[J. Bedell]

Rapiers were used with a main gauche for parrying, and i would guess to attck if you get too close. Earlier longswords were used with shields and bucklers, but is there any evidence that earlier swords (before the rapier) were paired with a dagger? It just seems logical to me, but iv'e never heard of it before. Usually you see a shield paired with a sword. Just a random thought that i figured i'd throw out there, anyone have any insight?

[Bill Grandy]

Non-rapier swords were indeed used with the dagger, but not generally before the Renaissance. The issue has to do with the sword and dagger combination being worthwhile in a personal duel, but not for mass combat on the battlefield. The carry of swords in a civilian setting does not become commonplace until late in the 15th century, before then a sword was primarily a weapon of war only.

In wartime if you were armed with a sword then you'd most likely want a shield to back it up, which is more practical in that setting. In a civilian setting, a shield is a little more awkward to carry around in daily life. A dagger make more sense in this context, plus the dagger can be drawn quickly if suddenly mugged in a back alley where you don't have time/space to draw the sword immediately.

[J. Bedell]

Thanks!....Now that i read it, i feel somewhat, absurd asking that question. I should have been able to figure that out, oh well. Thanks for the input!

[Bill Grandy]