As you know, coming to Russia with a sword is fraught with death from such a weapon. Indeed, the Russian army possessed a large number of swords and, with their help, repeatedly met enemies. The first swords appeared with her no later than the 9th century, and quite quickly such samples became widespread, becoming one of the main weapons of the infantry and cavalry. Swords served for several centuries, after which they gave way to newer and more progressive bladed weapons.
The history of the sword
Traditionally, the history of swords in Russia is divided into two main periods. The second begins in the 9th century. and covers the first half of the 10th century. The oldest archaeological finds in the lands of the Eastern Slavs belong to this period. It is believed that by the 9th-10th centuries. swords managed to become widespread in other parts of Europe, and soon found their way to our lands, where they were appreciated.
The first swords in Russia belonged to the so-called. Carolingian type. Such weapons were found in various graves in different regions, mainly near the centers of political and economic life. To date, more than a hundred swords of the first period have been discovered and studied.
In the X-XI centuries. there was a gradual suppression of the Carolingian sword. It was replaced by a sword of the Romanesque or Capetian type. Similar weapons are found in burials and the cultural layer from the 10th to the 13th centuries. It is curious that swords of the second period, despite its long duration, have survived in smaller quantities - no more than 75-80 units. The small number of finds is explained by the disappearance of the tradition to bury weapons with the owner.
Apparently, it was after the X century. all known traditions associated with swords were finally formed. The sword was considered an important attribute of power and troops. Various phraseological units associated with blades also appeared. The sword has become synonymous with power methods.
Purchasing and import substitution
The origin of the swords of the Old Russian rati is extremely interesting. The first samples of such weapons were brought from foreign lands. Then purchases of imported products continued and remained relevant for several centuries. Foreign master gunsmiths, having a certain head start in time, managed to work out the necessary technologies and produced high-quality weapons.
The main supplier of swords for Ancient Rus was the Carolingian Empire. Also, weapons were purchased from Varangian craftsmen. Some of the swords came in completely finished form, while others were bought in the form of only one blade or a blank for it. The blade was supplemented with a locally made handle.
Swords and blades of foreign origin can be identified by their respective brands. Thanks to this, the origin of several dozen finds from different regions was unequivocally established. For example, swords with the ULFBERHT brand are quite widespread both in our country and in Europe.
Over time, ancient Russian blacksmiths mastered the production of their own swords, but the results of this are still a topic of controversy. The production and sale of swords in Russia is repeatedly mentioned in the works of foreign travelers and chroniclers, but such data do not quite fit with real archaeological finds.
At the moment, only a few swords are known that were uniquely produced in Russia. The first is a sword from Cape Foshchevataya (Poltava province), dated to the first half of the 11th century. On both sides of his blade are the inscriptions "FORK" and "LUDOTA" (or "LUDOSHA"). In design and execution, this sword resembles the Scandinavian. The second find was made at the end of the 19th century. in the Kiev province. It was a 28 cm long sword fragment with significant damage. The surviving part was engraved with "SLAV".
Cyrillic inscriptions on these artifacts suggest their ancient Russian origin. Thus, the very fact of the production of swords in Russia is confirmed. At the same time, the volume of production, the share of rati in armaments, etc. remain unclear. Perhaps the answers to all such questions will appear later, based on the results of new discoveries and research.
Development ways
Archaeological finds show that in Russia, in general, the same basic types of swords were used as in other regions of Europe. First of all, this was facilitated by active purchases of imported weapons. As for the swords of local production, their creators worked with an eye to foreign experience - which led to the observed consequences.
Swords of the first period, IX-X centuries, usually have a length of less than 1 m and weigh no more than 1-1, 5 kg. Blades made using different technologies have survived. Swords with steel blades welded onto an iron base were widespread. Solid iron swords are also known. Handles of different types were used, incl. of a different design.
In addition to various brands, the finds show signs of decoration. Also, similar features of the weapon are mentioned in historical sources. Wealthy and noble swordsmen could afford to decorate their weapons with copper, silver or gold inlay, etc. In particular, a broken sword with the inscription "GLORY" had a similar design.
After the X-XI centuries. there is a change in design. Improvement of technology made it possible to lighten swords and bring their weight to 1 kg with a length of 85-90 cm. Longer and heavier swords, up to 120 cm and 2 kg, as well as lightweight products for cavalry appear. A characteristic feature of later swords is a gradual decrease in the width of the fuller, associated with the improvement of manufacturing technologies.
Along with the construction of the sword, the methods of its use changed. During the first centuries, the ancient Russian sword, like its foreign counterparts, was primarily a chopping weapon. In the XI-XII centuries. the idea of stabbing blows arises and is being implemented, which leads to a change in the design of the handle and crosspiece. In the XIII century. sharpened swords appeared, equally suitable for cutting and thrusting. Thus, the functions of swords gradually changed, but their original capabilities remained basic and did not give way to new ones.
End of an era
According to archeology, already in the X century. Old Russian warriors got acquainted with a curved blade - a saber. Over the next few centuries, the straight and curved blade was used in parallel, each in its own niche. The saber was of greatest interest to the cavalry, where it gradually replaced the existing types of swords. However, not all horsemen switched to such weapons. The infantry also kept their swords.
Significant changes in armament began after the 13th century. Changes in tactics and technique of combat led to an increase in the role of the saber and a reduction in the spread of swords. Such processes took quite a long time, but led to well-known results. By the XV-XVI centuries. swords finally gave way to more advanced weapons that meet current requirements. Their era is over.
General trends
Swords came to Russia from other countries and quickly took their place in the equipment of the warriors. Such weapons met the requirements of their time and allowed foot or horse soldiers to effectively solve existing tasks. Swords turned out to be a successful and convenient weapon, which allowed them to remain relevant for several centuries.
As follows from the known data, most of the swords in Russia were of foreign origin. Accordingly, the development of such weapons followed the main European trends. Own production also took place, but the lack of data on it does not allow making serious conclusions. Apparently, the local gunsmiths also tried to follow foreign trends, and their swords turned out to be similar to imports.
Following foreign trends, taking into account local requirements, has led to well-known results. The purchased and forged swords generally corresponded to current requirements and developed in accordance with various factors. Thanks to this, swords remained one of the main weapons of warriors for several centuries, but then they had to give up their place to weapons of new classes.
