Dual wield

File:dual wielding.jpg.]]

Dual wielding has not been used or mentioned much in military history, though it appears in weapon-based martial arts and fencing practices.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r0PCAgAAQBAJ|title=Schools and Masters of Fencing: From the Middle Ages to the Eighteenth Century|last=Castle|first=Egerton|date=2012-06-19|publisher=Courier Corporation|isbn=9780486138756|page=51|language=en}}

The dimachaerus was a type of Roman gladiator that fought with two swords.The Power of Spectacle in Ancient Rome: Gladiators and Caesars, ed. by Eckart Köhne and Cornelia Ewigleben (Berkeley and Los Angeles, 2000), p. 63. {{ISBN|978-0-520-22798-9}} Thus, an inscription from Lyon, France, mentions such a type of gladiator, here spelled dymacherus.{{CIL|13|1997}} The dimachaeri were equipped for close-combat fighting.{{cite book|last=Nossov|first=Konstantin|title=Gladiator: Rome's bloody spectacle|year=2009|publisher=Osprey|isbn=978-1-84603-472-5|pages=208}} A dimachaerus used a pair of siccae (curved scimitar) or gladius and used a fighting style adapted to both attack and defend with his weapons rather than a shield, as he was not equipped with one.Marcus Junkelmann, 'Familia Gladiatoria: "The Heroes of the Amphitheatre"' in The Power of Spectacle in Ancient Rome: Gladiators and Caesars, ed. by Eckart Köhne and Cornelia Ewigleben (Berkeley and Los Angeles, 2000), p. 63. {{ISBN|978-0-520-22798-9}}

The use of weapon combinations in each hand has been mentioned for close combat in western Europe during the Byzantine,{{cite book|author=Tim Dawson PhD|title=Byzantine Infantryman: Eastern Roman Empire C.900-1204|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O14p5hPv8wAC|date=2010|publisher=Osprey Publishing|isbn=978-1-84603-105-2|page=48}}{{Dead link|date=February 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Medieval, and Renaissance era.{{cite book|author=Steve Shackleford|title=Spirit Of The Sword: A Celebration of Artistry and Craftsmanship|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pkLaMKl09L8C|access-date=12 June 2013|date=7 September 2010|publisher=Adams Media|isbn=978-1-4402-1638-1|page=48}}{{Dead link|date=February 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The use of a parrying dagger such as a main gauche along with a rapier is common in historical European martial arts.{{cite book|author=Clifford Rogers|title=The Oxford Encyclopaedia of Medieval Warfare and Military Technology|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mzwpq6bLHhMC|access-date=12 June 2013|date=June 2010|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-533403-6|page=240}}

North American Indian tribes of the Atlantic northeast used a form involving a tomahawk in the primary hand and a knife in the secondary. It is practiced today as part of the modern Cree martial art Okichitaw.

All the above-mentioned examples, involve either one long and one short weapon, or two short weapons. An example of a dual wield of two sabres is the Ukrainian cossack dance hopak.

During the campaign Muslim conquest in 6th to 7th century AD, Rashidun caliphate general Khalid ibn Walid was reported to favor wielding two broad swords, with one in each hand, during combat.{{cite book |last=Elcolaí |first=Aburrebii ibn Salim |year=1237 |title=Complete treatise on the war expeditions of the chosen Prophet and the three Caliphs Arabic: الاكتفاء في مغازي المصطفى والثلاثة الخلفاء}}

Traditional schools of Japanese martial arts include dual wield techniques, particularly a style conceived by Miyamoto Musashi involving the katana and wakizashi, two-sword kenjutsu techniques he called Niten Ichi-ryū.

Eskrima, the traditional martial arts of the Philippines teaches Doble Baston techniques involving the basic use of a pair of rattan sticks and also Espada y daga or Sword/Stick and Dagger. Okinawan martial arts have a method that uses a pair of sai.

Chinese martial arts involve the use of a pair of butterfly swords and hook swords.

Famed for his enormous strength, Dian Wei, a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China, excelled at wielding a pair of ji (a halberd-like weapon), each of which was said to weigh 40 jin.

