from mediaeval sword to renaissance rapier - Gladius

Transcription

Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
FROM MEDIAEVAL SWORD TO RENAISSANCE RAPIER
by
Dr. Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Holffmeyer
THE sword types of the Middle Ages proper are not numerous.
They are assembled chiefly about
a b u t two main types: the sword with
the brazil-nut.shaped
pommel and the sword
brazil-nutshapecl plommel
swolrd with the disC'-or
disoor wheel
pommel. In
pommel.
I n both main groups there are numerous variations of
olf the
pommel forms,
forms, with a certain amount of typological se1quence,
selqueme, interinterform~sand sp€lcial
special forms.
forms. To some extent the shape of the
mediate forms
hand-guard, wh1ch
which may be horizontal'
horizontal or
pommel is related to the hand.guard,
curved, thick and heavy, round, flat,
flat, much curved or sligthly curved.
The shape of the pommel, the length of the tang and the shape
sh~.peand
length of the guard or quillons are the most important aids to the
period and provenance determination of the sword.
sword. In this respect
implortance, because in the ma1jority
majolrity of
the blade is secondary in importance,
cases
cases blades were mass'produced
mass-produced in great blade centres, whereas the
hilts mostly are individual work, carried out in accordance with the
owner's personal idelas and pecuniary circumstances, and RIso
also accor.
according to the intended purpoise
purpose of the weapon:
weapon: ceremonial, coronation,
dmb& further and detailed
magistracy, public authorities or war. No doubt
examinations of the various types ,and
blades, their matemate
and shapes of bla~des,
rialand
rial and the manufacture of the blades wm
will be most useful as
a s an
important aid in regard to the determination of provenance, use and
chronology.
chronology.
The sword with the braz,u-nut
brazil-nut pommel and the horizontalquHlons
horizontal quiIlons
dates chiefly to the pieriod
period between 9'50-1250,
950-1250, more especially in the
l'2th
12th ,century.
century. It 1s
is the sword of the Bayeux tapestry, carried both
1). (Yet some few
few variations
AnglohS'axons and by Normansl
(fig. 1).
by Anglo-Saxons
Normans (fig.
are seen in the tapestry, e,
e. g.
g. the State Sword of king Harold). But
the forerunners
forerunners occur in such illuminations as for instance The
T b Gos·
Gos.
pels of Otto II!,
111, from
froim about 983-9;g1
9183-991(Munich
(Munich Staatsbibl.
Staatsbibl. God.
Cod. Lat.4453).
Lat. 4453).
appelaw sometimes with curved quillons,
quillons, but
The brazil-nut sword appe'8l's
brazil-nut pommel sword is a direct
these are not common. The brazil·nut
continuation of the common Germanic-Viking
Germanic-Viking Age types..
types. In
I n actual
close of an epoch,
epoch, of the srpatha
spatha which conticontifaot it represents the close
fa,ct
nued from the Merovingian sword through the swords of the CaroCsrovariatiolns, by
lingian and Viking periods with the many pommel variations,
alb
Jan
J a n Petersen divided into groups named after the letters of the al.
phabet. The brazil-nut sword occurs especially in Central and North
t o be found in the northern
n o ~ t h mpart of West
Europe, but it is also to
5
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Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
d,
IV o
0 r d,
Fig. 1. Transitional s W
from Meuse, late 11th
from
century. In blade name
/lame
century.
(Coli. E.
ooff Ulfberth.
Ulifberth. (Coll.
A.. Christensen,
Chr;stensen, CopenA
hal?en. E 131).
131).
hagen,
Europe, for
for instance in
in northern France, Holland, Belgium and EnEn·
Europe,
gland, aass well as in
in the
the Baltic countries, eastwards as far as the Volga
gland,
regions and
and possibly
possibly still more to
to the East. On the other hand
h3nd it
regions
occurs less
less frequently
frequently in
in South Europe
Europe and in the South of France,
occurs
regions in
in which
which the
the disc-and
disc-and wheel
wheel pommels are sovereign.
sovereign.
regions
6
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
The brazil·nut
brazil-nutpommel
polmmel varies
varies with
with the
the periods,
periods, and
and to
to some
some extent
extent
The
also with
with locality.
locality. In
I n early
early times
times itit was
was often
often almost
almost aa ha.lf
half disc;
disc;
also
soon afterwards
afterwards itit acquired
acquired more
more or
or less
less olive,
olive, lenticular,
lenticular, hat
h a t or
or saddle
saddle
soon
shapes, thick
thick below
below and
and thin
thin above,
above, rounded
rounded or
or with
with an
an almost
almost pointed
pointed
shapes,
top. (A
( A detailed
detailed examination
examination and
and division
division has
has been
been undertaken
undertaken by
by
top.
the English
English archaeologist
archaeologist R.
R. Ewart
Ewart Oa.keshott,
Oakeshott, in
in his
his book:
book: The
The
the
1960). In
I n most
most cases
oases the
the tang
tang isis very
very short,
short,
Archaeology of
of Weapons,
Weapons, 1960).
Archaeology
somewhat longer
longer on
on the
the later
later swords,
swords, espec;ally
especially those
those with
with aa tall,
tall,
somewhat
pointed pommel.
pommel. The
The quillons
quillons are
are generally
generally horizontal:
horizontal: thin
thin and
and
pointed
slender in
in late
late Viking
Viking types,
types, thick
thick and
and four-sided
foursided on
on the
the early
early swords,
swords,
slender
later on
on more
more slender,
slender, often
often with
with aa cross
cross section
section that
that is
is rounded
rounded
later
In North
North Italy,
Italy, Switzerland
Switzerland and
and Austria
Austria we
we some·
some.
or almost
almost round.
round. In
or
times find
find broad
broad quillons,
quillons, horizontal
horizontal along
along the
the top,
top, curved
curved underundertimes
neath, perhaps
perhaps the
the result
result of
of influence
influence of
of South
South European
European
neath,
forms (fig.
(fig. 2-3).
2-3). The
The curved
curved quillon
quillon (including
(including that
that on
on some
some Vikihg
Vikibg
forms
Fig. 2.
2. So-called
So-called Sct.
Set. Mauritius
Mauritius sword,
sword, about
about
Fig.
G
1200-1250. (Armeria
(Armerin Rea/e,
Reale, Thrino,
Tbrino, G
1200-1250.
25).
25).
types) is
is presumably
p~resumablydue
due to
to Oriental
Oriental influence.
influence. The
The blil.des
blades are
are of
of
types)
On the
the
point. On
the heavy cutting type
type1 with aa more
molre or
or less
less rounded
rounded point.
the
the point,
point, whereas
whereas later
later
ones the g-rooves
grooves extend
extend almostto'
almost to; the
earlier ones
fourths of
09 the
the length
length or
or less.
less.
they reach only three fourths
7
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
The Viking pattern-welded damast has disappeared; it is now enencountered olnly
only very oiocasionadly
occaslonatlly (e.
(e. g.
g. a fragment in the National
Museum in Copenhagen).
Copenhagen}. Instead the blade-smiths
blade-smiths have adopted
another and improved technique. (Actually
(Actually this new methcd makes
its appearance as earliy
early as the 9th century.)
century.) His minute resea~ches
researehes
and analyses
analyses have enabled the Italian scientist Carlo Panseri to exexplain the technique, starting
12th century sword of
'Starting inter alia with a 12th
the brazil-nut
19148 at Adige, near Legnago
brazil-nut type found in 1948
Legnago castle, the
important defence f~rtifica~tions
lf mifortifications against the barbarian hordes o
of
migration times and against the enemies of later days. As regards the
blades, continued metallurgical research will presumabiy
presumably make it possipossible to make fairly valid distinctions between the bladecentres
lf
blade-centres o
of
South and Central Europe. Inscriptions
Ins<:riptions and pictorial scenes on
On blades are not uncommon. On solme
some of the early swords we find the
master's signature «Ingelri
((Zngelri me fecit)),
simply the name Zngelri,
fecit», or simpl,y
Ingelri,
spelt in Ria variety of ways. Swords signed Ingelri can be traced
Europe, fosr
across large sections of Europe,
for instance in northern FraWx,
France, BelBelgium, Englcmd,
Germany, Norway and Sweden right over to the
gium,
England, Germany,
Volga. Only one specimen is known to have been found
found in Denmark,
Denhark,
Volga.
in South Schleswig and now in private Dlanish
Danish ownership (Coll.
(Coll. H.
H.
Briins Hansen,
Hansen, Hillerod).
Hillerod). The lettering is the same as on the Ulfberth
blades, good
goold and painstakingly executed on the earliest, often slipshod
slipshold
ones. Other inscriptions a,ppear
a'ppsar combined
combined
and clumsy on the later ones.
with this one,
one, especially of a religious
religious character (fig.
(fig. 3)
3) such as
HOMO DEI
JXI or IN
I;N NOlMJNE
DOIMINI, which
whilch are
are familiar from
from
NOMINE DOMINI,
p~o~mmel.
I t is presumable that these really are
swords with a wheel pommel.
It
swords of the early days
days of the Crusades (Homo
(Homo Dei,
((Man of God»,
God)),
swords
Dei, «Man
as the first
first crusaders called themselves see I. Timothy, 6,11:
6,ll: ctTh
as
«Tu
Dein). Side by side w;th
with the iron-inlaid inscriptions
autem, o
0 homo
homo Dei!l).
find several with fine
fine silver or bratss
allegowe find
brass inlay,
inlay, pictorial and allegoor merely ornaments between the letters.
letters. A remarkable
rical scenes Or
example is
is the sword L.
L. M.
10116, ZUrich,
Zurich, with its
its long series of allealleexample
M, 10116,
(0 Sancta
pictures. Incovations
Incolvations of Christ or His Mother (0
gorical pictures.
Maria), st.
St. Peter, blessings,
blessings, «Eripe
((Eripe Nos)),
Maria),
Nos», from the Psalms or other
are also met with. In
I n South Europe
E'urope they are
religious inscriptions are
sword is
often supplications to Virgin Mary. Another noteworthy sword
a t Rouen, found
found in
in the Seine
Seine at the
the Chateau
ClhBteau Gaillard,
Gaillard, a
the one at
siege by Richard Coeur d'Leon
d'leon ;n
in 1203-4
1203-4 with the
the insinsrelic of the siege
DEUS and
and Romanesque birds between each letter.
letter. These
cription DEUS
are mostly confined to one
one pa,rticular
palrticular period,
perio~d,
religious inscriptions are
d'leon, Frederick
Erederick Barbarossa,
the Crusades under Richard Coeur d'Leon,
Philippe-AugUste, the Counts of Flanders and in
in the
the days
days of St.
St. Louis.
Louis.
Philippe.Auguste,
Letters and ornaments
ornaments On
on the
the sword
sword blades have close
close parallels
p~aradlelsin
Letters
8
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
manuacrilpt illuminations of those
those times and
and sometimes
sometimes can be
the manuscript
dated by means
means of comparisons
comparisons with dated
dated manuscripts. They consconsdated
titute an
an important chronolo-gical
chronolo~gicalsupport.
support. Among
Among the
the swords
swords with
titute
brazil nut pommel there
there are
are several
several fine
fine specimens
specimens that are
are fairly
fairly
aa brazil-nut
reliably dated.
dated. Among the most distinctive
distinctive we may reckon
reckon the
the
reliably
so-called St.
St. Mauritius
Mauritius sword in
in the
the Vienna Weltiiche
Weltliche Schatzkammer,
Schatzkammer,
so-called
the Austrian
Austrian coronation
coronation and
and ceremonial
ceremonial sword,
sword, which is
is dated
dated by its
its
the
and heraldic figures,
figures, the
the German-Roman eagle
eagle and
and the
the
inscriptions and
lelopards, the
the arms
arms of the
the emperor Otto
Otto IV
IV (1198-1215).
(1198-1215). The
The
three leopards,
scabbard, adorned
adorned with chased gold
gold work and
and its
its borders of enamel
enamel
scabbard,
and semi.precious stones
stones seems
selems to
to be Sicilian
Sicilian work.
work. Another rere
and
markable sword is
is the
the second
second St.
St. Mauritius
Mauritius specimen,
specimen, originally from
from
markable
St. Mauritius
Mauritius monastery at
at Va~ois,
Valois, Switzerland,
Switzerland, taken to
to Torino
Torino in
St.
1591 (See
(See Panseri,
Panseri, I.1. c.
c. I.,
I., p. 10).
10). The
The hilt is
is well proportioned, with
1591
charasteristic saddle-shaped
saddle-shaped pommel, short grip,
grip, band-shaped
band-shaped quiquiaa charasteristic
llons curved
curved on the
the underside,
underside, aa fcrm
farm to be seen
seen mostly in
in the sword
sword
lIons
lands (fig.
(fig. 2>2).
material of the Latin lands
The fragmentary
fragmentary sword
sword from
from the
the Seine,
Seine, outside
outside the
the Chateau
Ch&teau Gai.
GaiThe
Ilard, dated
dated to
to about 1203-4,
1203-4, is
is of interest
interest on
on account
account of its
its finding
llard,
and its
its inscription.
inslcripltion. Related blade inscriptions will be found
found
place and
21 and
and G
G 180);
180);
on two
two1 blades
blades in the
the! Real
Real Armeria
Arrnerio in
in Madrid (G 21
on
G 180
l80 has a later hilt, made by the
the Toledo ma-ster
master Salvador de Avila,
G
to 1539.
1539.
prior to
The St.
St. Mauritius sword
sword at T(}rino,
Torino, aa similar specimen in
in the
the D'aDla.
The
E. A.
A. Christensen,
Christensm, Copenhagen,
Copenhagen, and
and
nish private collectiO'n,
aollection, of mr.
mr. E.
one in
in the
the Landesmuseun at
at Zurich
Zurich must be ,placed
placed among the
t h e latest
one
the swords with aa brazil-nut
brazil-nut pommel.
pommel In
I n a:1l
all probability all
ad1 three
three
of the
are of North
Noirth Italian workmanship (fig.
(fig. 3>.
3). At about
about the
t h e middle
middle of
are
13th century the type
type almost disappears
disappears from the
the practical sword
sword
the 13th
material and
and is
is encountered only now and
and then in the
the pictorial
plictorial arts,
arts,
material
especially in Germany and
and the
Scandina~viancountries, though it is
the Scandinavian
t o be
be found
found in
in the illuminations of Matthew of Paris and
and in the
the
still to
Bible, dated about 1250.
1250. It
I t appears on the tombstone
Maciejowski Bible,
of the Swiss
Swiss Ulrik van
von Regenl;berg
Regensberg as late
iate as 1280.
1280. This
This type Of
of sword,
sword,
terminates the
the era
era Of
of the
the old
old CarolinQ'ian
Carolingian and
ancl Viking
Viking sword,
sword, which
terminates
can be followed
followed from
from certain Viking types via the swords
swords of the
can
ta~pestryto the most
molst characteristic
characteristic Germanic
Germanilc type of sword
sword
Bayeux tapestry
the 12th
12th century.
of the
The relatively few
few swords
swolrds with a lobed pommel like
like some
some of the
The
as descendants
descendants of Viking swords
late Viking types
types may be regarded as
subdivided pommels, such
such as
as the types Jan
Jan Petersen: R, S,
S, and Z.
2.
with subdivided
sword from
from Korsoygard
Korsoygard with its runic inscriptions
The Norwegian sword
-owner's and maker's names-has
names-has aa forerunner in a sword from
frolm Riga
-owner's
9
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
Sword proyroFig. 3. Sword
Fig.
h abbJly y ofo f
ha
Italian
NNorth
orlll Ilalian
workmansworkmanship, aabo
b oIII
ut
hip,
1200 - - 1250.
1250.
1200
insBBJlaaddce inscription: IN
IN
criplion:
NOMINE
NOMINE
D O M IN
I N I.
Z.
DOM
(Coll. E.E. A.A.
(Coli.
C hrir slensen,
isrensen,
Ch
CopenL ngen,
Copen;;agen.
Grip
EE I.I . Grip
modern).
modern),
inin Latvia,
Latvia,aa younger
younger paraUel
parallel ininaasword
swordininan
anEnglish
English private
privatecollecco~llection,
River Trent
Trent inin England,
England,and
andisisknown
knownininpictorial
pictorial art
art
tion, found
found ~n.nRiver
inter
the
inter alia
aliafrom
fro~m
theEbberston
Ebberstoncarving
carvingininEngland.
