Editing Sword (section)

====Duelling sword====
{{Further|Rapier|Small sword}}

The [[rapier]] is believed to have evolved either from the Spanish ''[[espada ropera]]'' or from the swords of the [[Italian nobility]] somewhere in the later part of the 16th century.<ref>Kirkland p. 17</ref><ref>Green pp. 583–84</ref> The rapier differed from most earlier swords in that it was not a military weapon but a primarily civilian sword. Both the rapier and the Italian [[schiavona]] developed the crossguard into a [[basket-hilted sword|basket-shaped guard]] for hand protection.<ref name=Oakeshott/>

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the shorter [[small sword]] became an essential fashion accessory in European countries and the New World, though in some places such as the [[Scottish Highlands]] large swords as the basket-hilted broadsword were preferred, and most wealthy men and military officers carried one slung from a belt. Both the small sword and the rapier remained popular [[European dueling sword|dueling swords]] well into the 18th century.<ref>Norman, B.; Vesey, A. (1980). ''The rapier and small-sword, 1460–1820''. Arms and Armour Press. {{ISBN|0-405-13089-9}}</ref>

As the wearing of swords fell out of fashion, [[Walking stick|canes]] took their place in a gentleman's wardrobe. This developed to the gentlemen in the Victorian era to use the [[umbrella]]. Some examples of canes—those known as sword canes or [[swordstick]]s—incorporate a concealed blade. The French [[martial art]] ''[[la canne]]'' developed to fight with canes and swordsticks and has now evolved into a sport. The English martial art [[singlestick]] is very similar.
With the rise of the [[Duelling pistol|pistol duel]], the duelling sword fell out of fashion long before the practice of duelling itself. By about 1770, English duelists enthusiastically adopted the pistol, and sword duels dwindled.<ref>[https://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/techniques/pup_wd.html pbs.org] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060422021753/http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/techniques/pup_wd.html |date=22 April 2006 }}</ref> However, the custom of duelling with [[epée]]s persisted well into the 20th century in France. Such modern duels were not fought to the death; the duellists' aim was instead merely to draw blood from the opponent's sword arm.<ref name="Time">The last known French duel of public note fought with epées took place in 1967, when [[Gaston Defferre]] insulted [[René Ribière]] at the French Parliament and was subsequently challenged to a duel fought with swords. René Ribière lost the duel, being wounded twice.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,843669,00.html?iid=chix-sphere |title=People: Apr. 28, 1967 |magazine=Time |date=1967-04-28 |access-date=2010-05-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629023401/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,843669,00.html?iid=chix-sphere |archive-date=29 June 2011 }}</ref>