Chen An, a warlord who lived during the Jin dynasty (266–420) and Sixteen Kingdoms period, wielded a sword and a serpent spear in each hand, supposedly measuring at 7 chi and 1 zhang 8 chi respectively.

During Ran Wei–Later Zhao war, Ran Min, emperor of the short-lived Ran Wei empire of China, wielded two weapons, one in each hand, and fought fiercely, inflicting many casualties on the Xianbei soldiers while mounted on the famous horse Zhu Long ("Red Dragon").

Gatka, a weapon-based martial art from the Punjab region, is known to use two sticks at a time.

The Thailand weapon-based martial art Krabi Krabong involves the use of a separate Krabi in each hand.

Kalaripayattu teaches advanced students to use either two sticks (of various sizes) or two daggers or two swords, simultaneously.

The use of a gun in each hand is often associated with the American Old West, mainly due to media portrayals. It was common for people in the era to carry two guns, but not to use them at the same time. The second gun served as a backup weapon, to be used only if the main one suffered a malfunction or was lost or emptied.{{cite book|author=Jeremy Agnew | title=The Old West in Fact and Film: History Versus Hollywood | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R_mRcTRYcvsC | access-date=12 June 2013 | year=2012 | publisher=McFarland | isbn=978-0-7864-9311-1 | page=170}}

However, there were several examples of gunmen in the West who used two pistols at the same time in their gunfights:

• John Wesley Hardin killed a gunman named Benjamin Bradley who shot at him, by drawing both of his pistols and firing back.Hardin, John Wesley (1896). The Life of John Wesley Hardin: As Written By Himself. Seguin, Texas: Smith & Moore. p. 20. {{ISBN|978-0-8061-1051-6}}. Retrieved March 30, 2011.
• The Mexican vaquero Augustine Chacon had several gunfights in which he was outnumbered by more than one gunman and prevailed by equipping himself with a revolver in each hand.Wilson, R. Michael (2005). Legal Executions in the Western Territories, 1847-1911: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. McFarland. pp. 43-44. {{ISBN|978-0-7864-4825-8}}
• King Fisher once managed to kill three bandits in a shootout by pulling both of his pistols.[http://www.ccchaney.com/Genealogy/maternal/Damron/FisherJohnKing/kingfisher.html Texas Gunslinger, Outlaw and Lawman] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903094308/http://www.ccchaney.com/Genealogy/maternal/Damron/FisherJohnKing/kingfisher.html |date=2014-09-03 }}.
• During the Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight, lawman Dallas Stoudenmire pulled both of his pistols as he ran out onto the street and killed one bystander and two other gunmen.Metz, Leon Claire. 1979. Dallas Stoudenmire: El Paso Marshal. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press. 162 p.
• Jonathan R. Davis, a prospector during the California Gold Rush, was ambushed by thirteen outlaws while together with two of his comrades. One of his friends was killed and the other was mortally wounded during the ambush. Davis drew both of his revolvers and fired, killing seven of the bandits, and killing four more with his bowie knife, causing the final two to flee.[http://www.jcs-group.com/oldwest/pistoleer/davis.html The Spell of the West: Captain Jonathan R. Davis.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304113433/http://www.jcs-group.com/oldwest/pistoleer/davis.html|date=March 4, 2016}} Retrieved October 31, 2012.

File:Alison Carroll 20080927 Festival du jeu video 02.jpg dual wielding pistols]]

Dual wielding two handguns has been popularized by film and television.{{cite book|author=Jerry Ahern|title=Gun Digest Buyer's Guide to Concealed-Carry Handguns|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ulWbH-4xtd8C|access-date=12 June 2013|date=5 October 2010|publisher=F+W Media, Inc|isbn=978-1-4402-1767-8|pages=135–137|chapter=18}}{{Dead link|date=February 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

