Discussion: As the metal gauntlet became passe, the rapier/sword now needed a new way to protect the hand. The most common was the cup hilt. However, other esoteric examples evolved. The oval guard on this sword falls into this esoteric category. Like the shell guard, the oval guard was designed to protect the hand. The wide blade is suitable for slashing and thrusting, but is shorter than the rapidly evolving civilian rapier. “Broadsword” is a Victorian term not used in the Medieval or Renaissance periods. The term was created to differentiate between the thin-bladed civilian rapier and the shorter but wider-bladed military swords , like this example.