What would you say is the historical or (more likely!) literary inspiration for the "Spellsword" class that we see in various TES titles?
Broadly, I'm looking at the peculiar mix of martial and magical prowess that the Spellsword class exemplifies. Of course, the class itself has changed from game to game, and there is that whole hornet's nest of a debate over the difference between a Spellsword and a Battlemage... But that's not what I'm interested in here.
What seems common to all iterations of the Spellsword class is mastery of both melee and magic, in roughly equal measure. A Spellsword is expected, apparently, to soften up a foe at a distance with spells, close in with blade, and perhaps finish off a foe with short-range magic.
Maybe it's my background experience with fantasy lit, but I have a hard time playing Spellswords because of this very versatility. Because they "break" the traditional distinction between warrior and wizard, it's hard for me to picture the character they are supposed to portray. It's like they're just grabbing the best of both worlds, and don't really have any weaknesses.
I figure, if someone can point me to some literary inspiration for the class, I might be able to get behind it a little more.
Failing that, can anyone help me see Spellswords in a different light? How do *you* play your Spellsword?