MythBusters compared many firing stances, including having a gun in each hand, and found that, compared to the two-handed single-gun stance as a benchmark, only the one-handed shoulder-level stance with a single gun was comparable in terms of accuracy and speed. The ability to look down the sights of the gun was given as the main reason for this.{{cite episode |title=Wheel of Mythfortune |series=MythBusters |date=November 23, 2011 |network=Discovery Channel |season=2011 |number=177 |first1=Adam |first2=Jamie |last1=Savage |last2=Hyneman}} In an episode the following year, they compared holding two guns and firing simultaneously—rather than alternating left and right shots—with holding one gun in the two-handed stance, and found that the results were in favor of using two guns and firing simultaneously.{{cite web|title=Hollywood gunslingers|url=http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/videos/hollywood-gunslingers.htm|publisher=Mythbusters - Discovery|access-date=13 June 2013}}

• The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles features dual wielding being done by Leonardo with two katana swords, Raphael with two sais, and Michelangelo with two nunchucks. Sometimes, their arch enemy Shredder dual wields with many weapons.
• Princess Mononoke features Lady Eboshi dual wielding with a katana sword and a hairpin.
• The Marvel Comics features dual wielding being done by Deadpool with two katana swords, Nightcrawler with two sabres, Elektra with two sais, and Black Widow with two pistols and two batons.{{Cite web |last=Elder |first=Natasha |date=August 30, 2023 |title=Wolverine Vs. Deadpool: Who Is The Strongest |url=https://www.cbr.com/wolverine-vs-deadpool-strongest-marvel-comics/ |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=CBR |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Volk |first=Pete |date=May 21, 2024 |title=Dual-wielding is cool but tri-wielding is even cooler actually |url=https://www.polygon.com/24156656/three-swords-at-once-tri-wielders-zoro-nightcrawler |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Medina |first=Joel |date=July 27, 2024 |title=Deadpool & Wolverine Gives Marvel Its Best Team-Up Ever |url=https://collider.com/deadpool-and-wolverine-gambit-blade-elektra-x-23/ |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=Collider |language=en}}
• The DC Comics features Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon dual wielding two bastons.
• The Star Wars franchise features many characters dual wielding two lightsabers or more including Darth Vader,{{Cite web |last=Bradshaw |first=Paul |date=June 15, 2022 |title=Obi-Wan Kenobi episode five recap: death, deceit and more Darth Vader |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/tv-recaps/obi-wan-kenobi-episode-5-recap-death-darth-vader-3247976 |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=NME |language=en-GB}} Ahsoka Tano,{{Cite web |last=McGlynn |first=Anthony |date=October 9, 2023 |title=Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars explained |url=https://www.thedigitalfix.com/star-wars/ahsoka-tano |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=The Digital Fix |language=en-US}} and General Grievous.{{Cite web |last=Minton |first=Turner |date=December 4, 2016 |title=15 Best Lightsaber Duelists In The Star Wars Universe |url=https://screenrant.com/best-lightsaber-duelists-fighters-in-star-wars-universe/ |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=Screen Rant |language=en}} Star Wars: The Clone Wars features Palpatine and his former apprentice Darth Maul dual wielding two lightsabers each.{{Cite web |last=Kim |first=Karsten |date=August 13, 2020 |title=Star Wars: Why Emperor Palpatine Has TWO Lightsabers (Despite Hating Them) |url=https://screenrant.com/star-wars-emperor-palpatine-sidious-lightsabers-hate-reason/ |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=Screen Rant |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Bacon |first=Thomas |date=September 28, 2020 |title=Star Wars: 20 Best Lightsabers, Ranked |url=https://screenrant.com/star-wars-best-lightsabers-ranked/ |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=Screen Rant |language=en}} Also, characters dual wielding two blaster pistols include Jango Fett and Bo-Katan Kryze.{{Cite web |last=Zagranis |first=Zack |date=April 1, 2025 |title=10 Coolest Star Wars Blasters Ranked (Chewie's Bowcaster Is #3) |url=https://comicbook.com/starwars/news/10-coolest-star-wars-blasters-ranked-mandalorian-han-solo/ |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=ComicBook.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Brizzell |first=Molly |date=September 8, 2024 |title=New Mandalorian Photo Shows A Costume Change That Just Doesn't Make Sense |url=https://screenrant.com/star-wars-the-mandalorian-din-djarin-costume-change-blasters/ |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=Screen Rant |language=en}}
