Early bronze swords (c. 3000 BC) can be found in ancient tombs, left there as a mark of respect or as part of the most treasured possessions. Egyptian, Greek, Mesopotamia's evolved the sword to a true fighter weapon, and no soldier would be without his sword. 
Drawings and hieroglyphics depict soldiers and noblemen with swords, some of the earliest writing descried battles and "games".

No Roman legionnaire would be seen without his trusted "gladius" a 21 inch by 1 1/2 inch sword, a cut and thrust weapon. Many a Gladiators became heroes in the Coliseum and many others were vanquished by its blade. 
The cut a thrust sword changed little with the passing of time, steel became better, different manufacturing methods were used - introducing small amount of carbon to harden the steel or folding, binding and rehearing the steel to build up the metal and provide a blade which was both extremely strong and could be sharpened to be razor sharp - these methods were developed in Damascus and still used for the production of traditional Samurai swords. 
swords evolved with the requirements of the armies. 

The foot soldiers would be using a different sword than a soldier on horseback, the latter would be used as an attacking weapon, therefore the shape and size of the sword was different. To achieve a better balance with the cut and thrust from horseback the blades were curved, but unlike the Arabic swords (scimitars) which had a wider blade at the front and not a point the European was a more uniformed blade and a few inches longer and with a different guard. THe foot soldier would be using a shorter sword and for its protection and for close combat, some of these swords would have a straighter blade and in some cases concealed in the handle there would a point blade which could be released and used as a very effective offensive weapon.

Swords and swords fighting evolved and Knights and cavaliers developed different methods of attack. A double handled sword could be up to 5 Ft in length and carried by a squire, used in short combat encounters or at jousting events. 
Injuries were brutal even when wearing full body armour, and jousting events were not for the faint hearted, fighting to the death was not uncommon - and most of it was for the pleasure of his Lord or a silk scarf from a lady.
The romance of knights fighting is carried through legends and Hollywood films, but none ever explain the real life of a joust. In reality life expectancy was quite short, if you were not killed the injuries would disable you - the knight did not ride in the sunset with the lady.

The early use of swords fighting was based on power and strength especially where using the double handed sword. Although the double handed sword provided a complex sequences of parries and reposes it was still the weight and length of the sword that determined the fight.

It was at the beginning of the 1500 that with the introduction of gunpowder and firearms that the sword became a show and duelling weapon. By the end of the 1500 duels were fought no longer by jousting bouts but became more duels, and the sword evolved in more of a point attack weapon (a duel was fought by gentlemen to first blood), the blades became lighter. Instead of the two handle blade we see an evolution into a sword and dagger fight - the rapier fighting came into fashion.
Very complex routines using the dagger as a parry and offensive weapon, crossed blades, daggers fitted with "blade breakers"  all complemented this new form of fighting.
It was at about the middle of the 1500 that properly documented guards, parries and repostes form part of schooling. It as at about this time that a document written in Italian describes the art of sword fighting. In the 1600 the fighting evolved into a true art form, where precision, and speed defined the beauty of the bout. At this time three main schools of sword fighting were at the centre of every court in Europe, and noblemen prided themselves in being the from the best. The French, Spanish and Italian schools were the mainstay of the "education", although the Spanish school was only rarely practised, the French school with its elegant moves influenced the noble houses of the North of Italy by the 1700.
It is worth noting that in military schools a form of cut and trust sword was used for fencing, slightly narrower in size, but with some curvature, very much in keeping with horseman sword, the sabre was "born" and its evolution begun.

Just a noted statistic, in the 1800 of the 467 duels fought  in France, 326 were with the epee, 12 with the sabre and 118 with pistols. This compare for the same time in Italy, of the 3513 fought, 140 were fought with the epee, 3138 with the sabre and 223 with pistols.
This also shows the difference of the two schools of sword fighting.
The decline of the duelling by swords was mainly due by local authorities taking a dim view of duelling by swords consequently pistols became in fashion, the bout was quicker and less conspicuous.

But it was the advent of the modern Olympics which made fencing  a sport, and set proper rules and regulations.