England. This
Thistype
typeofofpompomfrom the
the end
end ofof
altar carvings
carvings from
mel
mel still
still isis toto be
be found
found inin Danish
Danish altar
the
the15th
15thand
andthe
thebeginning
beginning ofof the
the16th
16thcentury.
century.The
Thetrilobate
trilobate pommel,
pommel,
that
that recurs
recurs inin the
thevarious
variousMSS
MSlSofof the
theApocalypse
Apaaalypse ofofS.S.Beato
BeatodedeLieLiebano,
bano, dated
dated toto 10th.
loth, 11th
11thoror later
later centuries
centuriesoriginates
originates from
from Eastern
Eastern
types.
types. ItIt isiswell
wall know
know from
from various
variousSpanish
SpanishMSS,
MSS,from
fromthe
thenotable
notable
10
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
sword of San
San Fernando
Femando in
in Real
Real Armeria in
i n Madrid
Madrid and
and from
from spespecimens,
cimens, for
for instance in
in Musee
Musee Cluny in
in Paris.
Paris. We
We find
find it too,
too, for
for
Paris, o.
o 1250,
1250, in
in his
his description
description of the
the Battle
Instance in Matthew of Paris,
instance
in 1066.
10166. The
The Maciejowski Bible
Bible of about
about 1250
1250 has
of Stamfordbridge in
it too.
too. The
The 12th
12th and
and 13th
13th century trifoil pommel sometimes
sometimes occurs
it
on crusader's swords,
swords, with the
the leaves
leavels moreover decorated
decorated in
in varie·
varieon
Spanish
gated enamels
enamels This
This type
type of pommel is
is to
to be
be found
found in
in Span:sh
gated
paintings as
as late
late as
as the
the end
end of 15th
15th and
and the
the beginning of 16th
16th cencenpaintings
tury.
tury.
Coming of the
the Knightly
Knightly Sword
Sword
Coming
The main
main form
form of sword
sword in
in the
the Middle
Middle Ages
Ages is
is the
the disc-and
cPiscand wheelwheelThe
sword, whether
whether the
the pommel is
is flat
flat or
or moulded,
moulded, grooved
groo~vedor
or
sword,
round-lenticular. The
The wheel
wheel pommel
pommel ;s
is combined
combined with
with horizontal
horixWzta1
round-lenticular.
and with
with curved
curved quillons.
quillons. In
I n this
this group
group the
the material
material is
is immense
immense
and
and spans
spans over
over aa period
period from
from about
about 1100
l100 to
t a 150G-for
1500-for the
the Northern
Northern
and
countries in
in fact
fact to
to about
about 1550.
1550.
countries
I n this large
large group
group several
several sub-groups
subgroups can
can be
be distinguished
distinguished accoraccorIn
ding to
to the
the pommel
pommel details,
details, for
for example
example the
the size
size of the
the mouldings,
ding
the thickness
thickness and
and weight
weight of the
the pommel,
p~ommel,the
t h e size
size and
and shape
shape of
of the
the
the
top rivet
rivet on
on the
the pommel,
pommel, the
the shape
shape and
and length
length of the
the guard,
guard, the
the
top
length of
of the
the tang.
tang. The
The results
results of
of this
this subdivision
subdivision must
must be
be supplesupple
length
mented by
by studies
studies of
of the
the shape,
shape, type
type and
and size
size of
of the
the blades,
blades, to
to which
which
mented
must be
be added
added any
any individual
individual marks,
marks, heraldry,
heraldry, ornamentation,
ornamentation, etc.
etc.
must
With shape
shalpe and
and type
type as
as aa basis
basis itit is
is possible
possible to
to split
split the
the material
material
With
into several
several chronological
chronological sections,
sections, in
in which
which the
the types
types group
group themtheminto
selves about
about characteristic,
characteristic, more
more or
or less
less definitely
definitely dated
dated specimens.
specimens.
selves
The groups
grolupls comprise
comprise the
the early
early swords
swords up
up to
to 1200
1200 or
or shortly
shortly after,
after,
The
the swords
swords of
of the
the 13th
13th century,
century, the
the true
true classical
classical knightly
knightly sword
sword of
of
the
about 1300..1350
1300-1350 and
and the
the various
various chronological
chronological periods
periods after
after about
about
about
1350. The
The time
time about
about the
the middle
middle of
of the
the 14th
14th century
century signifies
signifies aa
1350.
distinct line
line of
of demarcation
demarcation in
in the
the evolution
evolution of
of the
t h e weapon
weapon as
as reredistinct
and especially
especially the
the blade:
blade: new
new blade
blade types,
type~s,the
the thrusthrusgards the
the hilt
hilt and
gards
ting blade
blade and
and the
the cut·andthrust
cut-and thrust blade
blade begin
begin to
t o be
be very
very much
much in
i n evieviting
dence and
and exert
exert an
an influence
influence on
on the
the evolution
evolution of
of the
the sword
sword otherwise.
otherwise.
dence
Moreover, itit isis possible
possible to
to draw
draw more
more distinct
distinct national
national lines,
lines, to
t o distindistinMoreover,
guish more
more clearly
clearly between
between North
North and
and South,
South, or
or rather
rather between
betwelen Latin
Latin
guish
and Germanic.
Germanic. At
At an
an early
early stage
stage there
there is
is already
already aa separation
separation between
between
and
the Latin
Latin and
and the
the Germanic.
Germanic. This
This applies
applies also
also to
to England,
England, which
which to
to
the
certain degree
degree is
is more
more Latin
Latin than
t h a n Germanic
Germanic in
in character.
character. This
This
aa certain
parting of
of the
the ways
ways between
between Latin
Latin and
and Germanic
Germanic development
development is
is
parting
perceptible particularly
part~cularlyafter
after the
the middle
middle of
of the
the 14th
14th century.
century. Among
Among
perceptible
the Latin
Latin peoples
peopihes the
the development
development passes
passes via
via the
the pointed
pointed infantry
infantry
the
pgmmel
p~mmel
11
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
thrusting sword
sword and
and the
the h;spano-arab
hispano-arab jinete
jinete sword
sword with
with aa short
short hilt
hilt
thrusting
to the
the aristocratic
aristocratic rapier,
rapier, whereas
whereas among
among the
the Germaric
Germaric peoples
peoples the
the
to
old cutting
cutting technique
technique is
is continued
continued and
and developed.
developed. Formidable
Formidable cutcutold
ting swords
swords are
are produced
produced for
for use
use by
by the
the infantry.
infantry. Mixed
Mixed forms,
forms, ininting
termediate forms,
forms, mutual
mutual influences
influences and
and currents
currents from
frolm the
the Orient
Orient
termediate
and East
East Europe
Europe are
are introduced
introlduced and
and often
often make
make itit difficult
difficult to
t o unraunra~
and
vel the
the types
types of
of subsequent
subsequent epochs.
epochs.
vel
The wheel
wheel pommel
pommel (in
(in which
which context
context the
the spherical
spherical pommel
pommel must
must
The
be included)
included) has
has nothing
nothing whatever
whatever to
t o do
do with
with Viking
Viking traditions.
traditions.
be
Actually itit isis an
a n ancient
ancient Mediterranean
Mediterranean inheritance.
inheritance. Neither
Neither the
the
Actually
wheel nor
nor the
the spherical
splherical pommel
pommel isis to
to be
be observed
observed in
in CarolingianCarolingianwheel
Viking swords,
swords, any
any more
more than
than itit was
was on
on the
the spathas
spathas of
of the
the MerovinMerovin.
Viking
gian period.
period. Beyond
Beyond the
the Roman
Roman Empire
Empire itit isis to
to be
be found
found prior
prioir to
to
gian
the Migration
Migration period
period in
in provincial
provincial Roman
Roman areas
areas and
and in
in the
the Roman
Roman
the
in the
the bog
bog deposits
deposits of
of
Iron Age
Age of
of the
the Scandinavian
Scandinavian countries
countries e.e. gg in
Iron
Denmark. In
I n reality
reality itit is
is possible
possible to
to trace
trace the
the mediaeval
mediaeval wheel
wheel or
or
Denmark.
spherical pommel
pommel back
back via
via Byzantium
Byzantium and
and the
the Bosporan
Bosporan culture
culture rere
spherical
gion and
and the
the Levant
Levant as
as far
far as
as the
the ancient
ancient Roman
Roman and
and Byzantine
Bymntine
gion
empire reached,
reached, including
including Persia,
Persia, etc,
etc, to
to the
the thrusting
thrusting sword
sword of
of the
the
empire
soldiers of
of the
the Roman
Roman legions.
legions. It
I t isis chara:teristic
characteristic of
of this
this type
type that
that
soldiers
for instance
instance in
in the
the 12th
12th century
century when
when itit reappeared
reappeared in
in Europe,
Europe, itit
for
was common
common in
in South
South Europe,
Europe, less
less common
common in
in Central
Central Europe
Europe and
and
was
sparsely represented
represented in
in the
the Scandinavian
Scandinavian lands.
lands. In
I n pictorial
pictolrial art
art itit
sparsely
almost universal
universal in
in the
the Latin
Latin countries.
countries. From
From the
the 10th
10th century
century
isis almost
Byzantine triptych
triptych in
in the
the Louvre
Louvre (Harbarville)
(Harbarville) and
and other
other Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine
works of
of that
that time
time itit can
can be
be followed
followed in
in Italy,
Italy, Spain
Spain and
and France.
France.
works
Its occurrence
occurrence is
is earliest
earliest in
in Italy
Italy and
and Spain,
Splain, where
where an
a n examination
examination
Its
of early
early art
art found
found itit to
to be
be common.
common. On
On aa capital
capita,l from
from San
San Pedro
Pedro de
de
of
las Dueiias
Duefias in
in Lea7lJ,
L~~T
now
u , in
in the
the Archeol.
Archeol. Mus.
Mus Madrid,
Madrid, 11th
l l t h century,
century,
las
now
sword of
of this
this kind
kind is
is to
to be
be seen
seen thrust
thrust into
into the
the jaws
jaws of
of aa lion;
lion;
aa sword
in Biblia
Biblia de
cEe Farfa
Farfa (Santa
(Santa Maria
Maria de
de Ripoll),
Ripoll), 11th
l l t h century,
century, now
now in
in
in
Biblioteca Apost6lica
Apostolica Vaticana,
Vaticana, itit appears
appears distinctly
distinctly several
several times.
times.
Biblioteca
The same
same isis true
true of
of the
the Libros
Libros de
de los
101sTestamentos
Testamentos from
from the
the cathedral
cathedral
The
fresco in
in the
the apsis
apsis central
central in
in San
San Marttn,
Martin, in
in
in Oviedo,
Oviedo, 1126-29,
1126-29, aa fresco
in
Museo Episcopal
Episcopal de
de Vich,
Vich, about
abfout 1150,
1150, in
in ms.
ms. ill.
ill. Cantigas
(Tantigla~de
de Alfonso
Alfonso
Museo
el Sabio
Sabio in
in El
El Escorial,
Escorial, latter
latter part
part of
of 13th
13th century,
century, in
in Monreale
Monreale at
at
el
Palermo, 1174-87,
1174-87, on
on the
the seal
seal of
of Raoul
Raoul de
de Fougere,
Fougere, 1161,
1161, on
on the
the
Palermo,
tombstone of
of Geoffrey
Geoffrey Plantagenet
Plantagenet (in
( m enamel)
enamel) at
at Mans,
Mans, about
about 1175,
1175,
tombstone
where the
the rendering
rendering isis very
very characteristic
characteristic of
of Latin
Latin swords
swords in
in that
that
where
period. It
I t can
can be
be traced
traced in
in numerous
numerous other
other monuments
monuments and
and illumiillumiperiod.
As aa rule
rule the
the pommel
pommel isis rendered
rendered as
as aa flat
flat
nations of
of manuscripts.
manuscripts. As
nations
disc without
without mouldings,
mouldings, as
as we
we also
also see
see itit in
in the
the archaeological
archaeological mamadisc
terial. Around
Around 1200
1200 or
or in
in the
the first
flrst half
half of
of the
the 13th
13th century
century we
we see
see
terial.
12
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
the commencement of the mouldings that become so characteristic
of the wheel pommel of the classical Knightly sword. The other dede.
tails of these earIy
early swords are more or less the same as those of the
brazihnut
brazil-nut sword: the tang is short, the guard often has horizontal
quillons
Quillons that are rectangular in cross section,
section. the blades are as befo~
before, with a more or less rounded point, but sometimes with aann approach
to a sharper
sharper form. As regards inscriptions, these early blades too are
sometimes furnished with an Ingelri mark, though less
les& frequently
than the (previous
N NOMINE DIOMINI,
,previous ones, whereas HOMO DEI or IIN
DOMINI,
benedictory inscriptions, silver and brass inlays-religious
inlays-religious or decoratidecorati·
ve--are
ve-are more frequent, especially after about 12100.
1200. Entire
EnLre complexes ol
off
letters occur, framed or separated by ornaments, animal figures, croscrosses, etc. With regard to these apparently meaningless and insoluble
devices however it is probable that at any
a,ny rate some could be interpreted by means of
of a careful study of
of the culture in Crusade days,
of
of Psalms
Psaims and Proverbs.
of the Old Testament, especially the Books of
IItt seems that these wheelp~ommel
wheel pommel swords made their appearance
with the first
first crusades.
crusades. IItt is the close contact with Byzantine
Byzantine culculture and warfare, a contact
contact that left its traces in other fields, also
within the sphere of warfare and arms and is particularly pro~minent
prominent
in the enamel-decorated
enamel·decorated mountings on equestrian trapphgs
trapp:ngs and
harness. Sword pommels of
of the disc form, decorated with heraldic
figures in coloured enamels, are known from the 12th century. A
special ordinance established the national colours, white for English
crusaders, red for French and green for Flemish. Disc pommels
with castle
castle motives and the like, have been found in Syria i. a. at
Damascus, as in
he
in the case of
of bronze pommels for instance in tthe
Musee Cluny. A fine enamel pommel now
nOW is in the Metropolitan Museum, New York, with the arms of
of Pierre de Dreux and his national
colours. Pierre de Dlreux
t Louis'
Dreux took part
part in S
SL
Louis' crusade aatt the siege
of
1248-50. With the crusaders the
the Mediterranean sword
of Jerusalem in 1248-50.
types were spread out over the countries of
of Europe which in one
way or another had contributed man-power or had been implicated
directly in the crusades.
The wheel
wheel pommel developed in the course of
of the 13th century.
IItt became larger, heavier, thicker, with
with grooves
grooves and an elevated pa.
pa.
nel on each side,
s;de, a panel which especially on the Germanic swords
was often o~ccupied
occupied by a small
smaH tininlaid
tin inlaid cross. These crosses are also
familiar in pictorial renderings and are not uncommon
uncommon in French
illuminated MSS of
of the late 13th and the 14th century (e. g. French
Titus Livius ms. aatt Bordeaux).
Bordeaux). The pommel
pommel acquires higher
higher and
more conical top rivelt,
rivet, often of
of brass. The tang becomes longer,
the guard longer, often more slender, round or octagonal-sometimes
octagonal-sometimes
13
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
only-in cross-section.
cross-section. Among the different pommels
po~mmels
round at the ends only-in
the details become much more varied. On the whole, however, these
wheel pommels
p~ommelsprovide quite good material for
for their chronological
classificatio~n,and sometimes a determination of their
and typological classification,
provenance.
14th centuries
floresThe 13th and 14th
centuries are the period of chivalry's florescence. Chain mail for
aind horse, additional
additional defences in the
cence.
for man and
form of cuir bouilli, iron plates, helmets, triangular shields and
form
lances, massive cradlesaddles
cradlesaddles and good rowel-spurs
rowel-spurs are aa knight's
heavy lances,
outfit, besides his sword and the military dagger, especiaUy
especially iinn the
14th century.
century. The effective and costly cutting sword,
sword, like the helmet
14th
over the
and dagger, are chained to the iron breast plate under or over
mail. There may be national differences
differences in details of the helmet and
sword, probably individual pireferences
sword,
preferences too, but there is a certain
international stamp
stamp about the equipment,
equipment, for which reason the type
of sword is more or less the same in the greater part of Europe in
sharthe real days of chivalry. The classical knight's sword has the sharthe grip of fine but not
ply profiled pommel, the high top rivet, the
exaggerated length, the hor:zontal
hor,zontal or the curved quillons in proportions
suitable to the length of the hilt, the blade heavy, with grooves half
suitable
or three quarters of the way down and with a more pointed tip than
before.
before.
I n this period the curved quillons are encountered chiefly in the
In
Latin regions and in England.
England. IItt is
is well known from the pictorial
representations of the period, illuminated MSS, as well as
as the numenumeEngland.
rous sepulchral monuments, particularly in Italy, Spain and England.
