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A rapier is a relatively slender, sharply pointed sword, used mainly for thrusting attacks, in use in Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Contents 1 Description 2 Parts of the Sword 3 History 4 Historical schools of rapier fencing 4.1 Italian 4.2 Spanish 4.3 French 5 Present day 5.1 The classical fencing tradition 5.2 Other traditions 5.3 Popular culture and entertainment 5.4 More information 5.5 Schools 6 External links

Rapier generally refers to a relatively long-bladed sword characterized by a complex hilt which is constructed to provide protection for the hand wielding it. While the blade might be broad enough to cut to some degree, the strength of the rapier is its ability as a thrusting weapon. The blade might be sharpened along its entire length, sharpened only from the center to the tip (as described by Capoferro), or completely without a cutting edge as called "estoc" by Pallavicini, a rapier master who, in 1670 strongly advocated using a weapon with two cutting edges. A typical example would have a relatively long and slender blade of 2.5 centimetres or less in width, 1 meter or more in length and ending in a sharply pointed tip.

The term rapier generally refers to a thrusting sword with a blade longer and thinner than that of the so-called side-sword but heavier than the smallsword, an Italian dueling sword 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 (much like the espada ropera) through the high rapier period of the 17th century through the smallsword and dueling 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 a broader and shorter blade that is considered both its ancestor and contemporary.)

It is important to remember that the word "rapier" was not used by Italian, Spanish and French masters during the apogee of this weapon, the terms spada, espada and epee (or espee) being instead the norm (generic word for "sword"). Because of this as well as the great variation of late-16th and 17th century swords, some like Tom Leoni simply describe the rapier as a straight-bladed, two-edged, single-handed sword of that period which is self-sufficient in terms of both offense and defense, not requiring a companion weapon.

Blade

Capoferro defines the forte as the blade from the hilt to the middle. From the middle to the top is known as the debile (Chapter 3 verse 37). The Ricasso is that portion of the blade within the rings that extend forward from the crosspiece or quillons.

Hilt

Rapiers often had complex, sweeping hilts designed to protect the hand wielding the sword. Rings extended forward from the crosspiece. Later these rings were covered with metal plates, eventually evolving into the cup hilts of the later rapiers. A knuckle bow extended back from the crosspiece protecting the hilt which was usually wood wrapped with leather or wire. A pommel (often decorated) secured the hilt to the weapon and provided a balance to the long blade.

The rapier began to develop around 1500 as the Spanish espada ropera, or "dress sword" (citation needed). The espada ropera 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, however, a variety of new, single-handed civilian weapons were being developed, including the German Rappier, another cut-and-thrust weapon used for sportive fencing, as described in Joachim Meyer's Fechtbuch of 1570. Nevertheless, 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 and Ridolfo Capoferro.

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 the duelling use to which it was put.

By the year 1700, the rapier had been replaced by the lighter smallsword throughout most of Europe.

The etymology of the word rapier is uncertain. Charles du Fresne, sieur du Cange uses the word Rapparia in 1484 to describe an espée in his Glossarium mediae et infimae Latinitatis. He proposes that the origin of the word may stem from the Greek ραπίξειν, to cut. However, Walter William Skeat suggests that "rapiér" may derive from raspiére, a poker, and that this may be a contemptuous term developed by older cut-and-thrust fencers for the new weapon. The most probable root of this term, however, appear to be from the Spanish ropera that cames from ropa, or elegant dress, thus a "dress Sword".

Bell guard, a Spanish fashion

Wire hilt, a German fashion

Wire hilt, a German fashion

Pappenheimer, a German innovation

Main articles: Italian school of swordsmanship and Dardi school

• Antonio Manciolino, Opera Nova per Imparare a Combattere, & Schermire d'ogni sorte Armi - 1531
• Achille Marozzo, Opera Nova Chiamata Duello, O Vero Fiore dell'Armi de Singulari Abattimenti Offensivi, & Diffensivi - 1536
• Anonimo Bolognese, L'Arte della Spada (M-345/M-346 Manuscripts) - (early or mid 1500s^[1])
• Giovanni dall'Agocchie, Dell'Arte di Scrimia - 1572
• Angelo Viggiani dal Montone, Trattato dello Schermo - 1575
• Camillo Agrippa, Trattato di Scientia d'Arme con un Dialogo di Filosofia - 1553
• Giacomo di Grassi, Ragion di Adoprar Sicuramente l'Arme si da Offesa, come da Difesa - 1570
• Marco Docciolini, Trattato in Materia di Scherma - 1601
• Salvator Fabris, De lo Schermo ovvero Scienza d'Armi - 1606
• Nicoletto Giganti, Scola overo Teatro - 1606
• Ridolfo Capo Ferro, Gran Simulacro dell'Arte e dell'Uso della Scherma - 1610
• Francesco Alfieri, La Scherma di Francesco Alfieri - 1640
• Giuseppe Morsicato Pallavicini, La Scherma Illustrata - 1670
• Francesco Antonio Marcelli, Regole della Scherma - 1686
• Bondi' di Mazo, La Spada Maestra - 1696

Main article: Destreza

• Hieronimo de Caranza, De la Philosofia de las Armas (1569).
• Don Luys Pacheco de Narvaez, Libro de las Grandezas de la Espada (1599).
• Girard Thibault, Academie de l'Espee, ou se demonstrant par Reigles mathematiques, sur le fondement Cercle Mysterieux (1628).

• Charles Bisnard (1653)
• Monsieur L'Abbat (1669)

This weapon is probably the oldest European sword for which some people claim a living tradition (as opposed to reconstruction). Note that all of these claims are yet unproven.

