In an early Medieval context, a long-sword refers to a Spatha type sword, which is 'long' compared to the Seax and the Gladius .
In a late Medieval and Renaissance context, a Longsword is a two-handed sword with a longer blade than its predecessor the Arming Sword . It was called ''langes Schwert'' (''longsword'') in German and ''spadone'' (''large sword'') in Italian. Bastard sword was an English term for a type of longsword.
In Early Modern English, the term can refer to a two-handed sword of the above type, but sometimes refers to a long-bladed sword used in one hand; it is unclear whether this was a Longsword used one-handed, or a specific type of one-handed sword.
In a late Renaissance context, the Zweihänder of the 16th century Landsknecht s, the longest sword of all, is sometimes included in the term.
The Japanese Katana proper (大刀 daitō, Odachi , Nodachi ) is sometimes translated as longsword.
