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Question #4: Is there any virtue in seeking to fight gracefully, rather than just effectively?
Chivalric combat, especially in tourney, is not about winning, but winning well. There may be no witnesses in the chaos of battle, but there certainly are in the tourney. When you consider that the combatants may be fighting for the honor of a lady, victory at any cost is poor reward for a favor. This manner of question devolves into a 'form versus function' dilemma. I certainly prefer the former. While there may be those that argue that a 'win is a win', I believe that the essence of chivalry is to combine grace and effectiveness. The tourney is very much a spectator sport; there is little noble in standing toe to toe and hacking wildly at your opponent. Strength is important; Wit and the ability to fluidly react to the changing nature of battle is what will win the day. --John C. Martin
Parts of the Medieval Sword (page 25)
Clear descriptions of the individual parts that make up the entire sword, complete with visual references.
"Cross (Quillion): The cross, so called because of the shape it gives to a blade-down weapon, defends the hand. Generally made of iron, they matched the pommel and contribute to the balance of the weapon. The term 'quillion', common today, is a 16 century word."
History of the European Sword (page 28) Brian R. Price
This piece traces the development of the sword beginning with the Roman Empire through the 15th Century.
"Without doubt, no single thing summons the mystique of the medieval knight more effectively than does the knightly sword. Elegant, effective, puritanically simple and yet capable of nearly Baroque decor, the twin-edged sword of Europe has forever captured our imagination and become a summary for military virtue."
Swords & Fighting Style (page 40) David Friedman
Excerpted from an article by David Friedman, this selection discusses swords and fighting styles as they exist within the SCA and how they relate to what would be truly authentic re-creation of Medieval weapons and styles.
"What about authenticity? One purpose of the Society (SCA) is 'to study the past by selective re-creation.' To the extent that our rules permit, or still worse encourage, weapons whose handling characteristics are different from those of the real weapons they are intended to imitate, we fail in that purpose."
Iron and Steel in the Making of Armour (page 45) Theodore F. Monnich
"The theme of this article is the presentation of the basic materials used in the manufacturing of armour in late Medieval and Rennaissance Europe; their production techniques and their properties as tehy relate to modern materials. This information, along with some understanding of the innovations in armour production is achieved through examining samples of metal from armour in museum collections."
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