modern takes on

294-611: A great company, that with very beautiful skill to the Port was withdrawn. Fencing spread throughout Western Europe and important sources for rapier fencing arose in Spain, known under the term destreza ("dexterity"), in Italy and France . The French small sword or court sword of the 18th century was a direct continuation of this tradition of fencing. Rapier fencing forms part of Historical European Martial Arts . The origin of

336-415: A thrusting sword with a blade longer and thinner than that of the so-called side-sword but much heavier than the small sword , a lighter weapon that would follow in the 18th century and later, but the exact form of the blade and hilt often depends on who is writing and when. It can refer to earlier spada da lato and the similar espada ropera , through the high rapier period of the 17th century through

378-503: A type of broadsword. While the rapier blade might be broad enough to cut to some degree (but nowhere near that of the wider swords in use around the Middle Ages such as the longsword ), it is designed to perform quick and nimble thrusting attacks. The blade might be sharpened along its entire length or sharpened only from the center to the tip (as described by Capoferro ). Pallavicini, a rapier master in 1670, strongly advocated using

420-555: A weapon with two cutting edges. A typical example would weigh 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) and have a relatively long and slender blade of 2.5 centimetres (0.98 inches) or less in width, 104 cm (41 in) or more in length and ending in a sharply pointed tip. The blade length of quite a few historical examples, particularly the Italian rapiers in the early 17th century, is well over 115 cm (45 in) and can even reach 130 cm (51 in). The term rapier generally refers to

462-436: Is also applied by archaeologists to an unrelated type of Bronze Age sword. The word "rapier" generally refers to a relatively long-bladed sword characterized by a protective hilt which is constructed to provide protection for the hand wielding the sword. Some historical rapier samples also feature a broad blade mounted on a typical rapier hilt. The term rapier can be confusing because this hybrid weapon can be categorized as

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504-566: Is little doubt that the French system of fencing can be traced, at its origin, to the ancient Italian swordsmanship; the modern Italian school being of course derived in an uninterrupted manner from the same source." Castle went on to note that "the Italians have preserved the rapier form, with cup, pas d'ane, and quillons, but with a slender quadrangular blade." William Hobbs (choreographer) William Hobbs (29 January 1939 – 10 July 2018)

546-426: Is that part of the blade closest to the hilt; in cases where a master divides the blade into an even number of parts, this is the first half of the blade. The debole , weak, is the part of the blade which includes the point and is the second half of the blade when the sword is divided into an even number of parts. However, some rapier masters divided the blade into three parts (or even a multiple of three), in which case

588-528: Is typically characterized as a dastardly villain . While the hero may face down a number of henchmen to the villain during a story, the climax is a dramatic one-on-one sword battle between the protagonist and the villain. There is a long list of swashbucklers who combine courage, skill, resourcefulness, and a distinctive sense of honor and justice, as for example Cyrano de Bergerac , The Three Musketeers , The Scarlet Pimpernel , Robin Hood , and Zorro . As

630-406: Is when the rapier began to give way to the colichemarde , which was itself later superseded by the small sword which was later superseded by the épée . Noticeably, there were some "war rapiers" that feature a relatively wide blade mounted on a typical rapier hilt during this era. These hybrid swords were used in the military, even on the battlefield. The sword carried by King Gustavus Adolphus in

672-671: The Thirty Years' War is a typical example of the "war rapier". By the year 1715, the rapier had been largely replaced by the lighter small sword throughout most of Europe, although the former continued to be used, as evidenced by the treatises of Donald McBane (1728), P. J. F. Girard (1736) and Domenico Angelo (1787). The rapier is still used today by officers of the Swiss Guard of the pope. Classical fencing schools claim to have inherited aspects of rapier forms in their systems. In 1885, fencing scholar Egerton Castle wrote "there

714-433: The arming sword . Capo Ferro 's Gran Simulacro depicts use of the weapon with the rotella, which is a significantly bigger shield compared with the buckler. Nevertheless, using rapier with its parrying dagger is the most common practice, and it has been arguably considered as the most suited and effective accompanying weapon for the rapier. Even though the slender blade of rapier enables the user to launch quick attack at

756-586: The chivalry tales of Medieval Europe, such as the legends of Robin Hood and King Arthur . It soon created its own drafts based on classic examples like The Mark of Zorro (1920) , The Three Musketeers (1921) , Scaramouche (1923) and The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934) . Some films did also use motifs of pirate stories. Often these films were adaptations of classic historic novels published by well-known authors such as Alexandre Dumas , Rafael Sabatini , Baroness Emma Orczy , Sir Walter Scott , Johnston McCulley , and Edmond Rostand . Swashbucklers are one of