German and Swiss tombs provide excellent specimens of the knightly
quillo~ns(many
(many of the French were delstroyed
sword with horizontal quillons
destroyed
during the Revolution).
Revolution). But in the archaeological material the horihorialso frequent :n
,n South Europe. There are good,
zontal quillons are also
o~f both types.
types.
datable specimens of
Among characteristic specimens that are fairly well dated there is,
sword, which was found
found near
for the early period, the Oldenburg sword,
for
relic of tthe
h e battle of
Harmenhausen in Oldenburg and is probably aa reHc
Stedinge in
1234, where a crusader army fought
fought against a force of
stedinge
in 1234,
pfeasants. The sword represents the introduction of the classical
cllassical
peasants.
knight's sword, the pommel still only slightly modelled
mo~delle~d
and a tang
hang
that is just beginning to lengthen.
lengthen. The decorative and well-executed
silver-inlaid blade inscription was deciphered by the late Paul Post
together with Professor Riithinger,
Ruthinger, and in all probability correctly
oeatury,
so. From this sword,
sword, dated to the first
first quarter of the 13th century,
developments proceed via types like the fragmentary Breslau sword
swo~d
developments
14
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
which probably
probably belonged
belonged toto King
King Ottokar
Ottokar 0/of Bohemia
Bohemia and
and which
which
which
has blade
blade figures,
figures, inlaid
inlaid with
with silver,
silver, representing
representing aa knight
knight crusader
crusader
has
wearing his
his helmet,
helmet, aa Cross
Cross of
of Jerusalem
Jerusadem on
on his
his shield,
shield, the
the Agnus
Agnus
wearing
tin cross
cross inin the
the now
now more
more profiled
profiled pommel,
pommel, altogether
altogether
Dei and
and with
with aa tin
Dei
splendid specimen
specimenof
of aa crusader
crusader sword
sword of
of the
the period
period about
about 1255-1275.
1255-1275.
aasplendid
Although the
the quillons
quillons are
arenow
now missJng
missungitit isis reasonable
reasonable to
to assume
assume that
that
Although
they were
were probably
probably horizontal.
horizontal.
they
Round about
about the
the year
year 1300
1300the
the classical
classical sword
sword reached
reached its
its full
full dedeRound
velopment, and
and in
in the
the first
first half
half of
of the
the 14th
14th century
century we
we find
find the
the best
best
velopment,
m d clearest
clearest representatives
representatives ofof the
the Germanic
Germanic knightly
knightly swords
swords inin
and
number of
of specimens
speoimens i.i. a.a. atat Ziirich,
Ziirich, Hamburg,
Rambusg, Liibeck,
Lubeck, Berlin,
Berlin, CoCoaa number
penhagen and
and several
several other
other localities.
localities. For
For exemple,
exemple, with
with its
its date
date
penhagen
determined from
from the
the find
find combinations
combinations isis the
the Bettzimatt
Bettximatt sword
s w o ~ from
dfrom
determined
the battle
battle of
of 1337,
1337, now
now inin the
the L.L. M.,
M., Ziirich.
Ziirich. Undated,
Undated, but
but closely
closely
the
related though
though more
more Latin
Latin of
of type
type and
and of
of splendid
splendid shape
shape isis aa sword
sword
related
from the
the Thames,
Thames, now
now inin the
the British
British Museum;
Museum; another
another French
mench spespe
from
South European
European
cimen isis now
now ;nin the
the Wallace
Wallace ColI.
Coll. inin Loncton.
London. AA South
cimen
sword from
from Toledo
ToLedo cathedral
cathedral isis the
the child's
child's sword
sword ot
of Juan,
Juan, yaunger
younger
sword
ZV; this
this well-preserved
well-preserved specimen
specimen has
has aa silver
silver gilt
gilt
brother at
of Sancho
Sancho IV;
brother
pommel of
of modelled-wheel
modelled-wheelform
form with
with the
the arms
arms of
of Castille
Castille and
and Le6n
Leon
ponunel
on both
both sides
sides inin coloured
coloured enamels,
enamels, aa grip
grip of
of medium
medium size,
size, horizontal
horizontal
on
quillons, aa good
good cut-and-thrust
cut-and-thrustblade,
blade, the
the scabbard
scabbard covered
covered with
with velvet
velvet
quillons,
and having
having the
the same
sameheraldic
heraldic coats
coats of
of arms
arms inin enamel.
enamel. This
This well-prowell-proand
portioned type
type isis aa clear
clear expression
expression ofof the
the classical
classical knightly
knightly sword
swor~datat
portioned
its best
best and
and typologically
typ~ologicallyconforms
conforms well
well toto the
the first
first quarter
quarter of
of the
the
its
14th century.
century. IfIf the
the interpretations
interpretations of
of the
the heraldic
heraldic emblems
emblems are
are
14th
correct itit agrees
agreeswell
well with
with the
the claim
claim that
that the
the sword
sword belonged
belonged to
to Juan,
Juan,
correct
who fell
fell in
in 1319,
1319, fighting
fighting the
the Moors
Moors near
near Granada.
Granada. The
The weapon
weapon isis
who
undoubtedly of
of Spanish
Spanish workmanship;
workmanship; the
the enamel
enamel might
might indicate
indicate
undoubtedly
Valencia, which
which was
was well
well knovm
known for
for its
its enamel
enamel work
work inin the
the period.
period.
Valencia,
Asaamatter
matterof
of fact
factthe
thetown
townwas
wasalso
alsofamous
famousfor
for its
itsblades.
blades.One
One Italian
Italian
As
parallel isis the
the sword
sword of
of Can
Can Grande
Grande della
della Scala
Scala (ob.
(ob. 1329),
13291,from
from the
the
parallel
tomb at
at Verona
Verona dated
dated toto pre-1330.
pre-1330. ItI t isis also
also in
in this
this period
period that
t h a t we
we
tomb
find the
the best
best parallels
parallels to
to the
the archaeological
archaeological objects
objects on
on tombstones
tombstones inin
find
Spain,Italy
Italy and
and Germany.
Germany.Another
Another characteristic
characteristic feature
feature of
of this
this group
group
Spain,
of
of swords
swords isis the
the inlay
inlay of
of letters.
letters. Both
Both letter
letter groups
groups and
and letter
letter types
types
are first-rate
first-rateadjuvants
adjuvants ,nin date
date determinations.
determinations.
are
Among examples
examples of
of datable
datable swords
swords with
with (;..J.rved
carved quillons
quillons II may
may
Among
mention another
another sword
sword in
in Toledo
Toledo cathedral,
cathedral, recovered
recovered from
from the
the tomb
tomb
mention
of Sancho
Sancho IV,
ZV,king
king 0/of Castille
Castille and
and Lean
Leon 0284-1295),
(1284-1295),aa son
son of
of AlfonAlfonof
Sabio (fig.
(fig. 4).
4). The
The cruciform
cruciform hilt
hilt has
has aa modelled
modelled ponunel
pommel
so XX elel Sabio
so
of aa form
form which
which well
well matches
matches the
the later
later part
part of
of the
the 13th
13th century,
century, aa
of
short tang
tang on
on which
which the
the grip
grip covering
covering isis still
still extant,
extant, short,
short, flat
flat and
and
short
15
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
Fig,
Fig. 4.
4. Sword
Sword 1f ro
r omm
the
the tomb
t o m b 01
of
Sallcho
S a n c h o IV,
IV,
King 01
iof Cast
Castilie
(1284-95).
lle (I284-95).
III
In blade
blade part
01
o f illscriptioll
inscription
still
still visible IJn
bn
both
h o r h sides.
sides.
With
W i t h part 01
of
the
the belt.
belt. (Ca(Capilla
pilla Mayor,
Mayor,
Toledo
Toledo CatheCathedral),
dral).
curved quillons with decorated lobate
lobate ends.
ends. Pommel
Pommel and
and quillons
quillons are
are
decorated with ornaments
ornaments in
in Mudejar style
style and
and with
with Arabic
Arabic letters.
letters.
The sword is aa characteristic South European fonn
form and
and the
the short
short
grip is fully
fully in concord with local
local custom
custom there.
there Another outstanding
outstanding
sword of
olf the type undated it is
is true,
true, is
is the characteristic
characteristic specimen
specimen in
in
Institute del
del Conde
Conde Valencia
Valencia de
de Don
Don Juan,
Juan, the
the so-called
so-called Santa
Santa
the Instituto
Casilda Sword with its heraldically
heraldioally ornamented
arnamented disc
disc pommel
pommel on
on which
which
the wavy lines are seen
seen in
in enamel and surrounded
surrounded by
by the
the prayer:
prayer: Ave
Ave
16
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
Maria,gratia
gratiaplena
plena(fig.
(fig.5).5).The
Thequillons,
quillons,
whicharearebroad
broadwith
witha a
Maria,
which
slightlycurved
curvedupper
upperedge
edgeand
andunder
underedge
edge
shape
double
slightly
in in
thetheshape
of ofa a,
doubie
arch,areareof ofa aform
formthat
thatis ischaractenstic
characteristicof ofand
andvery
verypopular
popularin in
arch,
South
EXlrope.They
They
have
inscription
Spanish
whose
characters
South
Europe.
have
anan
inscription
in in
Spanish
whose
characters
and
contents
place
period
shortly
after
1300:
Dios
vencedor
and
contents
place
it it
to to
thethe
period
shortly
after
1300:
Dios
es es
vencedOr
todo.This
Thissword
swordtype
typeis isknown
known
anything
commonin in
enentodo.
butbutis is
anything
butbutcommon
Fig.
. So-calledSanta
Santu
Casilda's
sword.
Inscriptions
pommel:AVE
AVE
MARZA
Fig.
5. 5So-called
Casilda's
sword.
Inscriptions
on on
pommel:
MARIA
G R A T I APLENA;
PLENA;on onquillons:
quillons:DIOS
DlOSESESVENCEDOR
VENCEDORENENTODO,
TODO,
GRATIA
A(MEN).
(Inst.
Valencia
Don
Juan,
Madrid).
A(MEN).
(Inst.
de de
Valencia
de de
Don
Juan,
Madrid).
17
2
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
the first half
half of
of the 14th century in the Germanic countries, whereas
it is frequently met with in the pictorial arts of the Latin lands.
From cut to thrust, change-over
1350
change-over about 1350
The sword is in constant evolution, dependent as it is upon the
development of
of the oth~er
other weapons, upon strategy and tactics. For
this reason it may often be hard to draw sharp chronological boundboundaries,
al."i.es, even when there are apparently good evidences.
evidences. On the other
hand there are some points that make sharp distinctions and help
to set up a good terminus. This holds good of
of the time around the
middlo of
of the 14th century-a
century-a restless, belligerent
belligerent period. Conditions
are
ar~ disturbed in the Mediterranean world. On the Iberian peninsula
it is the conflict between Pedro
pedro el Cruel and Enrique de Trastamara.
Ell
El prinoipe
principe negro
negru Edward of
of E3lgland
England is actively trying to introtduce
introduce
his new tacticall
tacticaJ methods on the peninsula. Barcelona is enjoying a
golden age, the Catalanians holding all the strings to the maritime
routes on the Mediterranean, with brisk communications
communications with Athens,
Morea, Byzantium etc, with dominion over Sicily and a Iarge
large part of
of
the islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Opposite them are the Italian
trade republics, especially Pisa and Genoa. The Hundred Years War
between France and England was in progress; the famous Battle
Batble of
of
C
r e ~ yin 1346 had revealed an important tactical advance, a form oof
if
CreQY
shock tactics with the E,nglish
English long-bow
long-bow archers against heavily armoured French cavalry. The Swiss fight for freedom against the
Austrians, commenced
conunenced with the Battle of
of Moorgarten in 1315,
1315, continued
with Laupen in 1339,
1386, again with infantry superior to
1339, Sempach in 1386,
to
the knights. The house of
of Anjou was at Naples, the French knights,
conducted by Peter of
of Lusignan, were defeated by the sultan aatt Alexandria in 1365.
1365. The Itallan
Italian republics and duchies fighted. Cavalry
had begun to waver, unable to cope with a mobile infantry carrying
other categories of
of weapons such as the halberd, pike
pike and two-hand
sword, or against the short and sharp thrusting swords of
of South
European foot soldiers.
The thrusting sword had
had already been usled
used in battle in the second
half
half of
of the
the 13th century. Of
Of the Battle of
of Benevento in 1266
1266 Primatus
de Bouquet
Bouquet writes that at first the Proven~al
ProvenQal troops of
of Charles $Anjou
d'Anjou
were unable to stand up
up to the great cutting sworlds
swords of
of the German
cavalry, wielded
w:elded with both hands. It was only when, covered by the
long pikes and armed with small,
small, light thrusting
thrusting swords, they engaged
the horsemen at close querters
quarters and thrust their sharp blades into
armpits, groin and other unprotected
unprotected parts of
of the riders that they
18
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
got the better of the heavily armoured cavalry. Thus the thrusting
sword was in use, at any rate by the lower
lower ranks of soldiers in South
13th century.
Europe, in the 13th
century. Sieur de Joinville relates in his memoirs,
1309, of the Battle at Man.
Manwritten, when he was en old man,
man, about 1309,
St. Louis' crusade in Egypt in the year 1250,
1250, of
OC a sword
sourah during St.
A Saracen had struck him with a lance,
lance, so that
used for thrusting. A
lance, and he
he was pressed against the neck of his horse and the lance,
was unable to draw his sword, which was suspended at his
waist belt.
h e knight draw the other
belt. When the Saracen now saw tthe
sword, suspendeld
saddle, he turne~d
sword,
suspended at the saddle,
turned his horse and rode away,
hcrse, rode against the Saracen and
but the knight too turned his hcrse,
as1 he writes in
killed him, using his sword in the manner of a lance,
lance, as!
the memoirs. In Chapter 13
13 of his manual: De regimine principum,
of Bourges since
on the art of war, the Italian nobleman archbishop of
1295 and general
general of the Augustine Order, ./Egidius
Bgidius Romanus Colonna,
Colonna,
1295
of Philip the Fair,
Flair. writes that the thrusting sword is
the tutor of
is the
most useful form of sword, because it penetrates chain-mail
chain·mail more
easily than the cutting sword,
sword, gives deeper and more mortal wounds
and is less strenuous in use. In
I n his manual lEgidius
IEgidius is evidently inin·
fluenced. by his studies
studies of Vegetius,
Vegetius, just as was king Alfonso el Sabio
Sabio
fluenced.
1260. Yet Alfonso
Castille, who wrote a textbook on warfare in 1260.
of Castille,
Arabic authors. And so
so it appears
was even more influenced by the Arabic
that in the wars of the 14th century -- especially in the latter half -sword, which in the
the heavily armoured cavalry with its cutting sword,
meantime had become very large, had difficulty in holding its own
agile infantry armed with short thrusting swords.
T'ime
against the agile
swords. Time
and again Froissart, writing on the Hundred Years' War, relates how
both French and English had short, stiff thrusting swords, short
Bordeaux swords
which are
are stiff
stiff and
and pointed. French pictorial
pictorid pepreBordeaux
swords Which
repreolf the period contain splendid examp:es
examples of such
such thrusting
sentations of
swords. At Semp2ch
Sempach and elsewhere the Swiss carry aa characteristic
swords.
slender, sharp-pointed
sharp-pointed blade and a new form
thrusting sword with a slender,
hilt, a facetted, pear-shaped
of hilt,
pear-shaped pommel, short grip
gr;p and curved quillons,
a weapon presumably inspired by French forms
forms and, after the many
Sempach, came to be known as
a s the Sempach
finds on the battlefield of Sempach,
sword. The Swiss freedom
freedom wars in the 14th
14th and 15th
15th centuries stand
sword.
like a series of epitaphs over th,e
the cavalry.
Side by side with the pointed thrusting sword the heavy two-hand
Side
h e second half
sword proved to be an efficient infantry weapon.
weapon. In tthe
14th century the course of developments divided into two
two prinof the 14th
szuord and a cutting sword,
sword, both esesr
cipal directions: aa thrusting sword
infantry use, and in between
between a more commonly carried
sentially for infantry
cut-and-thrust sword,
sword. used from
from horseback.
horseback. The cutting sword,
sword, which
cut-and-thrust
19
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
and-half ttoo a two-hand
evolved from a hand
hand-and-half
two-hand sword, is mainly a GerGermanic creation, the thrusting sword a Latin. The former is used
chiefly
chiefly in the Germanic
Gennanic lands but is by no means unknown in
~n Latin
regions, though there it differs
differs in appearance from
from the Germanic.
