The last stage in the development of European sword fighting ...

- as opposed to sport fencing, which followed after it - was the smallsword of the 1700's and early 1800´s. It is a very elegant and deadly weapon, relying on the point.

Smallsword fencing is a demanding style of fighting, where form is observed as strictly as technique. Even though the smallsword is the direct forerunner to the modern fencing foil, even 19th century smallsword fencing never lost its duellist perspective. Real life combat techniques were still taught, such as parries with the empty hand, disarms, foot trips and how to fight in the dark.