798-488: The English word "rapier" generally refers to a primarily thrusting weapon, developed by the year 1600 as a result of the geometrical theories of such masters as Camillo Agrippa , Ridolfo Capo Ferro , and Vincentio Saviolo . The rapier became extremely fashionable throughout Europe with the wealthier classes, but was not without its detractors. Some people, such as George Silver , disapproved of its technical potential and

840-400: The ability is unclear, with suggestions including trying to gain the advantage of surprise in a duel or an attempt to get around laws limiting weapon length. Rapiers are single-handed weapons and they were often employed with off-hand bucklers , daggers , cloaks and even second swords to assist with defense. A buckler is a small round shield that was used with other blades as well, such as

882-427: The central third of the blade, between the forte and the debole, was often called the medio, mezzo or the terzo. Others used four divisions (Fabris) or even 12 (Thibault). The ricasso is the rear portion of the blade, usually unsharpened. It extends forward from the crosspiece or quillion and then gradually integrates into the thinner and sharper portion of the blade. There was historical disagreement over how long

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924-428: The chance to present their accordant skills on the screen. Since silent movies were no proper medium for long dialogues, the classic stories about heroes who would defend their honour with sword in hand were simplified and sheer action would gain priority. This was the birth of a new kind of film hero: the swashbuckler. For Hollywood actors to depict these skilled sword fighters, they needed advanced sword training. Four of

966-423: The dueling use to which it was put. Allowing for fast reactions, and with a long reach, the rapier was well suited to civilian combat in the 16th and 17th centuries. As military-style cutting and thrusting swords continued to evolve to meet needs on the battlefield, the rapier continued to evolve to meet the needs of civilian combat and decorum, eventually becoming lighter, shorter and less cumbersome to wear. This

1008-503: The following: Actors notable for their portrayals of swashbucklers include: Fiction writers whose novels and stories have been adapted for swashbuckler films include: Rapier A rapier ( / ˈ r eɪ p i ər / ) or espada ropera ( ' dress sword ' ) is a type of sword originally used in Spain The name designates a sword with a straight, slender and sharply pointed two-edged long blade wielded in one hand. It

1050-420: The heroes may be tempted by alluring femmes fatales or vampish courtesans. "Swashbuckler" is a compound of "swash" (archaic: to swagger with a drawn sword) and " buckler " (a small shield gripped in the fist) dating from the 16th century . While man-at-arms and sellswords of the era usually wore armor of necessity, their counterparts in later romantic literature and film (see below) often did not, and

1092-505: The historical novel, particularly those of Sir Walter Scott , "... medieval tales of chivalry, love and adventure rediscovered in the eighteenth century". This type of historical novel was further developed by Alexandre Dumas . John Galsworthy said of Robert Louis Stevenson 's 1888 swashbuckling romance, The Black Arrow , that it was "a livelier picture of medieval times than I remember elsewhere in fiction." Anthony Hope 's 1894 The Prisoner of Zenda initiated an additional subset of

1134-406: The ideal rapier should be, with some masters, such as Thibault, denigrating those who recommended longer blades; Thibault's own recommended length was such that the cross of the sword be level with the navel (belly button) when standing naturally with the point resting on the ground. A small number of rapiers with extending blades were made, of which four survive in modern collections. The purpose of

1176-418: The mid-16th century, for a light, long, pointed two-edged sword. It is a loan from Middle French espee rapiere , first recorded in 1474, a nickname meaning ' grater ' . The 16th-century German rappier described what was considered a foreign weapon, imported from Spain, Italy, and France. Du Cange in his Middle Latin dictionary cites a form Rapperia from a Latin text of 1511. He envisages

1218-479: The most famous instructors for swashbuckling swordplay are William Hobbs , Anthony De Longis , Bob Anderson and Peter Diamond . The larger-than-life heroics portrayed in some film franchise adventures (most notably the Indiana Jones movies) set in the modern era have been described as swashbuckling. The genre has, apart from swordplay, always been characterized by influences that can be traced back to

1260-465: The most flamboyant Hollywood film genres, unlike cinema verite or modern realistic filmmaking. The genre attracted large audiences who relished the blend of escapist adventure, historic romance, and daring stunts in cinemas before it became a fixture on TV screens. With the focus on action, adventure, and, to a lesser degree, romance, there is little concern for historical accuracy. Filmmakers may mix incidents and events from different historical eras. As