Gennanic. IItt
was in the Latin regions that the foundation was laid iinn this period
period
for the 16th century rapier hilts with their complicated
complicated systems o
off
branches for the protection ooff the hand. This hilt iiss the product
product
ooff several factors, the Latin way of
of using a sword - whether thrusting
or cutting
cutting weapon
or
weapon - influence
influence from
from the
the cavalry
cavalry sword
sword of
0/ the
the BwbeTs
Berbers
with its very
very short
short hilt,
hilt, and the systemization 0/
of fencing
fencing as an art.
Towards tthe
h e close ooff the 15th century gunpowder
glUlpowder and firearms bring
influence to bear upon tthe
h e art ooff war. The
The change
change of
more ,influence
of menmentality with
with the
the new
new school
of thought,
thought, the
tality
school 0/
the Renatssance,
Renaissance, disinterreid
disinterred the
inheritance from
from antiquity,
antiquity, its
and its
writings on
its great
great generals
generals and
its writings
on war
war
and strategy,
strategy, the study
study of
of Vegetius,
Vegetius, Vitruvius,
Vitruvius, Polybius,
Caesar, the
and
Polybius, Caesar,
the
impulses
from the
the learned
learned Greek-speaking
Greek-speaking world
world which had to flee
impulses from
1521 came in
before the Turks,
Turks, all led to a complete change.
change. In 1521
before
in
Florence Machiavelli's
Machiavelli's work:
Libro dell'
dell' Arte della
della Guerra
Guerra in
Florence
work: Libro
in which
politician drew largely upon the antique writers,
that great politician
writers, particularly
particularly
Polybios and Cesar;
Cesar; but even Vegetius and Frontinus were his teachers.
teachers.
Machiavelli too
too had
had much
much to
t o say
say about the
the role of
o f the
the thrusting
Machiavelli
sword.
4 s an adjuvant to
t o the thrusting sword the long infantry
As
infantry pike
Spain, the Low Countries and
acquired great importance. Italy, Spain,
Switzerland brought it forward into the front ranks;
ranks; the
the Swiss had
Switzerland
halberds too.
too. The two-handed sword or the halberd was combined
bbyy the
the Swiss
Swiss with
with, the
the pike,
pike, whereas the
the Latin
Latin nations
nations combined pike
pike
and thrusting
thrusting sword.
sword. The
The latter combination
combination proved
proved superior
superior to
to the
and
former in
i n the famous
Battle neur
Bellinzona in 1422. Armed with the
famous Battle
near Bellin:<.ona
thrusting sword the
the Italian
Italian infantry
commanded by
by tthe
h e famous
thrusting
infantry commanded
famous Milanese Carmagnola,
Carmagnola, were
were more mobile
mobile and effective
than the
the Swiss
Swiss
lanese
effective than
with the
the halberd.
halberd. It
It is
is not
without reason
reason that
that the
the pointed
pointed thrusting
thrusting
with
not without
sword became dominant in the South.
The Germanic
Germanic line,
line, i.i. e. Gennany,
Germany, Austria, Switzerland and ScandiThe
navia, in that period
period had gone in
in, completely for the
the large cruciform
navia,
crucifonn
pommel and aa long grip, horizontal
hilt with a heavy highly profiled pommel
(more rarely curveld),
different type,
type, the basbasquillons (more
curved), or an entirely different
tard sword with
with the pear-shaped pommel
pommel that was merely smooth or
facetted. The tang was long,
long, the quillons horizontal
hoirizontal or curved almost
khose ooff the 8empach
Sempach swords. This
This type belonged
belongeid mainly North
like those
o f the
the Alps,
Alps, though
though it is sometimes
sometimes met with
with to
to the
the South
South e.
e. g. iinn
of
Spain, introduced
introduced by
by the
the mercenaries
mercenaries under
under the
the Hapsburgs.
Hapsburgs. There
There
Spain,
ere many
many variations,
and datable
dabble specimens
specimens become
become more
more numerous.
numerous.
are
variations, and
20
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
classification,
ItIt isis possible
possible toto make
make aa typological
typological and
and chronological
chronologicd classification,
which
which shows
shows how
how developments
developments took
took place
place within
within periods
periods of
of about
about
quarter or
or aa half
half century.
century. AA pear-shaped
pear-shaped pommel
pommel isis often
often seen
seen on
on
aa quarter
thrusting swords,
swords, frequently
frequently the
the very
very long
long ones
ones small
small lances
lances in
in fact.
fact.
thrusting
Gut-and-thrust swords
swords and
and the
the purely
purely cutting
cutting swords
swords mostly
mostly have
have aa
Cut-and-thrust
wheel or
or more
more or
or less
less spherical
spherical pommel.
pommel.
wheel
In the
the Scandinavian
countries this
this type
type of
of sword
sword continues
continues in
in use
use
In
right up
up toto 1500,
1500,and
and even
even later
later often
often in
in conjunction
conjunction with
with an
an almost
almost
right
spherical pommel
pommel that
that was
was especially
especially popular
popular in
in the
the North.
North. Early
Early in
in
spherical
the 16th
16th century
century inin the
the Scandinavian
S~candinaviancountries
countries these
these hand-and-half
hand-and-half
the
swords are
are furnished
furnished with
with branches
branches and
and loops
loops which
which turn
turn them
them into
into
swords
big, awkward
awkward versions
versions of
of the
the rapier.
rapier. In
In aa great
great many
many instances
instances the
the
big,
blades of
of these
these large
large cut-and-thrust
cuband-thrust swords
swords and
and the
the cutting
cutting swords
swords
blades
bear the
thewolf
wolf and
and crozier
crozier stamp,
stamp,the
the emblem
emblem of
of the
the ?assau
Passau workshops.
workshops.
bear
Passau blades
blades were
were in
in particular
particular favour
favour in
in the
the Scandinavtan
countries
Passau
in the
the 14th
14th and
and 15th
15th centuries;
oenturies; inin fact,
fact, these
these blades
blades were
were in
in very
very
in
All through
through the
the
wide use
use inin the
the Germanic
Germanic countries
countries at
at the
the time.
time. All
wide
trade with
with East
East
Middle Ages
Ages the
the Passau
Passau smiths
smiths did
did aa large
large export
export trade
Middle
Europe. In
In the
the 15th
15th century
century the
the Solingen
Solingen factories
factories came
came more
more and
and
Europe.
more into
into the
the foreground
foreground and
and in
in time
time displaced
displaced the
the Passau
Passau products,
products,
more
at any
any rate
rate on
on the
the Northern
Northern market,
market, especially
especially after
after about
about 1500.
1500. The
The
at
Passau workshops
workshops had
had proved
proveld ca.pable
capable of
of satisfying
satisfying the
the military
military
Passau
standards set
set by
by the
the North
North Germanic
Germanic countries
countries for
for aa sword
sword blade,
blade, and
and
standards
Solingen inin its
its turn
turn did
did the
the same.
same. The
The skilful
skilful Solingen
Solingen smiths
smiths in
in
Solingen·
the next
next centuries
centuries succeeded.
succeede,din
in turning
turning out
out blades
blades that
that satisfied
satisfied the
the
the
requirements of
of both
both Latin
Latin and
and Germanic
Germanic countries,
countries, and
and thereby
thereby in
in
requirements
paramount-quantitativelv; on
on the
the other
other
the course
course of
of time
time became
became paramount-quantitatively;
the
hand there
there isis no
no doubt
doubt that
that the
the Spanish
Spanish factories,
factories, at
at any
any rate
rate Toledo
Toledo
hand
and Valencia,
Valencia, and
and the
the Italian,
Italian, Mi.:an,
Mi,:an, Bel/uno
Belluno and
and Brescia
Brescia were
were1 quali.
qualiand
tatively superior.
superior.
tatively
The large
large cut-and-thrust
cut-and-thrustswords
swords and
and the
the long
long Germanic
Germanic PanzerstePanzersteThe
cher or
or faining
foining estoc
estoc of
of the
the end
end of
of the
the 15th
15th century
century have
have no
no long
long
cher
religiousinscriptions
inscriptionslike
likethe
the cutting
cuttingsword
sword of
of Crusade
Crusadetimes.
times. stamps,
Stamps,
religious
ZNRZ or
or
figures such
such as
as wolf
woIf marks,
marks, stars,
stars, ca·rtouches
cartouches containing
containinge.e. g.g. INRI
figures
JHS in
in Gothic
Gothic minuscles
minuscles appear
appear frequently
frequently on
on the
the Germanic
Germanic swords.
swords.
JHS
In the
the Latin
Latin regions
regions conditions
conditions in
in the
the 15th
15th and
and 16th
16th centuries
aenturies are
are
In
((Maria))inscriptions
inscriptions and
and invocations
invocations of
of Virgin
Virgin
somewhat d:fferent;
different ; «Maria»
somewhat
Mary are
are not
not uncommon.
uncommon.
Mary
Naturally these
these years
years have
have handed
handed down
down aa m;..~ber
n ~ n b e of
rof distinctive
distinotive
Naturally
and costly
costly dated
dated or
or datable
datable swords
swords of
of Germanic
Gennanic type,
type, individual
individual
and
specimens created
created to
to suit
suit the
the wishes
wishes and
and wealth
wealth of
of the
the patron,
patron, and
and
specimens
there are
are also
also many
many plain,
plain, simple
simple war
war swords,
swords, some
some factory
factory made
made
there
throughout, for
for instance
instance from
from Passau
Fassau or
or Solingen,
Solingen, others
others finished
finished off
off
throughout,
21
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
in the importing countries.
countries. It
I t is possible
possible to
to draw up aa fairly
fairly re-liable
re~liable
chronology for these swords from
from the 15th
15th century.
century.
However there is one
one group of swords
swords that is
is mostly
mostly of Latin
Latin origin,
origin,
some thrusting swords, others of the
the cut-and-thrust
cut-and-thrust type,
type, almost
almost all
all
of
the majority with
with aa short
short grip
grip and
and
of them with a wheel
whe-el pommel, the
curved quillons.
quillons. These swords
blade
swords are dated by means of their blade
inscriptions in Arabic, which give
give brief historical information about
about
the weapons. They are war trophies, captured by
by the
the Egyptian sultans,
sultans,
from the Cypriote knights in 1365
1365 when they besieged
besieged Alexandria
Alexandria and
and
1426 when Barsbey raided Cyprus
Cyprus and
and took
took aa
were defeateld,
defeated, and in 1426
large booty (fig.
6-71. InclUding
Including swords,
swords, helmets
helmets and
and other weapons
weapons
(fig. 6-7).
this booty was taken to
t o the arsenal
arsenal at
at Alexandria and
and hung
hung as
as trophies,
trophies,
JlaJilln sword with
rabic
Fig. 6.
6 . Ztalian
wifh A
Arabic
illScript;oll. Part.
Part. of spoil
inscription.
s p i l latuken ffro
m the Cypriole
Cypriofe
r o 111
ptialls ill
knights by Iht:
the t.'gy
Egyptians
in
/365, (Col/.
E. A.
1365.
(Coll. E.
A . ChristellChristenWII,
E. 190).
190).
sen, Copellhagell.
Copenhagen. E,
22
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
insFig. 7.7 . /III/ian
Italian sword
sword wirh
with Arabic
Arabic insFig.
sulcription. War-booty
War-booty from
from SU/cription.
tan Barsbey's
Barsbey's invasion
invasion of
o f Cytan
CYA.
pros in
in 1426.
1426. (Coli.
(Coll. E.
E. A.
pros
1120Christensen. EE 129.
129. Grip
Grip moChristclIsen.
dern).
dern).
but when
when the
the Mameluke
Mameluke captured
captured Egypt
Egypt in
in 1517
1517 most
most of
of them
them were
were
but
carried to
to Constantinople.
Constantinople. (Some
(Some few
few specimens
specimens Napoleon
Napoleon later
later was
was
carried
fortunate enough
enough to
to bring
bring away
away from
from Egypt).
Egypt). Several
Several specimens
specimens came
came
fortunate
into the
the European
European market
market in
in the
the 1930's.
1930's. Thanks
Thanks to
to their
their Arabic
Arabic
into
inscriptions they
they provide
provide parLculars
partkulars of
of sultans,
sultans, emirs,
emirs, etc.,
etc., which
which have
have
inscriptions
enabled them
them to
to be
be dated
dated positively.
positively. On
On some
some of
of these
these swords
swords (of
(of
enabled
1426,
which one
one group
group can
can be
be dated
dated prior
prior to
to 1365
1365 the
the other
other to
to before
before 1426,
which
few speciments
speciments to
to 1419,
1419,1431,
1431,etc.),
etc.),there
there isis aa blade
blade detail
detail of
of consideraconsideraaa few
ble interest,
interest, aa rlcasso
ricasso ornamented
ornamented with
with aa very
very plain
plain design:
design: an
an
ble
engraved line
line at
at each
each side
side terminating
terminating in
in aa curve
curve and
and an
an eye.
eye. SometSometengraved
hing similar
similar isis to
to be
be seen
seen on
on the
the handsome
handsome sword
sword recently
recently published
published
hing
by Pierre
Pierre Con
Contat
(Annales Valaisannes
Valaisannes 1960),
19601),the
the ceremonial
ceremonial sword
sword
by
tat (Annales
of the
the Archbishops
Archbmishops of
of Sion,
Sion, dated
dated to
to about
about 1400
14010 (fig.
(fig. 8).
8). Some
Some of
of the
the
of
swords from
from the
the Alexandria
Alexandria arsenal
arsenal have
have very
very pointed
pointed thrusting
thrusting blades
blades
swords
They
with aa sharp
sharp grat,
grat, broad
broad at
at the
the top,
top, almost
almost triangular
triangular in
h shape.
shape. They
with
rccall what
what Froissart
Froissart says
says of
of the
the sharp
sharp and
and stiff
stiff Bordeaux
Bmdeaux swords
swords of
of
recall
the latter
latter half
half of
of the
the 14th
14th century.
century. A
A number
number of
of swords
swords of
of Latin
Latin
the
23
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
"1.v~-,
. ''If
:
~ .. ~orf'4. •
...;~
.
..... "','
~
Fig. 8.
8. Ceremonial sword @f
uf the
Ihe
Archbishop
Archhishops ooff Sion,
.'lion, Switzerland, about
aboul 1400. (Coll.
(Coli.
PiLrre
Pierre Contat,
Conlal, Sion).
.'lion).
origin, mostly Spanish, and Italian, with a wheel pommel, some with
a concave-mirror
concave-mirror like depression in the side panels, other with enamelenamelled heraldic arms, others again with a lenticular or shawly
sharply profiled
pommel, but all with almost horizontal quillons whose ends bend
downwards like hooks, are of the period around 1400-a
140o-a little before
or after. One particularly characteristic expression of
of this Latin
type is the Italian sword in the Metropolitan Museum in New York,
dated by its Arabic inscription to before 1419.
1419. Several others group
themselves about it, e. g. a type familiar from Spanish paintings of
of
about 1400
1400 and a little way into the 15th century. The Italian blades
from centres such as Milan, Belluno, Brescia, and other places were
renowned far and wide for the quality of
of their products. Through
Venice, Pisa and Genoa they were exported notwithstanding reiterated
papal prohibition-to
prohibition-to the Orient while simuitaneously
simultaneously Oriental blades
were imported, for instance from Syria. The Syrian factories fell into
disuse in the 15th century. IItt is true that others began working in
Egypt and Morocco, but part of
of the Syrian business seams
seems to have
passed to the Iberian peninsula. It is hardly likely that any establishment approache~d
approached Toledo for quality. (As in the case of
of the
Milanese products Toledo blades were extensively imitated by SolSol24
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
ingen). With only few
few gaps Toledo's
Toledo's history can be traced back to
to
ingen).
antiquity,
antiquity, to the Iberians
Iberians and Gelto-Iberians,
Celto-Iberians, from
from whom the
the Romans,
Romans,
who
who already had excellent
exoellent Etruscan workshops,
workshops, learned a great den,!.
dea~l.
were other centres,
centres, Valencia
Valencia for
for instance,
instance, which produced
But there were
fine blades
blades that were
were much in demand;
demand; some
some are
are still
still extant with
with
fine
signatures. Seville
Seville too
too was
was one
one of the
the most renowned
renowned establishments,
signatures.
and besides
besides there
there were
were Granada,
Granada, Murcia,
Murcia, Barcelona
Barcelona and
and various
various Basque
Basque
and
smithies. The
The documents and
and accounts
accounts in the
the local
local archives
archives of SpanSp1a.nsmithies.
ish towns
towns contain
contain the
the names of aa host of blade smiths.
smiths. France,
France, too,
too,
ish
was in no
no way
way behind in
in the
the Middle
Middle Ages:
Ages: The
The Rhone
Rhbne valley,
valley, French
was
Savffie with
with Annecy,
Annecy, Bordeaux,
Bordeaux, and
and other places. Mention
Mention of blade
blade
Savoie
smiths is
is to
to be
be found
found in
in several
several towns
towns of
of southern
southern France,
France, at Lyons,
Lyons,
smiths
Chatellerault, Poitou,
Poitou, and
and in
in the
the North
North at
at Paris,
Paris, Rouen
Rown etc.
etc.
