Greatest Swordsmen of all time

A swordsman is anyone who performs martial arts or some form of sword fighting. Swordsmen include samurai, fencers, and knights. The best swordsmen are those whose identities are recognised even now, not only by those interested in swordsmanship but also by those interested in movies and television shows. Any of the best swordsmen taught hundreds of students and never lost a duel, even while fighting several opponents or using a wooden blade against a live one.

Posted On May 10th, 2021

Miyamoto Musashi

Miyamoto Musashi is commonly regarded as the greatest swordsman of all time and is widely regarded as the only one. Musashi fought 60 duels and never lost one, including against famed swordsmen such as Sasaki Kojiro. Musashi was remarkable not just for his sword skills, but also for attacking with tact and intelligence, and battling in a manner that no one had ever played before. He learned swordplay from his father at a young age and fought his first duel when he was 13 years old. Throughout his life, he fought an increasing number of duels and never lost a single one. Musashi beat several masters, earning him the title "Unrivaled Under Heaven."

Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges

From the 1700s to the 1800s, Georges was a master fencer. His father was a rich painter, and his mother was his father's slave when he was born in 1745. During the French Revolution, Georges rose to become colonel of Europe's first all-black regiment, serving on the side of the rebels. Georges started fencing at the age of 13, and he advanced so rapidly that he was beating the best students by the age of 15, and he developed the fastest pace imaginable. He hadn't even graduated before he beat one of the best swordsmen in the world, who had openly mocked him. Georges went on to become an officer of the King's bodyguard after graduating.

Donald McBane

Donald McBane, born in Inverness, perhaps the most well-known city in the Scottish Highlands, is now considered as one of Europe's finest swordsmen. Although his early history includes a lot of losing and fleeing battles, particularly during clan battles in the Highlands. When he got into an altercation with a senior officer serving in the Nine Years' War, his sword-fighting career began. He reasoned that learning to defend himself was the only way ahead, but due to his temper, he couldn't stick with any one regiment for long.

Julie d’Aubigny

'La Maupin' (Julie d'Aubigny) was a 17th-century French queer opera-singing sword warrior. She was known as one of history's greatest rascals, leading a life so wild – filled with duels, grave-robbing, and flaming convents – that she had to be forgiven twice by the King of France.

Tsukahara Bokuden

Tsukahara Bokuden, one of the greatest samurai of all time, rose to prominence during the Sengoku era. According to history, Bokuden never lost a duel in his life, beating opponents much more seasoned than him. His Shinto-Ryu school's combat style was inspired by his belief in not attacking until absolutely appropriate.

Sasaki Kojiro

Sasaki Kojiro is a well-known Japanese swordsman who is regarded as one of the greatest swordsmen of all time. He once beat three rivals at the same time with nothing more than a steel fan. Following his conquest, he was named chief arms master of the Hosokawa fief north of Kyushu. Kojiro beat a slew of rivals, and his tactics became well-known in Japan. His favorite technique was the swallow slash, which even the best swordsmen hated at the moment.

Sigmund Ringeck

Sigmund Ringeck is a mysterious 14th to 15th-century fencing master. He was remembered in the Society of Liechtenauer's monument to dead masters. Ringeck's inclusion in the memorial indicates that he was one of the finest swordsmen of his day. He may have also been a pupil of Grandmaster Liechtenauer himself.

Johannes Liechtenauer

Johannes Liechtenauer was a fencing master from Germany. Liechtenauer visited many different countries and met many different people. He learned the craft in a rigorous and proper manner this way. Liechtenauer was a real master of the craft and had a significant impact on the German fencing tradition. He taught his students verbally and did not write down his lectures, but his students took it upon themselves to do so.