Claymore vs Zweihander: Scotland's Greatsword and Germany's Compared

The claymore and the zweihander are the two most famous greatswords in Europe, and both are big, straight, two-handed swords from roughly the same era. That is where the similarity ends. The claymore is a Scottish Highland sword with a distinctive downward sloping guard. The zweihander is a German and Swiss sword of the Landsknecht mercenaries, usually larger, with a long blunt section above the guard and a pair of parrying hooks. If you are also wondering where both fit against the ordinary longsword, see longsword vs greatsword.

The Short Answer

Look at the guard. A claymore's cross guard arms slope forward toward the blade and usually end in four-lobed quatrefoil terminals. A zweihander has a wide, straight or gently curved cross, often with side rings, plus a second set of small spikes or hooks further up the blade that protect a hand gripping the ricasso. Zweihanders are also generally the longer and heavier of the two.

Claymore vs Zweihander at a Glance

What Is a Claymore?

Claymore comes from the Scottish Gaelic claidheamh mor, meaning great sword. The two-handed claymore was used from around the 1400s into the 1600s in clan conflicts and in wars against England. Its hallmark is the guard: arms angled toward the point, often finished with quatrefoil terminals, giving the sword a silhouette nobody mistakes for anything else. Most fighting claymores ran around 50 to 55 inches, smaller than the largest zweihanders.

One complication: by the 1700s Scots also used claymore for the one-handed basket hilted broadsword, the sword of the Jacobite risings. Both uses are historically correct, which is why the word can mean two very different swords. Our guide What Is a Claymore Sword? covers both, and longsword vs broadsword explains the basket hilted version.

What Is a Zweihander?

Zweihander simply means two-hander in German. These swords appeared in the early 1500s and became famous among the Landsknechte, the German mercenary infantry of the Renaissance. Skilled zweihander men were often among the Doppelsoldner, soldiers paid double for taking the most dangerous positions near the front of a pike formation.

The zweihander's design reflects that role. A long ricasso lets the user slide one hand up the blade for control at close range, while the parrying hooks guard that hand. Many later zweihanders, especially those with wavy flamberge blades, were made as parade swords and can be considerably heavier than fighting examples. Read more in The Zweihander: Germany's Giant Two-Handed Sword.

The Key Differences in Detail

The guard

This is the fastest way to tell them apart. Sloped arms with quatrefoils mean claymore. A broad straight cross, side rings and a second pair of hooks on the blade mean zweihander.

Size

Both are big, but the zweihander usually wins. A typical claymore sits around 50 to 55 inches, while fighting zweihanders often reach 60 inches and beyond.

Military setting

The claymore was a Highland warrior's sword in a clan-based way of war. The zweihander was a professional mercenary's specialist weapon inside large, organized pike formations.

Afterlife

The two-handed claymore faded as the basket hilted broadsword took over in Scotland. The zweihander lived on as a ceremonial and parade sword into the 1600s, often with ornate fittings and wavy blades.

Is a Claymore a Greatsword?

Yes. Greatsword is the family name for these oversized two-handed swords, and the claymore and zweihander are its two best known members, alongside the Iberian montante and Italian spadone. So claymore vs greatsword is really a comparison between one specific sword and the wider group it belongs to.

Which One Fits Your Collection?

Choose a claymore if Scottish heritage, the Highlands or clan history draws you in, or if you want a greatsword with an instantly recognizable guard. Choose a zweihander if you are drawn to Renaissance Germany, the Landsknechte or simply the most imposing silhouette in European swords.

Claymores to consider

• Claymore Sword, 1095 Steel, 56", $299.99. Full two-handed claymore scale in 1095 high carbon steel.
• Lion Claymore Sword, 50", $349.99. A decorated claymore at historical fighting length.
• Claymore Sword, High Carbon Damascus Steel, 48", $269.99. A more compact claymore in pattern welded Damascus steel.

Browse the full claymore collection.

Zweihanders to consider

• Zweihander Sword, High Carbon Damascus Steel, 60", $399.99. True zweihander scale for a centerpiece display.
• Zweihander Sword, Damascus Steel, 54", $299.99. The German greatsword at a more manageable size.
• Build Your Own Greatsword, starting at $199.99. A made to order zweihander, claymore, spadone or similar.

Browse the full greatsword collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is bigger, a claymore or a zweihander?

Usually the zweihander. Typical claymores run about 50 to 55 inches, while zweihanders commonly reach 60 inches or more.

Is a claymore a broadsword?

The two-handed claymore is a greatsword. In the 1700s, though, the basket hilted broadsword was also called a claymore, so the word covers both.

Did the zweihander really cut pikes?

Popular stories say zweihanders hacked through enemy pike shafts. Historians debate how often that happened; the sword's documented roles include guarding banners, fighting at the front of pike blocks and defending gaps in formations.

How does a claymore compare to a bastard sword?

A bastard sword is a smaller hand-and-a-half sword. Our bastard sword guide compares it with both the longsword and the claymore.

More Sword Comparisons

• Longsword vs Greatsword
• Longsword vs Broadsword
• Katana vs Longsword
• Saber vs Rapier
• Cutlass vs Saber
• Katana vs Tachi
• Rapier vs Longsword
• Bastard Sword vs Longsword
• Katana vs Wakizashi vs Tanto
• Odachi vs Nodachi
• Scimitar vs Katana

For every sword family in one place, see our guide to the types of swords.