Classical fencing schools can claim to have inherited aspects of rapier play in their systems. Swords are common as shows of class and are very expensive.

According to Andrea Lupo Sinclair and Maestro Ramon Martinez, a direct linear rapier tradition has survived in Europe that is not connected with the classical tradition. They claim that the rapier was used in Italy and Spain as late as the first decade of the 1900s.

"Although teachers of these arts (rapier & Dagger) with living traditions are few and far between, they do exist". Traditional Fencing: A Western Martial Art by Ramon Martinez

This claim is disputed by members of ARMA [1] and by many other leaders within the Historical Fencing community, who consider this claim extremely far-fetched since neither man has publicly exhibited a lineage showing a clear and unbroken line back to a known Renaissance (or even pre-1800) rapier master, as opposed to just a foil, épée, and sabre fencer who just happens to pick up a rapier.

Maestro Sean Hayes, who has a clear, verifiable and unbroken fencing lineage that dates to the late 18th century, has written:

"As any student of European Classical Fencing, Asian Martial Arts, or any other living tradition knows, the essence of the art lives in the continued practice of it, and these details are passed on first-hand by the teachers of the arts. The further one looks back into time, the more study is required to discover what we can about the practice and implementation of these arts. There are solid theoretical and practical connections between rapier and classical fencing that have been transmitted through the centuries, but much detail is missing, because the masters who supplied that detail, sword in hand and in the sala d’armi, are long dead. Fencing lineage and the living tradition are important: they are part of a foundation of traditions, skills and philosophies from which the teacher develops his own traditions, skills and philosophies. But fencing has changed over time, and there are limits to what can be learned simply by being one in a line of several fencing masters." Sean Hayes, Preface, The Art of Dueling: Salvator Fabris' Rapier Fighting Treatise of 1606, translated by Tommaso Leoni.

• A common usage of the word is in the popular phrase "rapier wit".
• The rapier is the sword most often associated with duels of honor depicted in literature,e.g., the final scene in Hamlet, and films, such as The Three Musketeers — however, the fighting techniques in such films are usually far from authentic.
• Anthony Cumia, of the popular CBS radio and XM satellite radio show Opie and Anthony, has mentioned several times that he owns a rapier that he uses for self-defense.
• In a popular traditional Irish folk song, "Whisky in the Jar," a rapier is wielded by the highwayman to fend off an English officer.
• In the Midkemia-based novels by Raymond E. Feist, many main characters use the rapier as personal weapons. The expression "The edge is for cutting, the tip is for killing" is often cited by users of the rapier. Notable users of the weapon include, but are not limited to, Arutha conDoin, Jimmy the Hand, Arutha Jameson, and the prince Borric conDoin.
• Robert E. Howard's character of Solomon Kane, the Puritan swordsman, carries what is referred to as a rapier, though illustrations and descriptions of the weapon's usage more closely resemble the look and usage of a side-sword or European dueling sword.
• The Princess Bride's character Inigo Montoya wields a German-style rapier throughout the film.
• The famous Zorro uses a rapier in his crusade for justice in Spanish-era California.
• In the 1990's version of the game Asteroids, the rapier is the name of one of the 3 ships selectable in the beginning.

For a more detailed explanation of the primary use of the rapier-- dueling-- see European dueling sword.

• Accademia di Scherma Tradizionale, the fencing school of Andrea Lupo Sinclair.
• Academie Duello A school focusing on the rapier of Ridolpho Capoferro, the Longsword of Fiore and Italian Renaissance grappling.
• Asociación Española de Esgrima Antigua (A.E.E.A.) An historical fencing organization within Spain.
• The Association for Renaissance Martial Arts, ARMA is an educational non-profit organization dedicated to the study and practice of historical fencing and the exploration and promotion of our Western martial heritage. ARMA focuses on the interpretation and legitimate reconstruction of Medieval and Renaissance combat systems as a modern discipline.
• The Company of Cavalier Gentlemen, A school of teaching that emphasizes dueling and constant progress of technique.
• Davenriche European Martial Artes School, A school that teaches the historic use of weapons from the 15th to 19th century by instructor Steaphen Fick
• Diamond Rose Academie D'Armes An historical fencing school located in Northern California
• FISAS (Italian Historical Fencing Federation) Historical and Classical fencing federation in Italy which mainly practice rapier both in early and late systems.
• Iron Door School of Arms
• Magisterium, School of European Historical Martial Arts
• The Martinez Academy of Arms, Maestro Ramon Martinez' school.
• The Northwest Academy of Arms Maestro Sean Hayes' school teaches classical Italian fencing, Italian rapier, Italian longsword, and I.33.
• The Order of Seven Hearts, A school for researching, practicing and teaching Italian martial arts from 1500 to 1900; especially dedicated to the work of Salvator Fabris. Founded by instructor and author Tommaso Leoni.
• Sala d'Arme Achille Marozzo Ancient Fencing Art Italian Institute: an union of more than twelve school that teach all Ancient fencing Italian weapons, including rapier
• The School of European Swordsmanship, Guy Windsor's school in Finland.
• Stoccata School of Defense, the fencing school of instructor and author Stephen Hand.
• The Sussex Rapier School
• The Tattershall School of Defence, A school teaching a variety of European martial traditions founded by instructor and author William Wilson.

• Call to Arms: The Italian Rapier by Bill Grandy
• Italian Rapier--The Weapon by Tom Leoni
• Questions and Answers About the Rapier by John Clements
• The Rapier of Gustav Vasa, King of Sweden by Björn Hellqvist