• The Halo franchise allows dual-wielding weapons from Halo 2 and Halo 3 onwards.
• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe features the centaur general Oreius dual wielding two longswords, and also the oppressive White Witch doing the same. It also features the Minotaur general Otmin dual wielding a falchion sword and a battle axe.
• Ip Man 3 features butterfly swords being dual wielded by Ip Man and Cheung Tin-chi.
• The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings features the wizard Gandalf dual wielding a magic staff and a mystic longsword.
• The Mummy Returns features the adventurous Egyptologist Evelyn O'Connell and the treacherous Anck-su-namun dual wielding two sais.
• The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise features characters dual wielding two swords including Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, and Elizabeth Swann.
• The martial arts film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon features Michelle Yeoh as Yu Shu Lien dual wielding with a dao sword which split to two, and then with two hook swords.
• The Three Musketeers features many characters dual fighting with rapiers and daggers.
• Mighty Morphin Power Rangers features Tommy Oliver dual wielding a sword and a dagger.
• Robin of Sherwood features Nasir, a Saracen assassin who dual wields two scimitars.
• Avatar: The Last Airbender features dual wielding done by Zuko with two dao swords, Jet with two hook swords, Suki with two war fans, and Sokka with a machete along a club or a boomerang.
• The Transformers features dual wielding being done by many characters including Optimus Prime and Optimus Primal with two swords.
• Kung Fu Hustle features iron rings being dual wielded by the humble tailor of Pigsty Alley.
• Power Rangers: Jungle Fury features dual wielding being done by Casey Rhodes with two nunchakus and also two dao-themed Shark Sabres, Theo Martin with two tonfas and then two tessan-themed Jungle Fans, and Camille with two sais.
• The Marvel Cinematic Universe film Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings features the Ten Rings, which are dual wielded by Wenwu and his son Shang-Chi.{{Cite web |last=Schedeen |first=Jesse |date=September 3, 2021 |title=Shang-Chi: What Are the Ten Rings and Are They Actually Magical? |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/shang-chi-ten-rings-explained-mandarin-wenwu |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=IGN |language=en}}
• The musical version of The Lion King features Mufasa and his son Simba dual wielding two akrafena swords to fight.
• Lara Croft, the heroine of the Tomb Raider franchise, dual wields two pistols.{{Cite web |last=Russell |first=Bradley |date=September 20, 2024 |title=Lara Croft wields her iconic twin pistols in new trailer for Netflix Tomb Raider anime |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/lara-croft-wields-her-iconic-070712961.html |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=Yahoo Entertainment |language=en-US}}
• Dante, the protagonist of the Devil May Cry series, dual wields two pistols, named Ebony and Ivory.{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2021 |title=20 years on and the original Devil May Cry is still the best one |url=https://metro.co.uk/2021/08/22/20-years-on-and-the-original-devil-may-cry-is-still-the-best-one-15131015/ |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=Metro |language=en}}
• Kirito, the protagonist of Sword Art Online, is known for being able to wield two swords of a similar length at the same time.{{Cite news |date=August 14, 2024 |title=10 isekai characters with extraordinary and unique abilities |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/english/hollywood/news/10-isekai-characters-with-extraordinary-and-unique-abilities/articleshow/112515880.cms |access-date=April 15, 2025 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}
• Sora and Roxas of the Kingdom Hearts franchise have the ability to dual wield Keyblades.{{Cite web |last=Solorzano |first=Sergio |date=June 10, 2019 |title=Kingdom Hearts 3 DLC Trailer Confirms Dual-Keyblade-Wielding Roxas |url=https://www.thegamer.com/kingdom-hearts-3-dlc-trailer-dual-keyblade-wielding-roxas/ |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=TheGamer |language=en}}

• Ambidexterity
• Cross-dominance
• Dimachaerus
• Gun fu
• Swordsmanship

Category:Combat

Category:Video game terminology