Ewart Oakeshott, the British illustrator and amateur historian categorized swords into thirteen main types which he designated type X to XXII. These designations were introduced in 1960 with the publication of his Archeology of Weapons: Arms and Armour from Prehistory to the Age of the Chivalry.
The renowned amateur historian and sword collector Ewart Oakeshott is responsible for the most authoritative reference on medieval swords ever compiled. This book entitled: The Archeology of Weapons: Arms and Armour from Prehistory to the Age of the Chivalry is considered to be the foremost classification system for middle age swords in existence today.
Oakeshott is not only remembered for his lasting contribution to the study of the history of the sword but also for his many books, illustrations, and lectures that have given lucidity to a complex subject.
His outstanding legacy was developed upon the previous works of Dr. R.E.M. Wheeler’s simplified seven category typography which in turn was wrought from Dr. Jan Peterson’s exacting study of viking swords. In the end, thanks to his marvelous work we now have twenty-two types that effectively laid to rest many myths and misunderstandings that had developed around Western swords in general.
Prior to Oakeshott’s exhaustive research into the evolution of the sword beginning in the late Iron Age that comprise his type X sword and culminating with his type XXII type of the 16th century, most sword classification was done purely on the basis of the hilt design. It was Oakeshott who took into serious consideration the actual function of a sword blade’s design that has become the foundation for further research in terms of the standardized classification system.
In 2000 Christopher Poor, president of Arms and Armor in Minneapolis MN, founded the Oakeshott Institute at the bequest of Ewart Oakeshott and his wife Sybil. It’s mission is to carry forward Oakeshott’s interest and fascination with the medieval sword to future generations of scholars.
Oakshott died in 2002 at the age of 86. His life and passion will always be with us in the form of an outstanding legacy that is his invaluable research into medieval history through the study of it’s most import tool. We owe much to our current understanding of the medieval sword to this independent researcher and scholar.
