When using a sword while left-handed....

[PlagueCini]

When a left-handed person is using a sword and shield, which would go in which hand? I heard that Napoleon was left-handed and he never marched on the left side of his men, although I also heard that left-handed knights had an advantage when attacking medieval castles, as stairs spiraled clockwise, so they'd be able to swing. They kind of seem like a left-handed person would hold the sword in the right and optionally hold a shield in the left. Am I correct, or is it switched?

-Austin

[Spawn of Totoro]

They didn't have left handed knights. Everyone learned to use a sword in their right and a shield on their left, because the shield covered the heart.

In those days, being left handed would get people accused of being a witch or a demon spawn, ect. so many forced themselved to use their right hand anyways.

The only ones who had an advantage were the knights fighting from the top of the stairs, due to gravity making it easier to swing the sword down.

[PlagueCini]

Originally posted by SoT つ◕_◕つ No Spam!:

They didn't have left handed knights. Everyone learned to use a sword in their right and a shield on their left, because the shield covered the heart.

In those days, being left handed would get people accused of being a witch or a demon spawn, ect. so many forced themselved to use their right hand anyways.

The only ones who had an advantage were the knights fighting from the top of the stairs, due to gravity making it easier to swing the sword down.

Hm, alright. That seems pretty truthful, considering 1/9 people were right-handed. Plus I bet that they would even go through the trouble of making specially designed weapons and such for a left-handed person. Thanks :)

[Naedmi]

Originally posted by Austin:

Originally posted by SoT つ◕_◕つ No Spam!:

They didn't have left handed knights. Everyone learned to use a sword in their right and a shield on their left, because the shield covered the heart.

In those days, being left handed would get people accused of being a witch or a demon spawn, ect. so many forced themselved to use their right hand anyways.

The only ones who had an advantage were the knights fighting from the top of the stairs, due to gravity making it easier to swing the sword down.

Hm, alright. That seems pretty truthful, considering 1/9 people were right-handed. Plus I bet that they would even go through the trouble of making specially designed weapons and such for a left-handed person. Thanks :)

You don't really have to make a weapon specially for left handed people, that would be like someone trying to tell you that left handed rakes exist and that you should buy one because "why the hell not?"

Although I am left handed myself, I tend to do more action oriented things with my right hand, throwing a ball, swinging a bat, using large weapons, though I cut with a knife, eat and draw with my left hand.

[Aspalax]

Left handed swordfighting => The sword on the left hand faces the opponents sword on the right hand (Shield facing shield instead of parrying the sword). Defensive moves don't work. Usually results in both men getting hit quickly. Would be fatal in a real battle situation. That's why lefthanded modern fencers use their right hand much of the time even today.

Same with the stairs example. If your shield was on the wall side, sense dictates that you could swing with the other hand, but you have little defence and you would die quickly.

Ps. I don't know if Napoleon was lefthanded. But he never marched alongside his men. He was an artillery officer (you know, cannons) and then a general.

[PlagueCini]

Originally posted by TheDean:

Originally posted by Austin:

Hm, alright. That seems pretty truthful, considering 1/9 people were right-handed. Plus I bet that they would even go through the trouble of making specially designed weapons and such for a left-handed person. Thanks :)

You don't really have to make a weapon specially for left handed people, that would be like someone trying to tell you that left handed rakes exist and that you should buy one because "why the hell not?"

Although I am left handed myself, I tend to do more action oriented things with my right hand, throwing a ball, swinging a bat, using large weapons, though I cut with a knife, eat and draw with my left hand.

Yeah, I do a few things myself with my right hand, but not many.

Originally posted by Aspalax:

Left handed swordfighting => The sword on the left hand faces the opponents sword on the right hand (Shield facing shield instead of parrying the sword). Defensive moves don't work. Usually results in both men getting hit quickly. Would be fatal in a real battle situation. That's why lefthanded modern fencers use their right hand much of the time even today.

Same with the stairs example. If your shield was on the wall side, sense dictates that you could swing with the other hand, but you have little defence and you would die quickly.

Ps. I don't know if Napoleon was lefthanded. But he never marched alongside his men. He was an artillery officer (you know, cannons) and then a general.

I believe he did march with his soldiers, but only his artillery ones. And yeah, considering if you were going against a right-hander in combat, chances are that it wouldn't work too well.

[Ishan451]

Originally posted by TheDean:

You don't really have to make a weapon specially for left handed people, that would be like someone trying to tell you that left handed rakes exist and that you should buy one because "why the hell not?"

The problem is not with Swords working in the left hand just as well as in the right, its a think that up until recently (and with that i am talking the last 50 years), pupils would be beaten in school until they used their right hand.

There was no acceptance for lefties. You learned to use your right hand and do everything with the right hand as child. That was normal. And your parents and teachers would beat you until you used your right hand.

At the end of the day, you would be ambidextrous, but you'd still learn fighting with your right hand as your primary and you'd do so for years and years. You'd have to go out of your way to learn left handed fighting, just like a right handed person would have to go out of their way to do so.

At the point where you would be old enough to go to work, which would be somewhere around the age of 20 (not talking about militia here, which don't learn to fight, we are talking about someone that actually learns how to fight), in which case you'd have probably had people beat you for 17 or so years for using your left hand for anything.

Its quite inconceivable at that point, that a lefty would even consider using their left hand after they'd been firmly instructed only to use their right.

Originally posted by TheDean:

Although I am left handed myself, I tend to do more action oriented things with my right hand, throwing a ball, swinging a bat, using large weapons, though I cut with a knife, eat and draw with my left hand.

And you were glad to be born in this day and age. My great grandmother was beaten in school for being a lefty, until she had learned to use her right hand. She was a "righty" until the day she died.

[PlagueCini]

Originally posted by Ishan451:

Originally posted by TheDean:

You don't really have to make a weapon specially for left handed people, that would be like someone trying to tell you that left handed rakes exist and that you should buy one because "why the hell not?"

The problem is not with Swords working in the left hand just as well as in the right, its a think that up until recently (and with that i am talking the last 50 years), pupils would be beaten in school until they used their right hand.

There was no acceptance for lefties. You learned to use your right hand and do everything with the right hand as child. That was normal. And your parents and teachers would beat you until you used your right hand.

At the end of the day, you would be ambidextrous, but you'd still learn fighting with your right hand as your primary and you'd do so for years and years. You'd have to go out of your way to learn left handed fighting, just like a right handed person would have to go out of their way to do so.

At the point where you would be old enough to go to work, which would be somewhere around the age of 20 (not talking about militia here, which don't learn to fight, we are talking about someone that actually learns how to fight), in which case you'd have probably had people beat you for 17 or so years for using your left hand for anything.

Its quite inconceivable at that point, that a lefty would even consider using their left hand after they'd been firmly instructed only to use their right.

Originally posted by TheDean:

Although I am left handed myself, I tend to do more action oriented things with my right hand, throwing a ball, swinging a bat, using large weapons, though I cut with a knife, eat and draw with my left hand.

And you were glad to be born in this day and age. My great grandmother was beaten in school for being a lefty, until she had learned to use her right hand. She was a "righty" until the day she died.

Thing is these days, this generation isn't very good to be honest. I'd probably rather live during the Great Depression or WW2, to be honest. I have to cooperate and get along with electronic-addicts, bullies, idiots, and a ghetto school district that is nuts. But at least I don't live in the school district's town/city, I'm just near it. But yeah, this generation isn't very good, but if I could choose a time to go to, I'd probably go forward just to see how things would end up. And it's unfortunate that you're great grandmother had to go through that stuff, things were also crazy those days.