1302-421: The name 'rapier' is Spanish. Its name is a "derisive" description of the Spanish term ropera . The Spanish term refers to a sword used with clothes ( espada ropera , ' dress sword ' ), due to it being used as an accessory for clothing, usually for fashion and as a self-defense weapon. The English term "rapier" comes from the French rapière and appears both in English and German, near-simultaneously, in

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1344-407: The rings prior to the 1600s. Many hilts include a knuckle bow extending down from the crosspiece protecting the grip, which was usually wood wrapped with cord, leather or wire. A large pommel (often decorated) secures the hilt to the weapon and provides some weight to balance the long blade. Various rapier masters divided the blade into two, three, four, five or even nine parts. The forte , strong,

1386-416: The small sword and duelling swords; thus context is important in understanding what is meant by the word. (The term side-sword, used among some modern historical martial arts reconstructionists , is a translation from the Italian spada da lato —a term coined long after the fact by Italian museum curators—and does not refer to the slender, long rapier, but only to the early 16th-century Italian sword with

1428-566: The swashbuckler archetype. Television followed the films, especially in the UK, with The Adventures of Robin Hood , Sword of Freedom , The Buccaneers , and Willam Tell between 1955 and 1960. US TV produced two series of Zorro in 1957 and 1990 . Following the 1998 film The Mask of Zorro , a TV series about a female swashbuckler, the Queen of Swords , aired in 2000. Famous swashbuckler characters from literature and other media include

1470-607: The swashbuckling novel, the Ruritanian romance . The perceived significant and widespread role of swordsmanship in civilian society as well as warfare in the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods led to fencing being performed on theatre stages as part of plays. Soon actors were taught to fence in an entertaining, dramatic manner. Eventually fencing became an established part of a classical formation for actors. Consequently, when movie theaters mushroomed, ambitious actors took

1512-659: The term evolved to denote a daring, devil-may-care demeanor rather than brandishment of accoutrements of war. Swashbuckling adventures and romances are generally set in Europe from the late Renaissance up through the Age of Reason and the Napoleonic Wars , extending into the colonial era with pirate tales in the Caribbean . Jeffrey Richards traces the swashbuckling novel to the rise of Romanticism , and an outgrowth of

1554-582: The theatre. He later returned to the UK and studied for three years at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama . He worked on community enterprises, being the co-owner of the Swash and Buckle Fencing Club (established initially for Equity members), and was a founder of the Actors' Centre in 1978. Gene Wilder accepted the patronage of Swash and Buckle, a friendship formed during Hobbs' work on

1596-410: The user needs to be ensured if the user intends to use the rapier in an optimal way, especially when the opponent uses some slash-oriented sword like a sabre or a broadsword . A parrying dagger not only enables the users to defend in this scenario in which the rapier is not very good at protecting the user, but also enables them to attack in such close distance. The espada ropera of the 16th century

1638-644: Was a choreographer of stage combat . Born in Hampstead , London , he arranged scenes of cinematic fencing from the 1960s to the 2000s as well as working in theatre productions. Hobbs was born in 1939 in Hampstead , London, the son of Kenneth and Joan (née Kerlindsay). His father was an RAF Lancaster bomber pilot who was killed in 1942 during a raid on Germany. Six years later, Hobbs moved to Australia with his mother and his aunt Lesley. While at school in Australia, Hobbs developed interests in fencing and

1680-476: Was a cut-and-thrust civilian weapon for self-defense and the duel , while earlier weapons were equally at home on the battlefield. Throughout the 16th century, a variety of new, single-handed civilian weapons were being developed. In 1570, the Italian master Rocco Bonetti first settled in England advocating the use of the rapier for thrusting as opposed to cutting or slashing when engaged in a duel. Nevertheless,

1722-409: Was necessary to specify the type of sword the Spanish used espada ropera . The name was registered for the first time in las Coplas de la panadera, by Juan de Mena, written between 1445 and 1450 approximately. Clements (1997) categorizes thrusting swords with poor cutting abilities as rapiers, and swords with both good thrusting and cutting abilities as cut-and-thrust swords . The term "rapier"

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1764-758: Was widely popular in Western Europe throughout the 16th and 17th centuries as a symbol of nobility or gentleman status. It is called espada ropera because it was carried as an accessory to clothing, generally used for fashion and as a weapon for dueling , self-defense and as a military side arm . Its name is of Spanish origin and appears recorded for the first time in the Coplas de la panadera , by Juan de Mena , written approximately between 1445 and 1450: Say, baker. A Wednesday that left Prince Enrique to look for some good bite for his espada ropera , he left without another wait from Olmedo such

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