Thanks for the feedback on real history (sumptuary laws) vs internet (good story) which is pretty much what I expected.
You’ll sometimes see Maximilian’s blade described as “the Emperor’s Hunting Messer”, so I wonder if the spear point was becoming more associated with field sports than with fighting; certainly dedicated boar-hunting swords were always intended for stabbing rather than cutting. Just a thought…
Interesting about the “this big” business - the Swiss implementation is new to me, but fits in with something I did know about.
(1) There were Elizabethan regulations governing the length of rapiers; this one (found on the Elizabethan Sumptuary Statutes website) is from 1562.
And whereas a usage is crept in, contrary to former orders, of wearing of long swords and rapiers, sharpened in such sort as may appear to the usage of them can not tend to defence, which ought to be the very meaning of weapons in times of peace, but to murder and evident death, when the same shall be occupied:
Her Majesty’s pleasure is that no man shall, after ten days next following this proclamation, wear any sword, rapier, or any weapon in their stead passing the length of one yard and half a quarter of blade at the uttermost, neither any dagger above the length of twelve inches in blade, neither any buckler with a sharp point or with any point above two inches in length, upon pain of forfeiting the sword or dagger passing the said length, and the buckler made otherwise than is prescribed, to whomsoever will seize upon it, and the imprisonment of his body that shall be found to wear any of them, and to make fine at her Majesty’s will and pleasure.
And if any cutler or other artificer shall, after the day of the publication hereof, sell, or have within his shop or house to be sold, or shall make or cause to be made any rapier, sword, dagger, or buckler contrary to this order, to forfeit the same, his body to be imprisoned, and to make fine at the Queen’s Highness’s pleasure, and to remain in prison till the said fine be fully satisfied; and being taken with the fault the second time, never to be permitted after to use that occupation…
“One yard and half-a-quarter” is 40.5 inches.
This graphic is about wasters (wooden practice swords) but also shows the different notions about rapiers: there were some schools for which “too long” was considered “ideal”.
Ideal for that school’s fighting techniques didn’t mean ideal for wearing in a crowded street where inconveniencing someone might lead to a challenge, an impromptu duel and yet more laws being broken.
Shakespeare’s street fights often involve hot-tempered and armed young men looking for trouble wherever they can find it. “Romeo and Juliet” (1593) and “…thou wilt quarrel with a man for cracking nuts, having no other reason but because thou hast hazel eyes…” isn’t too far removed from “Taxi Driver” (1976) and “You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? Well, then who the Hell else are you talking - You talking to me?”
IIRC there was another (later?) Elizabethan regulation, ordering that over-long weapons be seized, broken down to size or otherwise forcibly brought into line with the law (and made useless in the process) then presumably returned to mortified owners who were fined and thrown in the slammer as per 1562.
Here’s a link to a similar Spanish regulation. It also gives explanations as to why over-long weapons were A Bad Thing; unlike the blunt English “clearly meant for killing, not self-defence” reason, these are more…complicated.
Are offensive, immodest, excessive, and contemptible.
Will damage your own reputation by decreasing the perception of your valour for 5 generations.
Cause friends to be too ashamed to speak on your behalf, enemies to disparage you, and neutral parties to favour your adversary.
In losing, having chosen a longer weapon will cause your guilt to be worsened and the sentence and punishment is increased (judicially speaking).
Cause you to be viewed as effeminate for not confronting your adversary on equal terms.
Are regarded by the people who are praiseworthy as detestable, and they condemn it.
So there. (And duly added to my worldbuilding file, because they’re so unusual.)
(2) That small and easily concealed weapons had “bad reputation” baggage and larger ones were more “honest”.
The very small, very easily concealed sgian-dubh probably came by its name (”black knife”) not from having a black bog oak or ebony grip - common but not obligatory - but from the same source as “blackmail”, “black market”, “black ops” etc. - covert, deniable and possibly even illegal.
“Everybody knows” that the sgian-dubh is worn at the top of kilt hose. This, though worn in the same position, is actually the opposite of a knife hidden down a boot. The sgian-dubh is there on open, honest display after being taken from some less obvious hiding-place.
Writer Note: (YMMV since this has no historical evidence.)
In the place where fiction writer and history fan bang heads, I think that back when a sgian-dubh was a weapon more than a bit of masculine jewellery, there may have been a general understanding that the one transferred from armpit, sleeve or wherever might have had a mate which remained concealed. That one wasn’t mentioned, never mind demanded, since insisting a man gave up ALL his weapons might have been (a) insulting - implying he couldn’t be trusted; or (b) threatening - there was some reason for making sure he was completely unarmed.
(I’ve already established something like this. In the “Book of Years” and “Clan Wars” series of my own fantasy fiction, there’s a weapon called the tsepan (“self-blade”). It’s a personal misericorde marked with the owner’s personal crest, also known as the “Black Knife”, though that’s not derived from the sgian-dubh.
If weapons need handed over, the tsepan - always worn openly at the front of the weapon-belt - is neither surrendered nor requested (at least within that culture). Honour, reputation, tradition and an equivalent to that Spanish multi-generation shame ensure it would never be used on anyone but its owner.
When in “Demon Lord” someone IS murdered with a tsepan, there’s immediate doubt that the apparent murderer did it - except he already has a lethal reputation and a dodgy attitude to honour, so maybe, just maybe…)