Chatellerault,
The sword
sword type
type of the
the Latin
Latin countries
countries in
in the
the 15th
15th century
century is well
well
The
represented in
in the
the museums,
museums, and
and richly
richly so
so in
in the
the pictorial
pictorial arts
arts of
of the
the
represented
perio~d. Characteristic
Characteristic types
types with
with the
the special
special forms
forms of pommel, the
the
period.
short grip,
grip, usually
usually curved
curved quillons,
quillons, distinctly
distinctly thrusting blades
blades with
short
grat and
and strengthened point,
point, and
and in
in many
many instances
instances with
with aa ricasso,
~icasso,
grat
are to
to be
be found
found on
on several
several Spanish
Spanish altar'pie<:es,
altar-pieces,sepulchral
sepulchral monuments,
monuments,
are
mural paintings
paintings and
and in
in illuminated
illuminated manuscripts.
manuscripts.
mural
The birth
birth of
of Renaissance
Renaissance
The
It was
was aa restless
restless epoch,
epoch, aa time
time of
of ferment,
ferment, of
of incessant
incessant political
political
It
disturbance, of
of intellectual
intellectual currents,
currents, commercial
commercial connections
connections with
with
disturbance,
distant parts,
parts, the
the period
period leading
leading up
up to
to the
the crisis
crisis of
of the
the Renaissance
Renaissance
distant
and humanism.
humanism. The
The Mediterranean
Mediterranean world
world lives
lives under
under aa pressure
pressure born
born
and
of the
the fear
fear of
of the
the advancing
advancing Turks,
Turks, who
who in
in 1453
1453 finally
finally demolished
demolished
of
the weak
weak and
and effete
effete Byzantine
Byzantine empire.
empire. The
The kingdom
kingdom of
of Arag6n
Aragdn grows
grows
the
up to
to aa period
period of
of brilliance
brilliance which
which led
leid to
to aa certain
certain rallying
rallying of
of the
the
up
Bardifferent Mediterranean
Mediterranean cultural
cultural elements.
elements. Catalonia
Catalonia and
and with
with itit Bardifferent
celona having
having fallen
fallen behind
behind in
in many
many respects
respects on
on account
account of
of internal
internal
celona
and international
international political
political competition
competition and
and conflicts
conflicts in
in the
the MediterraMediterm
and
nem, the
the house
house of
of Arag6n.
Aragon, of
of the
the Trastamare
Trastamare family,
family, rose
rose to
to aa mighty
mighty
nean.
state. The
The very
very complicated
complicated political
political situation
situation between
between France,
France, Milan,
Milan,
state.
Arag6n and
and other
other states
states led
led to
to the
the great
great naval
naval battle
battle at
a t Ponza
Ponza in
in
Arag6n
1435, where
where the
the king
king of
of Arag6n,
Aragon, Al/onsa
Alfonso VV and
and his
his navy
navy was
was defeated
defeated
1435,
by the
the Genoese.
Genoese. Eight
B g h t years
years later
later matters
matters turned,
turned, and
and Arag6n
Arag6n under
by
Alfonso came
came forward
forward into
into the
the limelight,
limelight, when
when the
the Aragonese
Aragonese king
king
Alfonso
defeated the
the defenders
defenders of
of Naples,
Naples, Renato
Renato de
de Anjou
Anjou and
and the
the Genoese.
Genoese.
defeated
I n 1442
1442 Alfonso
Alfonso marched
marched into
into Naples
Naples and
and from
from there
there conducted
conducted aa
In
large scale
scale imperialistic
imperialistic policy,
policy, w:th
w;th dreams
dreams of
of becoming
becoming another
another AleAle.
large
25
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
xander the Great assembling the entire civilized world under his banner. He assumed the titles of king of Jerusalem, Hungary, Croatia,
Greece,
Greece, Cyprus,
Cyprus, had mercantile relations with Syria and its hinterlands
and with such remote regions as Abyssmia,
Abyssinia, where he became friend
with the Negus
Negus. with Mogul and Peking.
of Albania,
On the Balkan he contacted the famous
famous chieftain of
Scanderbeg.
Scanderbeg. He called himself Divus and in the Roman manner had
a triumphal arch erected at Castel
Caste1 Nuovo
kingdom of
Nuovo in Naples.
Naples. The kingdom
Naples became a most
most important factor
factor in the Mediterranean world, a
Byzantium.
strong safeguard against the Turkish menace just outside Byzantium.
The whole Mediterranean world without France partook in this safsafTurks.
eguard against
ag'ainst the Turks.
With this important position Naples was destined to influence
influence
cultural developments. With the numerous and far reaching'
reaching trade
cultural currents nowing
flowing in from many quarters:
connections and the cultural
the learned men of the Greek-speaking
Greek-speaking world,
world, fleeing
neeing from the
the Turks
to Venice, Florence and South Italy, the Arabian and Byzantine
Byzantine
craftsmen and artists coming to Italy, the Spanish artists
craftsmep.
artists and goldgoldSee and to the court at Naples, and the
smiths attracted to the Ho-y
Ho'y See
Italians travelling to the cities of the Iberian peninsula, it is nothing
fellowship was formed;
formed;
remarkable that some measure of cultural fellowship
centre of
of politics
polztics and
and culture,
culture, from
from which emanated
Naples became
became aa centre
a stream of cultural renewal to the rest of the world, a Renaissance.
Renaissance.
In addition there was the rich culture that thrived at the courts of
the various Italian princes, at
a t Florence
Florence with the family
family of Medici
Medici
(Cosimo, Piero and Lorenzo «il
ctil Magnificon)
Milan, in 1395,
1395, created a
(Cosimo,
Magnifico») in Milan,
ducal with the family of the Viscontis
Viscontis and since 1450
1450 the family
family of
Sforzas. Milan was the sovereign of almost all Lombardy with
the Sforzas.
Pisa (since 1399)
ctla Superba))
Superbax since
since 1464. In Mantova we
1399) and Genoa «la
find the ducal family
Gonzagas, in Verona
Verona the family of the
family of the Gonzagas,
Scalas. Venice
Venice was the ruler of a great part of
of the Dalmatian
Dalmatian coast,
coast,
Sceuas.
the island of Crete
Crete and after 1489
1489 even the ruler of Cypros.
Cypros. There can
be no question of definite
for which
definite delimitations in the Latin world, for
Spanish swords,
swords,
reason we find noble Italian goldsmith's work on Spanish
(e. g.
g. the goldsmiths
Zaragozan goldsmith's work en Roman swords (e.
Pedro
ilm Cel/as
Cellas and Antonio from
from Zaragoza).
Zaragoza). Nor is
pedro de las
is it remarkable
ttnovelties))
that we find almost the same sword types and the same <<novelties))
Swords appearing
in Spanish and Italian paintings
paintmgs of that time. Swords
of the Valencian school of about 142(}.30
1420-30 are to
to be seen
seen in
in paintings of
e. g.
1430. About the middle
similar renderings in e.
g. Pisan art of about 1430.
15th century there is a wealth of types and
and forms
forms in both South
of the 15th
and North of the two peninsulas.
It is only in roug'h
rough outlines that the various sword
sword types can be
26
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
followed.
followed. There are many intermediate forms, many individual products. But towards the middle of the 15th
15th century the remnants of
mediaeval knightly culture is forced to make room for the new. With
the defeat of Charles the Rash in 1477
1477 it was all over with the Middle
Ages and chivalry which, in the first half
half of that century, and
and esespecially
peciallY by this monarch had beer,
been elaborated to its culminative but
most rigid perfection. Gunpowder and the new school of thought, the
renaissance, a product of the many distant trade relations, the Aragonian empire,
empire, the cultural life in Milan, Florence, Venice, etc.,
etc., the fear
of the Turks,
Turks, Byzantine culture,
culture, and ancient Roman and Greek traditions, marked an
a n epoch-for
itions,
epoch-for the art of war and for its weapons.
Maximilian's organization of the Germanic infantry with its special
weapons, the strategy tught by Machiavelli in his great work Arte
weapons,
della guerra,
guerra, which
which after all
al1 was based upon philosophy, political
Vegetius, Caesar and
experiences and the organization and works of Vegetius,
Polybius in antiquity,
Gonxalo de C6rdoba,
Cdrdoba, «El
((El Gran Capittin»,
Capitam,
Polybius
antiquity, and Gonzalo
decided the course of
of developments.
developments. Even
Hven for
for a thing so apparently
decided
as sidearms the new outlook was decisive.
decisive. With the Renaissance
small as
the sword was transformed. The estoc and the rapier appeared,
appeared, not
as the result of a comparatively complicated process
suddenly but as
evolution. Just as the Renaissance is a product of the Latin-or
Latin-or
of evolution.
more precisely the Italian world,
world, the estoc and rapier were a Latin
product. Just as the Renaissance ran a different course North of the
Alps, especially in the Scandinavian
Scandinavian countries (where
(where it developed
developed
A1lps,
almost into a social revolution), the evolution of the sidearm was
Scandiavian regions, at any rate in
also different, not least in the SCancUnavian
16th century and the first half of 17th
17th Just as Scandinaviam
Scandinarviam inteintethe 16th
llectual life
from Wittenberg,
Wittenberg, the evolution
lite frotm
from now on was d:rected from
the artists
of the sidearm here came under the strong influence of the
Saxon Electoral court
and craftsmen of the Saxon
From sword to rapier
In order to understand this development it is necessary again to
distinguish between Latin and Germanic peoples. The form and use
the weapons are intimately related to the temperament and charcharof the
culture.
acter of the nations and to the history of their intellectual culture.
conThe ancient thrusting traditions of the mediterranean people in conjunction with the
the cavalry technique of the Moroccan Berber tribe:s
tribes
The cutting technique
lcad to the swepthilt with its many branches. The
during the Renaissance and in the
of the Germanic nations persists during
swords, the
course of its further evolution leads to the large infantry swords,
27
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
bidenhanders (which
(which quickly
quickly fall
fall into
into disuse
disuse as
as aa war weapon)
weapon) and
and
bidenhanders
to the
the huge
huge cutting swords
swords that
that are
are still
still characteristic
characteristic of the
the ScanScanto
lands in
in the
the first
first half of the
the 16th
16th century. It
I t also
also leads
leads to
to
dinavian lands
the small
small cutting
cutting swords,
swords, the
the katzbalgers,
katzbalgers, the
the special
special sideann
sidearm of the
the
the
lansquenets. Under
Under influence
influence of the
the Asiatic
Asiatic and
and the
the East European
Ehropean
lansquenets.
single-edged, more
more or
or less
less curved
curved weapons,
weapons, sabres,
sabres, came
came the
the
cavalry's single-edged,
mtermediato forms,
forms, i.i. a.
a. with sabre
sabre blades
blades and
and basket
basket hilts.
hilts.
intermediato
in North
North Italy
Italy and
and the
the Visigothic
Visigothic swords
swords in
in
The Lombardic swords
swords in
The
Spain were
were cutting swords
swords like
like the
the Vilting-Age
Viking-Age swords
swords of the
the Franks.
Franks.
Spain
In the
the infantry
infantry battles
battles of
of the
the following
following centuries
centuries in
in Germany
Germany the
the
In
usual sword
sword was
was used
used for
for cutting.
cutting. It
I t is
is rarely
rarely seen
seen employed
employed for
for
usual
thrusting, though
though some
some few
few such
such specimens
specimens of
of about
about 1200,
1200, is
is to
to be
be
thrusting,
seen i.i. a.
a. in
in aa manuscript at
at Trier,
Trier, Jungfrauenspiegel.
Jungfrauenspiegel. It
It is
is unusual
seen
to find
find any
any mention
mention of
of thrusting
thrusting in
in the
the Germanic
Germanic literature
literature -though
--though
to
course it
it occurs
occurs now
now and
and then.
then. Ordinarily
Ordinarily the
the sword
sword was
was wielded
wielded
of course
one hand.
hand. In
In the
the 12th
12th and
and 13th
13th centuries
centuries there
there was
was still
still room
room
with one
and yet it is
is sometimes
sometimes seen
seen
for one
one hand only
only on
on the
the short
short grip;
grip; and
for
grasped in
in both hands
hands when aa particularly
particularly heavy
heavy blow
blow was
was required.
required.
grasped
This occurs
occurs as
as early
early as
as in
in the
the period around
around 900,
9100, in
in aa manuscript
This
from St.
Bt. Gallen
Gallen (Cod.
(Cod. Perizoni
Perizoni 17,
17, Leyden),
Leyden), where
where one
one hand
hand is
is closed
closed
from
about the
the grip
grip itself
itself and
and the
the other
other is
is laid
laid over
over the
the first.
first. In
In the
the
about
12th century
century itit is
is depicted
depicted several
several times,
times, for
for instance
instance in
in Hortus
Hortus DeliDeli12th
ciarum and
and in
in various
various other
other ms.
ms. illuminations of
of the
the period.
period.
ciarum
Cavalry and
and the
the more
more solid
solid weapons
weapons of defense
defense necessitated
necessitated the
the
Cavalry
heavier sword,
sword, the
the larger
larger grip
grip and
and the
the longer
longer quillons.
quillons. The
The blade
blade
heavier
became correspondingly
correspondingly longer
longer and
and heaVier.
heavier. In
I n the
the 15th
15th century
century aa
became
broad area
area is
is required
required to
to receive
receive the
the adversary's
adversary's cut.
cut. The
The long
long
broad
quillons are
are not sufficient
sufficient enough
enough for
for cover;
cover; the
the protecting
protecting surface
surface
quillons
is expanded
expanded by
by bending
bending the
the quillons
quillons S-shaped
S-shapeid on
on the
the horizontal
horizontal plane
plane
is
or by
by adding
adding horizontal
horizontal siderings
siderings where
where the
the hilt
hilt crossed
crossed the
the blade,
blade,
or
sometimes only
only one
one on
on the
the outside,
outside, sometimes
sometimes one
one on
on each
each side.
side.
sometimes
The horizontal,
horizontal, S-shaped
S-shaped quillons
quillons came
came into
into use
use before
before the
the middle
middle of
of
The
the 15th
15th century.
century. Some
Some few
few specimens
specimens are
are known
known from
from an
an even
even earlier
earlier
the
date, as
as shown
shown by
by mr.
mr. Oakeshott,
Oakeshott, i.i. a.
a aa sword
sword in
in the
the Cambridge
Cambridge
date,
University Museum
Museum of
of Archaeology.
Archaeology.
University
But the
the practise
practise became
became more
more common
common during
during the
the later
later half
half of
of
But
the 15th
15th century.
century. Swords
Swords of
of this
this description
description are
are to
to be
be seen
seen in
in
the
museums especially
especially in
in Switzerland,
Switzerland, Germany
Germany and
and the
the Scandinavian
Scandinavian
museums
countries. Numerous
Numerous wood
wood carvings
carvings by
by artists
artists such
such as
a s Beham,
Beham, BurgkBurgkcountries.
mair, Lucas
Lucas Cranach,
Cranach, Diirer,
Durer, Urs
Urs Gra!.
Graf. Holbein
Holbein the
the Younger
Younger and
and sevesevemair,
ral others
others depict
depict lansquenets
lansquenets armed
armed with
with two-handed
two-handed swords
swords and
and with
with
ral
the katzbalger
katzbalger at
at their
their belt
belt with
with guards
guards of
of this
this kind.
kind As
As regards
regards DenDenthe
mark there
there is
is aa local
local version
version of
of these
these guards
guards with
with aa large,
large, broad
broad
mark
28
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
surface made of
of a thin
thin Iron
iron rod shaped into
into a figure eight. Some
are
Scandinavian swords with horizontal quillons and side-rings abe
imports from Passau and Solingen. On some of
of them
them the
the pommels
pommels are
disc-~haped, on others scentstopper
scentstopper or pear-shaped, or spherical. A
disc-shaped,
knuckle-bow
knuckle-bow is scarcely ever seen on these
these German types of
of swords,
though it
it does occur on a few lansquenet
lansquenet swords, usually of
of the
the
slightly curved and single-edged types. The knucklebow reaches only
to the middle of
of the
the grip, where it
-it is bent slightly outwaad
outward as in
Albrecht Durer's
Diirer's woodcuts of
of the Apocalypse of
of 1498.
