A short sword or dagger with a broad blade, popular in medieval times, or a person of royal or distinguished rank.
From Old French 'basilarde,' possibly from Greek 'basileus' (king) or a Latinized corruption. This medieval weapon term appeared in 14th-century military texts, though its true origin remains debated among etymologists.
Nobody's completely sure if basilard is named after kings or just happens to sound royal—it's a perfect example of how medieval weapons got fancy-sounding names whether they deserved them or not, and historians are still debating its true origin.
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