J P Fowler Weaponry has been used nearly since the dawn of mankind. In the wars of the Middle Ages, different forms of weaponry excelled at different tasks. It was at its peak and arms technology advanced from simple daggers to the polearms and longswords of the 1400's.
Swords are the most famous weapons from medieval times.
In Europe, the most common type of sword was the longsword. As its name implies, it was a long thrusting sword. Thrusting was favoured in the west because a stab was more likely to be fatal than a slice. Also, it was much more difficult to parry a thrust than a swing. Stabs also were much easier to dodge than slices.