The story of the appearance of the grand messer dates back to the end of the XIV - the beginning of the XV century. At this time, the German principalities actively fought with each other, using both their own squads and mercenaries. And if noble warriors had the opportunity to use the best weapons, then ordinary soldiers needed something simple, cheap and effective. The Gross Messer, translated from German as the “big knife,” became such a weapon.
What is this sword like?
Despite its modesty, the "big knife" is a full-fledged one-handed blade weapon. What does it consist of:
- Handle. Almost always made of wood. Depending on the personal tastes of the owner, it was polished and fitted with leather. The length of the handle was 30-35 centimeters (depending on the dimensions of the blade) and ended with a pommel. The handle held the blade in the simplest way - the "shank" was clamped between the two halves of the handle and finally fixed with a hilt.
- Hilt. Most often had the simplest form, without any decorations. Cross guard and nagle (protrusion from the side of the "strong" hand, to protect the hands).
- Blade. The Gross Messer had a slightly curved blade in the upper third of 65-80 centimeters long. The ending was clipped to form the tip of the sword.
How and by whom was this weapon used?
For most warriors of simple origin, the main weapon had to meet several criteria: be cheap, efficient, easy to fix, and preferably multi-functional. The Gross Messer met all these requirements - it was significantly cheaper than other swords, perfectly suited for pedestrian felling, did not have complex elements in the design.
This sword gained special love from the Landsknechts - German mercenary soldiers. The detachments of the "dogs of war" were most often on foot, but you can’t carry much away with your two. What was a good gross messer for an ordinary mercenary? In addition to the main combat function, it could be used for cutting branches, harvesting meat and many other everyday tasks. Thanks to him, it was not necessary to carry an ax and a butcher knife with him.
Fencing "big knife"
Despite the apparent simplicity of this weapon, they not only primitively chopped off the shoulder. Many fencing schools taught to master a grand messer, and this says a lot. All fencing technique with this sword can be divided into chopping, cutting blows and injections.
Of course, the main emphasis was placed on the cutting - the heavy blade shifted the emphasis precisely towards "power" work. Cuts were used in close quarters when it was extremely difficult to swing. Injections - the most complex element, were used to defeat vulnerable points - armpits, necks, faces.
What happened to this sword?
Despite all the usefulness and cheapness that the gross messer had, the commoner's sword lost in its fighting qualities to other swords - it was heavy for a one-handed sword and broke quite often (connection of the blade and hilt). Therefore, in the sixteenth century the "big knife" was replaced by a cleaver (or, as it is sometimes called, a dussak). This sword had no hilt, but only a blade - a hole was made in its first third for a grip. Even cheaper and more reliable, he occupied the niche of a budget one-handed blade weapon for many years.
Gross Messer got his second life already in the XX century, through the efforts of blacksmiths and reenactors-fencers. And again, its versatility and straightforwardness captivates - it is simple to make, it can be used both for training sparring and for chopping items.
Where can I see what a gross messer looks like? You see a photo of the sword in this article - it is really simple and beautiful.