The Towton Sword

In the winter of 1461, the yet uncrowned Edward IV marched a large Yorkist (the white rose of the "War Of The Roses") army northward to attack the Lancastrian (the red rose) forces of the legitimate King Henry VI. Edward's army, under the command of Richard Neville, the Earl Of Warwick (destined to become known to English history as "the king maker") launched an attack on the Lancastrians strong position on a slope at Towton. The Yorkist forces, though attacking uphill, were aided by a blinding snow storm at their backs; Edward's spearmen reached the opponent's front lines unobserved. At the same time a favorable wind enabled the Yorkist archers to kill at a range that the Lancastrian arrows shooting into the wind were unable to match. The 20,000 royalists left the high ground to charge downhill into their tormentors. The next six hours witnessed thousands fall in the ruthless hand-to-hand fighting that was to become one of the bloodiest battles ever to take place on English soil. We have named this sword for that fearsome battle. The blade tapers to an excellent stabbing point that is fullered for most of its length to make for a lightning fast cutting weapon. In the hands of an able swordsman this sleek sword would wreak havoc on the lightly armored infantry of its day. On foot it could be used with two hands, delivering terrible cuts and thrusts. From the advantageous horseback position its perfect balance and weight still allowed for one-hand blows of equal devastation to anyone within its considerable reach. Truly a joy to hold, the long graceful pommel and wood and leather grip are nicely complimented by the elegant curves of the crossguard. This flexible well-tempered functional sword is sure to become one of your favorites.