And yeah, it was brutal hack and slash stuff...very bloody and gruesome.
Japanese sword-fighting on the other hand was a little more refined (but still bloody and vicious) because quite simply their swordmaking was superior and the blades much lighter. The same for Damascus blades, which originated in India and Persia.
Not so. A typical broadsword (or longsword) weighed about 3 to 3.5 pounds. I have several. They are surprisingly nimble and quick.
Japanese sword-fighting on the other hand was a little more refined (but still bloody and vicious) because quite simply their swordmaking was superior and the blades much lighter.
I think this myth is just an artifact of the movies... Which show a modern and stylized sport form of their medieval arts. I think it gives short shrift to western swordcraft and metallurgy to suggest that it was necessarily inferior to japanese technology of the time.
Soooo many misconceptions in the comments here, it is hard to know where to begin. Perhaps the first place is to warn people not to take what in in any movie as fact. For example, Braveheart’s depiction of the Battle of Sterling Bridge without a bridge, and Sir William Wallace in a kilt...
Medieval swords were NOT heavy, being actually comparable in weight to the Japanese blades. After all, steel is steel... it doesn’t weigh more in Europe. They were sharp. You can block with them, you must know how to do so.
The Norse had similar pattern welded steel methods to the Japanese, as well. They produced “damascus” steel (the steel which appears to have waves and swirls in it). It is made by forging two different carbon steels together, with twists and folds.
Armor is easy to move in. Its weight is well distributed around the body. You can easily climb onto a horse, or even be able to cartwheel in properly made and fitted gear. Jousting armor was specialized.
Fighting was NOT battering into submission and bleeding out. It was very sophisticated, and involved pointwork, edgework, halfswording, wrestling with joint breaks, etc. Attacks are typically to the joints. There were various schools of swordplay throughout Europe. For a good overview, I suggest Dr. Sydney Anglo’s “The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe”.
The Western Martial Arts (WMA) are enjoying a revival right now, and much is being learned from original source manuals. There is a lot of reconstruction going on, and there are several groups working on various aspects. Mr. Clements’ group is one of these. He generally knows his stuff. He also has the reputation for being an self-promoting egotist and convinced utterly of his version of things. Caveat emptor.