1498. A vertical
knuckleguard,
knuckle-guard, also
also reachlng
reaching to the middle of
of the grip, appears on
some types of
of hand-and-half swords from Switzerland, but it differs
from those on the lansquenet swords. On South JZuropean
European sabres,
both those with a one-hand-and
one·hand-and those with a hand-and-half
hand·and·half grip simisimilar knucklebows
knuckle-bows already appear in the 15th century, for instance in
in the
execution scene on m
e of
one
of the paintings of
of the Spanish-Flemish painter
painter
Francisco Gallego on an altar-piece in the Museo Diocesano in
in the
the
Old Cathedral at Salamanca.
Salamanca. IItt also shows how the index finger is
is
laid in Latin fashion over the quillon.
quill on. There are several other examples of this most important manner of
of grasping a cutting weapon.
Both in Spain and in Italy it is quite usual to find a knuckleguard
combined with side-rings, aass shown in paintings by Pinturiccio. A fine
example occurs in a picture of
of St. Michael from about 1473.81,
14.73-81, now
in Leipzig.
Leipzig. Even here we find the index finger across the guard.
The Germanic development with the hilt guarded by rings and
branches lying horizontally is observable during the greater part of
the 16th century and can be followed into the 17th.
n the latter
17th. IIn
part of the 16th
16th century addit-onal
addiLonal hand protections make their apap'
pearanoe
pearance in the form of
of more branches, rings and plates on both
sides. These give a closed basket-hilt entirely horizontal in plane, a
hilt providing complete protection
o the hand. It
I t is to be seen in
protection tto
Austrian and South German sidearms with a slightly curved or a
stradght
straight two-edged
two-edged blade, introduced into Denmark and Norway in
the early 17th
17th century (dusagge or so-called
so-called Sinclair
Sinciair sabres).
sabres). And
we meet it in Jost Ammans woodcuts of lansquenets of the 1580's.
1580's.
Something similar applies to the Venetian schiavones (fig.
(fig. 9) in which
Latin and Slav elements are combined.
Opposite the Germanic line is the Latin, with a hand guard pripri·
designed against the cut, but soon afterwards for the thrust
marily designed
too. The Latin line is diffused
diffused out over Europe, inter alia by the
accession to the throne of Spain by the Habsburgs,
accession
Habsburgs, by foreign diplodiplomats and with the mercenaries of
of the various countries
countries and soon
brings its influence to bear upon the Germanic line too. Mixed forms
arise. A
A certain combination of Latin and Germanic is to be found
29
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
xhiuvonu, late 16th
Fig.
Fil:. 9. a: Venetian sword, early 16th century,
ceJ1tury, h.
h: Venetian
Venet;an schilll'ona,
5).
century (Coll.
(Coli. E.
E. A
A.. Christensen. E
E 160
1(,0 and
and 5(15).
in the Low Countries, especially in Flemish rapiers (fig. 21). In adaddition, there
there were currents from the Orient via Venice and across
the
the Iberian peninsula.
The Latin development IS
is more complicated than the Germanic,
Germanic,
and
and more
more elegant. The typical South European sword with
with its wheel
pommel, short grip and curved quillons ending in more or less rolled
volutes towards thle
the edges of
of the
the blade can be traced in Italian and
Spanish
Spanish pictures
pictures from an early point of
of time. If
If the soldier is wearing mail gauntlets he must naturally hold h;s
h:s hilt with the four
fingers together. But
But in
in several instances where the hand is
Is bare we
find three
three fingers around the grip itself
itself whilst the index finger is laid
30
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
quillon. The examples of this
numeacross the foremost quillon.
this are fairly numerous. Even on Sassanian silver bowls of the 4th-7th centuries A. D.,
the hand is holding the grip in that fashion
fashion (see
tsee Gladius
Gladius I, p. 65
65 ff).
ff).
Curiously enough the swords bear a striking resemblance to tthe
he
CuriouslY
weapon of the crusaders.
crusaders. A similar
sim~largrip will be found
found in the aforesaid
9010-950. A search of early MSS.
MSS, will
St. Gallen illumination of about 900-950.
presumably add to the number of examples. There
T1here is one dating
from about 1125,
1125, in ms. Nero C VI.
VI, now in the British Museum.
from
Here again the index finger
13th cencenfinger is laid across the guard. From 13th
tury is tthe
h e fine example from
de Mur in Barcelona,
from Santa Lucia de
Barcelona. Very
drawing of warriors in battle, from
from
clear is the Chinese water colour d!awing
Yuan period (1260-1368).
(1260-13168).We see not only this hand
grip on the holrsehand'grip
horseman's sword but another warrior is holding a short sword with two
protection rings instead of the quillons. This may be aa, special way of
holding cavalry swords,
swords, sometimes used in central
Central Asia.
Asia. Byzantine12th and 13th
13th century ikons, e.
e. g.
Russian 12th
g. an ikon in the Archeological
a t Kiev,
Kiev, is displaying the same hand-grip
hand-grip for drawing the
Museum at
sword from
from the scabbard. Among the mosaics in St.
St. Mark's, Venice,
Venice,
same thing, for instance in the
14th
we find the same
the Capella de San Isidro, 14th
e~dge. On an
century. Here the blade is remarkable, with a serrated edge.
address from
1335-40, to
from the town of Prato in Tuscany, 1335·40,
to Robert of AnAnjou, king of Sicily,
SiciIy, we find the same hand-grip
hand-grip (Brit.
(Brit. Mus. Royal
6.E. IX).
IX). The frescoes in Santa Campc
camp^ at Pisa, 1380·90,
1380-90,have it too
to10
ms 6E.
just
1400 in the cathedral of MonMonjust as the mural paintings from about 1400
dofiedo, Spain.
Spain. About the year 1400
14010 it appears on an
a n alter-piece
alter-piece from
doiiedo,
from
Tessin, work by a North Italian master depicting the execution of a
Tessin,
martyr-into the bargain on a hand-and-half
hand-and-haIf sword. Other examples
martyr-into
cited. In
I n most of the reproductions it is to be seen rather clear.
could be cited.
ricasso below the quillons. In
In
ly that the blade has a talon, almost a ricasso
actual fact a heel of th:s
th-S kind appears early in the archaeological
actual
(H. Peterson collection) must
material. A sword at Arlington, Virginia (H.
date from
from early in the
13th century.
century. Chronologically the
the1 type comes
date
the 13th
close to the Oldenborg sword but the details suggest a South European
Ehropean
origin. The swords having inscriptions in Arabic are
are datable. The
origin.
Ontario Museum at Toronto, canada,
Canada, possesses two excellent
Royal Ontario
speoimens of early, dated Italian swords with a strong ricasso, one
1365, M.
M. 976. It
I t is of the type characteristic of the middle
from 1365,
14th century and the sword itself
itself is a trophy of the ItaloItaloof the 14th
Frankish invasion of Egypt.
Elg~pt. The blade has a very distinct ricasso, as
are characteristic of these
well as the designs along the margins that are
I n all probability this is an Italian swcrd.
sword. (Cf.
(Cf. the two swords
swords
blades. In
coll.) The same
same applies
appliels to M. 973
973 in the
the same
figs. 6-7
6-7 in Danish coIl.)
figs.
museum, but dated ttoo the time prior to 1426,
1426, taken as booty by
31
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
Barsbey during his invasion of
of Cyprus. This sword has a pear-shaped
pommel,
ponunel, whereas most swords bearing Arabic inscriptions have wheel
pommels. A long, slender biade
blade in the Musee de 1'Armee
l'Armee in Paris (J.
(J. 13)
13)
must also date from about 1400;
1400; this too has a ricasso, though it is
less pronounced than on the two Toronto swords. From this to furnfurn,• ishing the underside of the quillons with a guard ring for the index
finger is merely a short step. And actually one of the earliest examexamples of it is to be seen on another of Barsbey's trophy swords from
Cyprus, formerly in the collection of Baron de Cosson, then in the
Hearst collection, now in the Tower of London. The sword is dated
1432
1432 but is part of
of Barsbey's booty from
from his Cyprus raid in 1426.
1426.
In a paper on the sword of Fernando el Cat6lico
mtolico in the Capilla
Real of Granada cathedral, the prominent Spanish archaeologist
D. Mlanuel
Gomex Moreno holds that this kind of
M1amuel G6mez
of quillons is a
a Spanish
Span;sh
invention and
an'i that it dates presumably from about the middle of the
15th century (fig.
(fig. 10).
10). In all probability, however, it was introduced
much earlier.
13th century the Spanish Moslems
earlier. Just up until the 13th
wore the same types of weapons as did the warriors of Christian
13th century the Hispano-Arab
Hispano-Arab panoplie completely
Spain. But in th,e
the 13th
completely
of Alfonso el Sabio.
changed. We hear about it in the Chronicles of
Sabio.
Weapons and the use of weapons changed and the manner of «pelear
ccpelear
Bmu Marin tribes,
a la jinetan
jinetall was introduced by the cavalry of the Benu
Granada. The Spanish
S~panish Moslems
Moslems
in the service of Mohamad I of Granada.
willingly
Willingly adopted the methods introduced by the African horsemen.
sword, lance,
Their equipment from
from now consisted of aa solid broad sword,
lance,
1641).
shield and body protection (Exercicios de la gineta, Madrid, 1641).
Though the use of jineta-swords is represented in pictorial art of
oentury no sword from this century seems to exist. The
the 14th century
Hispano-Arab swords now preserved in
outstanding and rich series of Hispano-Arab
Spain, France, and U. S.
S. A. belong
various museums and collections in Spain,
15th century. The type of sword had originally been introduced
to the 15th
cavalry, but very soon it was adopted by Christian
for the Moorish cavalry,
knights, and used by certain branches of the cavalry in Spain (Gla(Gladius I,
I, p.
p. 49,
49, fig.
fig. n
7). In his paper on Granadine Arabian
Arabian warfare,
dius
in Arch.
Arch. Espafiol
Espafiol de
de Arte 1943,
1943, the famous Spanish orientaorientapublished in
list D. Jose Ferrandis
Ferrmdis Torres, demonstrated
dernonstratea that the origin of these
Moorish swords with their extremely
extremely short hilts and the particular
East. Possibly we
method of holding them doubtless lay in the Near East.
have to
to look for it among the Sassanids
Sasanids and
and the Arabs
Arabs (Gla(Gladius I,
I, p.
46 ff).
ff). The
The new type of sword
sword contributed towards a
dius
p. 46
renewal of the
the ancient hilt.
complete renewal
and convenient ricasso for
for aa stout and
The new hand-grip called for
the sake
sake of the
the index finger,
finger, and so
so it led to a notch in the
the edge of
the
32
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
Fig. 10.
10. Sl\lord
Sword of
of El
El Rey
Rey Fernando
Fernando el
el Catolico,
Catblico, late
late 15th
15th century.
century. Golden
Golden hilt
hilt
Vig.
with traces
traces of
of black
black enamel;
enamel; possibly
possibly Florentine
Florentine workmanship.
workmanship. Blade
Blade
with
shortened and
and ill-treated
ill-treated Ricasso
Ricmso and
and point
point cut
cut away
away centuries
centuries ag"O.
age. (Capi(Capishortened
Ila Real,
Real, Granada
Granada Cathedral).
Cathedral).
/la
33
3
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
tha ricasso itself, such as is to be seen in some blades
the blade or in the
in the Real Armerza
in Madrid and in a number of infantry swords
Armeria in
Venice, dated to the close
close of the 15th
15th century. Then
in the Arsenal at Venice,
guard-ring below the foremost
foremolst quillon, as on the sword
sword
came the guard-ring
Tower. This
This ring is frequently shown
with Arabic inscription in the Tower.
15th century.
century. In the retable in
in Spanish and
and Italian art of the 15th
Leon is
is a painting of Nicolcis
NiooMs Frances,
Francds, of before 1435,
1435,
the cathedral of Lean
with a similar ring and below horizontal quillons. Two sepulchral
1467, one at
a t Guadalupe
Guaclalupe and one at
monuments, dating from about 1467,
San Gines,
Gines, in Guadalajara,
Guadalajara, have similar swords. On the tomb of the
San
constable Alvlarez
Toledo cathedral, set up after 1453,
1453, there
Alvcirez de Luna in Toledo
I t also
also appears at Va·
Vais the same detail but with curved quilIons.
quillons. It
lencia on a picture by the Marti
Marti de Torres
Torres master of St.
St. Martin,
Martin, painted
lencia
about 1443.
15th century two rings are
1443. From about the middle of the 15th
Valencian paintings. The same is to be seen in
not uncommon in Valencian
F m a n d o Gallego
Gallego and his school, in Pedro
Pedro Ferncindez
Fernandez
paintings of Fernando
of Seville and in Bartolomeo Bermejo, for instance in his large
painting of Santo Domingo
Dorningo de Silos
1470, now in the Prado
Silos of about 1470,
as indeed
indeeld in most of the others,
Museum in Madrid. In this picture, as
we see the wheel pommel with the concave panels that is familiar
inter alia from
from some
some swords in the Metropolitan Museum in New
1450, and
and a number of
olf Spanish swords
swords in other muYork, from about 1450,
museums. Bermejo gives
gives a clear rendering of the quillons and
and the
pas-d'8ne; the blade has a ricasso and
and a sharp grat with a:a strong,
pas·d'ane;
strong,
14601-70 the same is to be seen in several
reinforced point. Round about 1460-70
paintings by the Portuguese artist Nuno
NuAo Gonzales
Gomdes (examples e.
e. h. in
Lisbon). On the other hand it is rarely met with
the art gallery in Lisbon).
art. Swords with two pas-d'anes
pas-d'8nes are also
in Catalan and
and French art.
depicted on several of the large Spanish tombs, for example that of
the Infante Xfonso
Cartuja de
de Miraflores
Mirajlores near Burgos, a work of
Alfonso at Cartuja
1450 and in the subsequent period
Gil de Siloe.
Siloe. About 1450
periOd the type occurs
frequentIy in Italian pictures. In Signorelli's frescoes in Orvieto
frequently
cathedral we find
cathedral
find it, as well as some very early examples of the
knuckle-bow. These swords are on the whole very common in Tuscan
Tuscan
knuckle-bow.
art in the latter half of the 15th
15th century, for example on Nicolo da
Bari's monument ttoo Santo
Santo Domingo
Domingo at
at Bologna,
Bologna, about 1478.
1478. The
Bari's
Ghirlandaio, Perugino,
Perugino, Botticelli
Botticelli and Raphael
Raphael have the motif
painters Ghirlandaio,
(Raphael's picture of The Vision of Scipio
Sdpio Africanus in the National
find
Gallery, London). With a knuckle bow and two pas-d'8nes
pas-d'anes we find
sword in the illuminations of the Statutes
Statutes fforo Los
~ CabaCabathe hilt of a sword
llero~s de
de Santiago
Santiago (founded at Burgos in 1338),
1338),
lleros
de la Hermandad de
1490.99.
executed about 1490-99.
As
Grjmex Moreno's
Moreno's theories
As II have said, the starting point of G6mez
34
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
was the sword of
of Fernando el Cat~lzco
Cat6lico in the Capilla Real, Granada
(fig. 10).
10). In the royal and municipal archives of Simmcas
Simancas and Granada
this sword has been mentioned and discussed ever ssince
i ~ c ethe death of
Fernsndo
1516. This costly sword which has suffered badly in the
Fernmdo in 1516.
course of time, with ~
s
pommel, curved quillons and tthe
h e two
itst bicanical
biconical
prctection rings-in
snake-is of a form unusual in
rings-in the shape of a snake-is
Spain. The pommel type is strange to the Iberian peninsula but comSpain.
common in Tuscany,
Tuscany, especially in Florence, and an
an examination of the
goldplated
brmgold
plated hilt and its ornamentation seems to show that it is F
Florentine goldsm:th's
goldsm-th's work.
Spanish. The ricasso is
work. But the blade may be Spanish.
now lacking, because
a t some time or other the upper part of the blade
b€~ause at
has been shortened. The whole
Tuscan, dating
wholfJ type of the sword is Tuscan,
from the latte~r
15th century.
latter quarter of the 15th
From these swords with pas-d'8ne
pas·d'ane below the quillons it is no long
step to the next protective measure, the two small pitons, iron tiges
cnding in small
small knobs projecting from the lower ends of the pas-dkne.
