A baselard is a type of long dagger or short sword used in the middle ages, primarily the 14th century. It is double-edged and has a characteristic “I” shaped handle. The “I” shaped handle contained a traditional cross-guard closest to the blade, for hand protection, but also had a cross-guard at its base, enhancing the users’ ability to hang on to it. Its use as a sidearm was common among cities and other population centers by both military and civilians, as protection against thugs and other troublemakers. You typically would not fight with a baselard. Similar to a dagger, it was a weapon to be used as a last resort or for a spontaneous encounter.