Also called the Hand and a Half Sword. The Bastard Sword was a European sword used primarily in the late 14th and the 15th
centuries. The Bastard Sword is a long, straight bladed weapon with a rather plain, undecorated grip (as shown at left). While the
blade could be used for thrusting, most often the wielder would swing it like a baseball bat. Ordinarily the weapon could be
wielded with one hand, but the grip was long enough to accomodate a two-handed grip when necessary. The blade length was
rarely much longer than that of a simple longsword, but because the weapon could be used with two hands (although there was
really just enough room on most grips for about one and a half hands), it really couldn't be categorized as either a one or two
handed weapon, making it a bastard as far as swords go. Interestingly, the executioner's sword of the 16th century developed
from the Bastard Sword design.