E;nding
pas-dane.
of about the same
same
They were possibly
possibly inspired by the Moroccan swords 01'
period. On the Italian and French swords of this type, from about
152030, the pitons are sometimes connected on the guard
guard side by
1520-30,
a ring, in which a small notch or hollow often is to be seen,
seen, which
stop for the thrusting blade.
acts as a kind of stop
blade. Apparently this notch
dropped out of use about 1540·45
1540-45 and only reappeared towards the
16th century in the form of aa small plate. The late French
end of the 16th
Robert-Jean Charles
CharJes
M. Georges
Georges Pauilhac
Pauilhac together with M. Robert-Jean
collector M.
were the f.rst
Lrst to notice it and gave it the name of etrier a pattes, in
order not to confuse it with the small sidering with its plate later on.
on.
On the opposite side of this ring two small stems project like hooks.
Whereas Spanish sidearms of the early period often have only pitons,
Italian sidearms of the same period in stead of pitons have a ring,
Italian
especially in Venice.
Venice. Buttin drew attention to this and suggested that
especially
the Spanish
Spanish fonn
form was due to influence
influence from Moroccan swords,
swords, whereas
Venetian came from the Arabian.
the Venetian
Arabian. Communications between Italy
especially Venice -- especially
- and the Arabian world were very brisk in the
15th century. Venice had made herself mistress of Cypros (489)
(1489) and
15th
stores both in Fama Gusta and in Alexandria
had trading offices and stores
for commerce
commerce with the Arabian countries and
2nd the India via Aden.
Aden. To
the Iberian peninsula however pitons came via North Afr:ca
Africa with the
a. in
form 1.i. a.
Berber horsemen.
horsemen. There are fine
fine specimens of the Spanish form
Madrid, on Nos,
29, 30 and 31.
31. The first two
the Real Armria,
Armeria, Madrid,
Nos, G
G 29,
Ei gran CapiLli-n,
Capitan, Gonzalo
Golzxalo de Cordoba,
Cordoba, the great
swords belonged to El
swords
general and military organizer. The pommel of G
G 29 is disc-shaped,
disc-shaped,
general
quillons are curved downwards
downwards with pas-d'ane
pas-Cane and pitons, the
the quillons
ricasso. The decoration of the pommel is
is Italian
Italian renaisrendsblade has
has a ricasso.
35
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
sance and
and depicts
depicts the
the victory of Gonzalo
Gonzalo over
over the
the French at
at Cannae
Cannae
in 1503,
1503, as
as the inscription proudly announces.
announces. The
The third
third sword
sword bebein
longed to Fernando
Femando el
el Cat6lico
Catolico and
and is
is of the
the same
same type
type (the
(the blade
blade
longed
the Instituto
Znstituto del
del Conde
Conde Valencia
Valencia de
de Don
Dun Juan
Juan
Antonius). In the
signed by Antonius).
is another such
such sword,
sword, No.
No. 59,
59, signed
signed by Cathaldo, who
who was
was
there is
France, in Paris.
Paris.
the maker of the
the sword
sword of Frang
Frans II of France,
also the
about the
the same period we find
find an
a n Italian type
type represented
represented by
by
Of about
(fig. 11).
11).
estocs in
in the
the Pa!azzo
Pa:axxo Capodimonte
Capodimonte at
at Naples
Naples (fig.
aa number of estocs
Among them the
the most
most remarkable is
is aa specimen
specimen which last century
century
Among
was furnished
furnished with an
an inscription
ins~criptionattributing
attributing it
it to
to Ettore
Ettore Fieramosca
Fieramolsca
was
of Capua,
Capua, born about
about the
the end
end of the
the 15th
15th century
century and
and died
died in
in VallaVallaoj
dolid in 1515.
1515. Tradit:on
Tradition has
has it
it that the sword
sword was
was carried by
by this
this great
great
dolid
soldier in the
the Battle of Barletta
Barletta in 1503,
1503, aa dating
dating which seems
seems too
too
soldier
early; it would
would be
be reasonable to
to put
put the
the period to
to about
about 1510-20.
1510-20. The
The
early;
Fig.
Fi~.
11. Italian
Italian eslOc.
cstoc, about 1510
1510
11.
20. Attributed to
to Ettore
20.
Fiermnosca di
di Capua.
Capua, who
who
Fieramosca
died in
in ValladoNd
VallrrdoEid in
in Spain
Spain
died
in 1515.
1515. (Palazzo
(Palazzo CapodiCapdiin
monte, Naples).
Naples).
monte,
36
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
sword is a finer specimen than the others of similar Italian types at
Capodimonte. Several more are:
are now in the Musee
Musee de 1'ArmCe
l'Armee in Paris.
Similar types of blades are also to be found on the swords menArmes Anciennesn,
tioned by Buttin in his article on La Vale~nciana
Valonciana in ct«Armes
Anciennesll,
3,1954.
3, 1954. The most remarkable
remarkable specimen, acquired by Reubell, * has been
proved to have belonged to Carlos V. IItt is reproduced in Inventario
Iluminado
lluminado and described in Relacion
Relaci6n de Valladolid.
Valladolid. According to these
documents Carlos
Carlos V had a store of 24 of them, presumably intended
for the emperor's courtiers. Most of them must have been stolen
in 1808
1808 when the mob plundered the Armeria Real; three specimens
now remain thelre-besides
sword. The latter has a
there-besides the Reubell sword.
wheel pommel, horizontaJ.
horizontal Srshaped
S-shaped quillons which aatt the ends spread
out into wide, volutelike
volute-like scrolls.
scrolls. There are also pas-d'he
pas-d'ane and pitons.
The blade is signed by Juan el Viejo,
Viejo, who worked both at Valencia and
at Toledo;
Tolerlo; the majority of these swords had Valencian blades. The
hrmeria display the Valencian signatures
three specimens in the Armeria
IOANNES
IOANNES ME FECIT
FECIT and the famous
famous Salvador. Buttin, however, supposes
that the type should be attributed to Venice,
o Valencia, and
Venice, not tto
that it should rightly be called Veneziana; his argument is that the
earliest specimen known to him appears in Carpaccio's picture of the
Reale, Venice,
Venice, dated
martyrdom
Santa Ursula in the
ma.rtyrdom of Santa.
the Accademia Reale,
1480, where this very type is shown.
shown. The blade is much like the
1480,
ends of the pas-d'ane
pas-d'he
aforesaid Neapolitan blades, but on it the lower ends
are joined by means of a ring in the Venetian manner. However,
ITowever,
closely related sword with the same torsion of the
there is a very closely
pasrd'8neLbut differing slightly in the pommelquillons and with pas-d'an&"-but
pommelin a Spanish painting of about 1470,
1470, by an anonymous
anonymous artist, in the
Copenhagen.
Fine Art Gallery in Copenhagen.
In addition to the
the pas-d'ane
pas-d'he other forms
forms of hand protectors make
in the
the 15th
15th century. At any rate pictorial representheir appearance in
tations sometimes include the horizontal sidering on the cross, though
form from
from the Germanic.
Germanic. It
I t occurs here and
frequently differing in form
there in Spanish manuscripts of the first quarter of the 15th
15th century,
but generally speaking only in the countries North of the Alps and
common.
East of the Rhine is it common.
course of the
From these basic forms progress is made in the course
following sixty years, so
so that the
the complete rapier
r a p k hilt with its
its compli.
complifollowing
cated guard branches culminates
culminates at about the 1560-70's.
1560-70's. In
I n his article
article
catedguard
Revue Historique
Historique de
de l'Armee,
E'Armbe, 1947
1947 Robert-Jean
Robert-Jean Charles essayed
essayed to
in Revue
elf the hilt and its
its branches, and to show
show how
clarify the evolution
evolution of
Clarify
from the nature and
a hilt can be dated with very brief intervals from
is now in Inst.
Inst. de
de Valencia de
de Don Juan (no
(no 213).
213).
This sword
sward is
•* This
37
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
Fig.
cword, early
FiK. 12. a-b:
a-b: Italian
Italian sword,
ellrly 16th
16th century.
Pommel
on^ of
Pommel and
and quill
quil/ol1.\'
0/ gilt
Kilt itan.
i/'.m. (Coll.
(Coil.
H
r o n ~H
a n ~ e n ,Hillerod, Denmark).
H.. B
Brons
Han.\'{'l/,
placing
placing of
of the branches.
branches. Although one cannot of
of course proceed
too rigoristically
rigoristically in attempting a dating, the position of
of the branches
does help greatly to determine the period
period and sometimes also the
nationality.
38
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
Before turning to the further
further evolution from sword to rapier
Before
swords. The
I would mention -a.
a small
sma,ll group of
of Italian thrusting swords.
form is mediaeval but :n
in several instances the decoration is pure ReRe·
naissance. Their common feature
feature is the sharp thrusting blade, wide
at the top, with a prominent grat down to the point. The quillons
are well curved and often terminate in volutes. The grip is short and
the
thfl pommel usually disc-shaped,
disc-shaped, though sometimes lenticular and
ornamented with a mussel-shell
mussel-shell or rosette. Forerunners of these swords
are those such as Armeria Real, Madrid
Madrid G 23 and the bu&a.l
bur'al sword
of Henry V in Westminster Abbey, of the latter half
half of the 15th
15th
century. The most distinguished representative of the type is the
richly ornamented and costly specimen which once belonged
belonged to Cesare
cesare
Borghia. Duke of
o m a g n a and Valentino,
Valentino, now in the possession of
of R
Romagna
the Duke of Simoneta.
Simoneta. The wheel pommel is adorned with ornaments
of pure Renaissance,
Renaissance, with cloissonne
cloissonne work and filigree on gilt copper.
The blade is signed by Ercole dei Fideli of Ferrarra. The
The sword seems
to have been made in the period 1490-1500.
1490-1500. There are other specimens
in Italian, Spanish and French collections and museums, including one
in the Museo Laxaro
Lazaro Galdiano in Madrid. An excellent specimen of
of sword is to be found
the outstanding Dlanish
this type of
found in the
Danish collection
mr. H.
H . BrOns
Brons Hansen,
Hansen, Hillerod (fig.
(fig. 12).
12). This sword,
sword, of Italian
of mr.
fine and characteristic
characteristic blade, the length of which
workmanship, has a fine
is 82 cm.
cm. largest
largesl width 8 cm.
cm. the total length including grip 97,5
97,5
cm. The point is sharp and strong,
strong, and the blade has the charactecm.
rlstic fullers,
r:stic
fullers, strong midrib
midrib in lower part and reinforced point. BeautiBeauti·
rich ornamentation with scrolls,
scrolls, flowers
flowers and masks still with
ful and rich
and
good traces of gilding has been preserved. The grip, pommel -and
quillons are of gilt iron, with pommel in the
the shape
shape of a faun-mask,
quillons
faun-mask,
and with faun-masks
faun-masks at the ends of the quillons.
quillons. Related to this type
swords are the baselards or cinquedeas (fig.
(fig. 13),
13), with almost
of swords
triangular blades, sometimes with a reinforced prismatic point and
gildings, very curved
curved quillons,
quillons, short grip
grip and
with rich etchings and gildings,
lenticular or wheel pommels. The Venetian specimens are of charactecharacteform with their special
special type of grip
grip and with pierced ornaments
ristic form
rivet-holes in as style reminiscent of wood carvings from Baghdad
at the rivet-holes
the Moorish palaces in Arag6n (Zaragoza),
(Zaragoza), and Andalucia
Andalucia from the
and the
15th century. The best blades in the cinquedeas were made by Ercole
15th
partiGrmdi and Ercole dei
dei Fideli
Fideli of Ferrarra. Even Florence and parti·
Grandi
cularly Verona were famous
I n Venezia they
culnly
famous for their cinquedeas. In
to have been the
the swords of
of the
the archers, particularly from about
seem to
1520. In their shape they are
are almost copies
copies of the antique parazo1520.
parazonium
mum.
39
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
I.
..
Fig./3.
13./talion
Italiancinqucdca,
cinquedea,about
about1525.
1525.QllillOIlS
Quillons
Fig.
modern.Said
Said 10to have
have belonged
belonged 10to a a
modem.
DanishIlobleman
n o b l e m mofo fIhe
theRanIZ(JI/
RantzaufamifamiDOllish
whobrought
broughtilithome
homefrom
fromhis
histratraly,ly,who
vel inin llaly
Italy about
a b u t 1528.
1528.(Nat.
(Nat.Mus.
Mus.
vcl
Copenhagen. 10115,
10115,mus.
mus.fot.)
for.).
Copenhagcn.
.
Scientific fencing
fencing
SCientific
Thefact
factthat
thatsword
swordhilts
hiltswere
wereon
onthe
theeve
eveofof such
sucha arapid
rapiddevelopdevelopThe
ment was
wasa aresult
result not
not merely
merelyofof the
the strategy,
strategy,the
the great
gre~at
importance
ment
importance
the infantry,
infantry, the
thenew
new fashion
fashionofof wearing
wearingexpensive
expensiveand
and beautiful
beautiful
ofof the
sidearms totocourt
courtand
andcivilian
civilian dress,
dress,but
but very
verymuch
muchofof the
thesystemizsystemizsidearms
As
ationofof the
theart
artofof fencing
fencingand
andthe
theperiod's
period's interest
interestininthat
that art.
art. As
ation
40
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
early as in 1295
1295 the Italian del Serpente of Milano had written a work
on the technique of fencing.
fencing. Almost a century later came Fior di BatBattaglia, Flos Duellatorum (published at Bergamo in 1910).
1910). Fencing
masters are mentioned in Italy in the 14th century, where they give
instruction in agility exercises, cunning and tricks likely to come in
useful when duelling. In
I n the 15th
15th century fencing academies were
an established fact, i. a. at Milan, Venice and Verona. But fencing
then was based upon hewing and hand-to-hand
hand-to-hand fighting; it was only
systematized later. There were two styles in the 16th oentury,
century, the
Spanish and
Scientific works on the art appeared in
a,nd the Italian. SCientific
Spain at the end of the 15th
15th century, for instance the manuscript
Spain
works in 1472
1472 and 1474
1474 respectively. They were La verdadera esgrima
y el arte de esgrimir by Juan de Pons,
Pons, Mallorca, and El manejo de las
ilas
Seville.
Armas de Combate by Pedro de
de la
ia Torre
Torre (Petrus Turrus) of Seville.
from numerous
These two works are no longer extant but are known from
quotations in later fencing books. To these two authors fencing was
actually a science. A special category of fencing masters, Tenientes
examinado?es de la destreza
destrexa de
de las armas was organized through a
examinadores
special ordinance of 1478
1478 by the Catholic king and queen. Los Reyes
Catolicos. A document of high interest is kept in Cordoba:
Cordoba: Orde·
OrdeCat6licos.
nanxas para 10s
from 1512.
1512. In
I n 1532
1532 Francisco
nanzas
los maestros de esgrima from
Roman of Seville issued a work (now lost) Tratado
Tratado de la Esgrima
Spain. A
which had an important bearing upon developments iinn Spain.
1569 by the fencing master
continuation of his work appeared in 1569
Hieronimo
Cal'a~n~a
of Seville. He was the real founder of Spanish
Hier6nimo de Caranca
fencing, which followed a different (Oourse
course from
from the Italian and the
fencing,
Especulacion de la Destreza
Dlestrexa was re-issued in
later French. His work, Especulaci6n
Lisbon in 1582
1582 and in Madrid in 1600.
1600.. It
I t was based upon a number
astronomy, music and others,
others,
of sciences such as philosophy, medicine, astronomy,
but particularly upon geometry. His theories,
theories, which are difficult
to follow,
disciplle Luis
Luts Pacheco de
follow, were elaborated by his eminent disciple
Narvaex of Baeza,
Baeza, who wrote a number of works, including Libro de
Narvaez
las grandezas de
de la Espada, which appeared in Madrid in 1600.
16W. The
las
17th century saw the publication
17th
publir.ation of other writers' works.
It was according to the principles laid down by these scientific
fencing masters that the Spanish
Spanish rapiers were evolved.
evolved. In
I n its later
fencing
period especially, fencing there developed along a line
line that differed
from that of
of other countries.
countries. The evolution of the very long rapier
la espada
esp& de
de lazo
lazo 0o del Emperador and
and the cuphilt rapier, together
la
the
with other long sidearms must be seen on the background of the
geometrical, well
molvements.
strictly scientific method with its geometrical,
well studied movements.
different in
in Italy.
