Our cavalier rapier is a replica of an original piece from ~1620 that resides at Sulgrave Manor. This was a high prestige war sword from the English Civil War that could have been used by high status warriors from either side of the Monarchist-Parliamentarian divide.
Arms and Armor Cavalier Rapier
The cavaliers were mostly rural aristocratic supporters of King Charles I in his ultimately unsuccessful dispute with Parliament. They were known for flamboyant fashion and a haughty attitude.
The Laughing Cavalier by Hans Fal, 1624
This type of war rapier could be used on foot or mounted and features a faceted and blued guard with a thumb ring for extra control in the cut. The blade has a stout diamond section and an acute profile taper, making it a strong cutter and devastating in the thrust.
Cavalier Rapier by Arms and Armor
Check out the video below!
Nathan Clough, Ph.D. is Vice President of Arms and Armor and a member of the governing board of The Oakeshott Institute. He is a historical martial artist and a former university professor of cultural geography. He has given presentations on historical arms at events including Longpoint and Combatcon, and presented scholarly papers at, among others, The International Congress on Medieval Studies.
Craig Johnson is the Production Manager of Arms and Armor and Secretary of The Oakeshott Institute. He has taught and published on the history of arms, armor and western martial arts for over 30 years. He has lectured at several schools and Universities, WMAW, HEMAC, 4W, and ICMS at Kalamazoo. His experiences include iron smelting, jousting, theatrical combat instruction and choreography, historical research, European martial arts and crafting weapons and armor since 1985