Guard
Guard (Object)
A guard is a physical defence against damage. For weapons this might include a crossguard for a sword or dagger, a rondel guard for a saw, ahlespiess or dagger or a more elaborate defense such as the basket hilts found on some rapiers or swords.
There are numerous variations on guards including swept hilts, proto mortuary, shell guards, bat wing and cup hilts. These guards are generally made of a softer steel or other metal due to their not needing to be of the same quality as the blade. Guards have been engraved for decoration at different times in history and others might have incised decorations or none at all.
The guard of a weapon does not always act in a defensive manner and Talhoffer (amongst others) indicates that it was also used offensively.
Guards for Japanese swords or polearms are called tsuba.
Weapon Guards in the SCA
Guards for weapons vary quite considerably. In order to avoid wearing gauntlets many in the SCA add a basket hilt-like guard to the backs of shields that sport enarmes and also to a number of weapons that would not normally have them (either due to nature of the weapon or the period).
Weapon Guards in Re-Enactment
By and large, re-enactors do not substitute basket hilted guards due to an understanding that they change a weapons balance considerably from the original.
Guard (Position)
A guard (also ward) is also a fighting stance as might be found in the fighting manuals of history. In the Liechtenauer tradition there are four such guards and are referred to as the Vier Leger or Four Positions although it also mentions others. Royal Armouries I.33 gives seven basic guards plus a number of others.
An example of a guard in this sense is the longsword guard Vom Tag where the left foot is forward, both hands are on the hilt and they are raised to eye level. Another might be the Underarm guard where the right foot is forward, the buckler held forward and the sword pointed back and tucked under the left arm thus crossing the arms.
Guard (Task)
Guarding someone or something is a measure to prevent damage or loss. In the past this has been done by humans and animals (particularly dogs although other animals are known).
Guarding may be a long term task (eg. in a prison) or a short term one (eg. "Guard my flank").
Interestingly enough, at one Australian event, guards were once set by one re-enactment group after a particularly unsuccessful SCA/re-enactor event. Many stories were created and subsequently embelished, and much soured the relations between many NSW re-enactors and SCAdians for years after the infamous Morisset (re-enactor's title for the event).
Guard (Occupation)
A guard is someone whose current primary task is to guard someone or thing. These range from a town guard to a royal guard. The Varangian Guard and Huscarls would fit into this latter category and are well known examples of the same.
Guards in the SCA
See also:
