High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The About this sound Zweihänder, is a two-handed sword primarily of the Renaissance. The weapon is often called in the Western martial arts community as a Greatsword. It was created in Switzerland and was later used by German and Austrian troops too. While implemented in Germany in the 14th century, it gained renown during the 16th century as the hallmark weapon of the German Landsknechts from the time of Maximilian I. They were allegedly used by the front lines of the Landsknecht, where they would be used to hew through the opposing pikemen and spearmen whose spears presented a difficult barrier for normal weapons and cavalry.