Italy. Four years after Francisco Roman's
RomWs
Matters were different
work there appeared
appeared in Modena in
in 1536
1536 the Italian work Opera Nova
41
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
Chiamata Duel10
Duello overo Fiore dell'Armi by fencing master Achille
Achtlle
Maroxzo,
Marozzo, one that became of
of great importance to the evolution of
of
the sword hilt. He put the art of
of fencing into system in a relatively
precise way. Although aass yet it was based chiefly upon the cut, i. a.
fencing with the two-hand sword, with a rapier or striscia (as
(as was
the Italian name to the long and slender rapiers),
rapiers), with rapier and
shield, shafted weapons and even daggers, though this little weapon
is cnly sparsely
sparseiy mentioned, he attached great importance to the shape
and the construction of
of the quillons and the manner of grasping the
hilt and the quillons with one or two fingers over the quillons. In
his illustrations he demonstrates
demonstrates the various positions and movements.
Ws
His work received so
so much appreciation that it appeared in a number
of editions in rapid succession.
By the year of 1540
1540 the swcrd hilt had acquired a veritable but
still rather simple counter-guard,
counter-guard, but as yet the bows did not reach
up over the cross. During the subsequent twenty or thirty years
events
slowly. Between 156(}-and
1560-and 1570
1570 the bows of the
events moved only slowly.
counter-guard
counter-guard extended upwards and joined the:
the knuckle bow of the
hilt. This rapid development was due to two other fencing masters,
first Camillo Agrippa and shortly afterwards Giacomo
Giacomo Grass!.
Grassi. The
Camillo Agrippa:
Agrippa: Trattato di scientia
work of Camillo
sctentia d'arme appeared in
Rome in 1553
1553 and in Venice
Venice in 1568.
1568. Agrippa was an architect and
engineer, a good mathematician and impassioned fencer.
fencer. (Renowned
(Renowned
engineer,
among many other things for his direction of the erection of the obelisk
aspects
on Piazza di San Pietro in front of the Vatican.) Among other aspects
of the art he treated of fencing with left-hand
14), with
left-hand daggers
daggers (fig.
(fig. 14),
twin-rapiers, with halberds, etc.
etc. (Twin
(Twin rapiers are rather seldom
seldom
twin-rapiers,
found Two excellent pairs are to be seen in the Musee de
de I'Armee
l'Arm& in
found
Paris, one
o m pair belongs to the Danish Nationalmuseum, for the moment
Paris,
in the Royal
Royal Arsenal
Arsenal Museum in
in Copenhagen.)
Copenhagen.) Like his
on deposit in
colleague Carenc;a
C a r e n ~ ahe analyzed the movements of the
the body
Spanish colleague
and arrived at the conclusion
conclusion that the cut is the natural movement
to carry out than the thrust.
thrust. The
The thrust is complicated
and easier to
and demands rapidity and circumspection. And he is mostly in favour
of the thrust. His theories
theories would scarcely have gained so
so much
so much recognition had they not had the
the support of
ground and so
work: Ragioni
Ragioni di adoprar sicuramente l'Arme
1'Arme si
si da
da
Giacomo Grassi's work:
offesa come
come da
da difesa.
difesa. This work was
was issued
issued first
first in Venice
Venice in the
offesa
1570. It
I t was even
even translated into English.
English. Grassi
Grassi studied
studied all
year 1570.
forms of fencing
fencing in practice in his day,
day, with two
two swords,
swords, with sword
sword
forms
and left-hand
left-hand dagger,
dagger, with aa small,
small, round shield and with a larger
arm. Grassis
Grassis book forms
forms the
shield and with aa cloak
cloak about the
the left arm.
shield
Henri de
de Sa!nct-Didier's
Sainct-Didier's work published
background of the Frenchman Henr!
42
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
Fig.
ca /5l/0-/600.
1580-1600.h:h:SuxolJ;an.
Saxoniun,
k f r - h a n d dUKI!(·r.~.
d o g g e r ~u:
a:
. po.\'.rih/y
postihly North
North Italian,
Italian, ('a
Fig. 14.
14. !..A'lt-hand
helongs
belongs to
to rapil'r
rapier I;/:,
fig. 28.
28. (Detail~'
(Details01
of hi/t
hidt differ),
differ).c:c:Saxolliarl
Saxonidn triple-hiudi'd.
triple-bladed,
('(l
cn IMO.
1600. (Nrll.
( N o t . Mu.,',
Mus. Copenlra,flC'lI.
Copenhagen, 10104,
10104, 10103.
10103, ,0'1"
I O l l l , m((.f
mus f'Jt.).
fit.).
43
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
in Paris 1573,
1573, which likewise covered all forms of
of fencing. About
1606 came a book by the Italian fencing master Salvator Fabris. This
fencing master was the teacher in fencing of
of the Dlanish
Danish king ChriChri·
stian IV
IV (1588-1648);
(1588-1648); he came to Denmark and was in 1590
1590 appointed
fencing master at the Roya!
Royal Danish Court. His book is written in
Italian: De 10
lo Schermo overo scienxa
scienza d'Arme, and it includes 200 copcop'
n the same year was issued
pars by J.
J. IEalbeech
Halbeech in Copenhagen. IIn
another work by NicoIetto
Nkoletto Giganti, in Venice
Venice (1606)
(1606) on fencing with
the sword and left-hand dagger. In 1610
1610 came Ridolfo Capo Ferro da
da
Cagli's
Caglt's work in Siena.
During the last period of the 16th century and the first half of the
the
17th century florished the left-hand daggers. Various types came into
use, many of
of them richly chiselled or ornamented with chased silver
or with beautiful siIver
silver incrustrations, corresponding to the rapiers.
slender,
Among the characteristical Italian daggers of the time is the slender,
elegant stiletto with its grip often finely
finely chiselled. The left-hand
daggers with triple blades were to be found in many countries, in Italy
and e.
14 c).
e. g. in Germany (fig.
(fig. 14
c).
In scientific
scientific fencing it had become necessary to protect the hand
and body by means of a well-thought-out
well-thought-out hilt construction with numerous bows and branches, each having its own purpose and signifisignificance. In France, around 1580,
1580, the development of fencing led to the
counter-guard extending well upwards. About 1580-85
1580.85 we see the reapreappearance of the old "etrier aa pattes", but now in the form
form of aa: small
finely perforated
finely
perforated or elegantly decorated plate in the lower side
side ring.
The thrust had practically displaced the cut and demanded still more
branches and often plates inside the guard-rings.
guard-rings. From the first little
plate in the lower ring a further development leads to the more or
less basket-hilted
basket-hilted swords.
swords. But the development is also visible in
the shape of
of the blade. The long, slender rapier blades reach their
florescence.
We find the most elegant blades in Spain and Itally,
Italy, heavier and
less slender in France and in the Germanic countries. As with the
hilt types, the blades of
of the various nations are evidence
evidence that South
European fencing was modified to suit the temperament and character
of
ot the different peoples.
In time the elements of the hilts of
of the different countries
countries become
blended. Latin and Germanic were combined. From Germany the
Latin rapiers received the mussel-shell guards which acquire imporimportance on many Spanish raplers.
rapiers. Although certain nathnal
national characters
still prevail in hilt details, it is most often in the ornamentation that
the provenance of a rapier hilt can be determJled.
determined.
44
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
Renaissance ornamentation
If the mediaeval sword had mostly been a strong and vigorous
If
fighting or ceremonial weapon,
weapon, carried in battle or on special occasions,
quite a different manner became a
the rapier of the Renaissance in quite
regular detail of civilian dress, worn indoors as an indispensable accesaccessory to the costly and elegant court dress. This meant that a prince
expensive swords, designed
or aa nobleman not only had a number of expensive
to match his various costumes and his taste, but also a wealth of
the Renaissance
materials, precious stones and ornaments. Many of the
hilts are true jewels. The goldsmiths of the Renaissance held sway
sway
over a large field.
field. Artists and craftsmen were entrusted with big
tasks. This is evident not merely from
from the portrait painting of
sidearms that have been handed
handed down,
down, but
royalty and nobility, the sidearms
also the many designs drawn by artists and goldsmiths as weB
well as from
accounts and inventories
inventories written at the time. The aesthetical value
the accounts
force.
had replaced the value of force.
In Italy already in the 15th
15th century we find
find goldsmith wo~rk
work of
to the hilts of swords and rapiers. It
I t is
is the
brilliant quality applied
applied to
Rafael (born
(born 1483
1483 in Urbino),
Urbino), the
the pupil of amongst others
time of Rafael
Perugino. Tuscany is a region where the art of outstanding craftsmen
perugino.
florished abundantly, led by Florence where Donatello
Donate110 worked and
florished
designed many such hilts. In Lombardy
Lombardy it attained to great heights,
heights,
designed
and there it was Milan, where Bartolomeo Campi
Campi worked for the
the
V and h:s
his son Felipe 11,
Cesare
Spanish king Carlos V
n, and the same did Cesare
Ferammca
toto. Among the most outstanding sword hilts from Milan
Feramosca too.
the specimen made for Carlos
Carlos V in gold and enamel, now in Vienna
mentioned. * Mantova,
Mantova, Venice,
must be mentioned."
Venice, Rome,
Rome, Siena and many other
were also numbered among the weB-known
well-known centres.
towns were
Thero is eminent early Renaissance
Renaissance work for instance on some
There
some of
the benedictional swords
swords which the Popes,
Popes, solemnly celebrating the
the
Elve in a certain period distributed
distributed to princes
Holy Mass on Christmas Eve
and other persons of high rank who had done
done weB-merited
well-merited service
in the fight for
Christianity.
for Christianity.
of this description
Among the
the goldsmiths who made sword hilts of
Rome and Siena,
Siena,
the papal archives mention i. a.
a. those of Florence, Rome
some of the most outstanding swords perhaps are
are the
the one prepreand some
Ludovico Bentivoglio
Bentivoglio of Bologna and the specimens
sented in 1454 to Ludovico
Venice were
were honoured. In
I n this
with which some of the Doges of Venice
skilled goldsmiths of
context mention must be made of the highly skilled
See C. Blair:
Blair: European
European and
and American
1962, p.
•* See
American Arms. 1962,
justly
considered Spanish.
justly considered
Spanish.
85. Thil
The hilt
115.
hilt now
45
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
renaisthe Spanish town of Zaragoxa,
Zaragoza, who turned out richly adorned renaissance hilts in gold and silver (Pedro de
de las Cellas) especially
especially under
Borgia-family. And at about the middle of the 16th
16th
the Popes of the Borgia-family.
century we find a number of profusely ornamented Italian rapier
hilts, some of iron with inlaid gold and silver decoration in the typical
Remaissance with putti, herms, fauns,
fauns, fruit etc.
etc. or
tendril style of the Renaissance
with pictorial scenes
scenes of mythological contents. On the whole, Italian
damascening attained to extremely high levels on the gala armour
shields of the time; the artists were such
such as Giorgio
Giorgio Ghisi
Ghisi of
of
and shields
Mantova, the members of the Negroli
Negroli family, Pompeo della
della Chiesa,
Chiesa,
Antonio and Lucio Piccinino
Piccinino and several others from Milan.
Venice
Milan. Venice
presented her own styles; in the forms
forms there is often a trace of ininfluence
fluence from Oriental weapons, due to that town's trade relations
with the Oriental countries and because craftsmen came from
from there
powerful commercial republic to work. Currents are also
to the ,powerful
the Balkans;
perceptible from
from the
Balkans,. among weapons particularly affected
(fig. 9)
9) with their basket hilts,
from there were the large schiavones (fig.
foot-soldiers and somewhat later,
later,
which were carried by the Venetian foot-soldiers
for instance the cuirassiers of FerdinFerdinbigger in size,
size, by the cavalry for
11. The
?*he Oriental influence
influence is
is particularly evident on the
the ear
and n.
Venetian type which differ from the Spanish
Spanish type in the
the
daggers of Venetian
style of their ornamentation.
style
Ch. VI, Benvenuto
Benvenuto Cellini
Cellini relates how in 1524 he
In his memoirs, Ch.
some Turkish
Turkish daggers
daggers with hilts and scabbards
saw some
scabbards of iron, inlaid
with fine
fine foliage
foliage in gold in keeping with Turkish taste. He took a
fancy to cultivate the art himself and was very successful,
successful, whereafter
fancy
the same
same kind.
kind. However,
Howelver, his weapons
weapons
he began to make more of the
were finer
Turkish, for one reason because
finer and more durable than the Turkish,
steel. B
he engraved deeper into the steel.
Hee also invented a richer variation
ornaments the
the Turkish ones being most chicory leaves with
of the ornaments
a few flowers
flowers of Echites,
Echites «In
((In Italy there is a much g1'eater
greater wealth
ornaments)),he says. «In
((In Lombardy they fashion the
the most elegant
of ornaments»,
garlands of ivy and vine leaves which are
are a great joy to the eye.
eye. The
Romans and the artists
artists of Tuscany have excellent taste, especially
especially in
Moreover
their use of acanthus and all their garlands and flowers.
flowers. Moreover
animals of various kinds among leaves and
they place birds and animals
flowers,
flowers such as the so-called
so-called snapdragon.
snapdragon. In
flowers, employ wild flowers
;S a wealth of imaginary beings which are termed
addition there :s
grotesques by the ignorants)).
ignorants». Benvenuto then turns to explaining
why such things are called grotesques.
grotesques.
Na,ples too the goldsmith's work is of magnificent quality;
In Naples
Naples and Brescia
Brescia were produced the
the elegant
moreover, in both Naples
chiselling work that resembles lace made in iron.
iron. (One
(One branch of it
46
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
/. -,
l..~
....
I
!
'i,
~~
!j :
,
,.
I,
;~
.;....
~ ·1
.1
Slelliu.f
a: a:
blades:
Fig.
Itnlilrn
rapiers
with
silver
ornaments
hills.
blades:
Stetzius
In In
hills.
thethe
lts in in
ornamel
si/V!!,.
with
rapiers
Italiall
15.15.
Filt·
Hom
b: Clemens
Dei.
b: Clemens
Horn
Keuller
fecit
Solingen
stamps
with
Agnus
Dei.
Agnus
with
stamps
Ulldand
Solingcn
fecil
meme
Keu/ler
fot.).
n1US.
21715.
andand
ferit
Solingen.
(Nut.
Mus.
Copenhagen.
10126
21715,
mus.
fot.).
gen. JOJ2fJ
Copenha
MU.f.
. (Nat.
Solingen
fecit
mrme
47 47
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
....
~
."
" r
Fig. 16.
16. a:
a Ita/ian
ltalian rapier,
rapier, fi"~1
first half
half of
o f 171h
17th celltury.
century. GrOI('.I"qlle
G r o t e ~ q u emusKs.
matk\, fioger
fingcr
Fig.
guards in
in shape
shape 'Vf
ef win~('d
winged momter".
monstets. Qui/Ions
Quillons wilh
with Turk's
Turk'r hwd,
head, OIl('
one
guards
missing. III
In ricas.,·:)
ricassv slamp.\"
sfampr of
of Sellastion
Sehasticin Herntllldel.
Hernhndez. h:
h: RI/piN
Rapier from
from about
about
missinf:.
1600, floral ornaments,
ornaments, traces
traces of
o f gold.
gold. In
In bladl'
blade thl'
the name
name of
o f AAntonio
1600,
nlOn;o
Piccinino several
severat times.
times. Sickles
Sickles of
of the
the Stiinrler
Sfantler family. (Nat.
(Nat. Mu.\".
M U Y .CoCoPiccinino
penhagen. 10141
10141 (/Ild
and 10135,
10135, mus.
mus. fo(.).
for.).
penIJO/:ell.
48
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
,
I~~ ,
~
...
'
.....
f:
II
"
f· "
~~~.;., ,"
'I: .
.
\.
.~
: 'I.
•
I
~:':.'::<~"
"~ .
~
.....
Fig./7.17.Rapier
R,apierprobably
probably/wlian
Italianwith
withsilver
silverincrustatiolls.
incrustations.Abow
About1585.
1585.(Call.
( a l lE.
. E.A.A .
Fig.
99).
Christensen,E.E.99).
Chrisrensen,
4949
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
is the
the mountings
mountings on
on the
the ornamental
ornamental firearms
firearms of
of the
the day.)
day.) From
From
is
Naples we
we have
have the
the signatures
signatures of
of several
several artists
artists who
who for
for instance
instance
Naples
fashioned the
the cups
cups for
for Spanish
Spanish cup
cup hilt
hllt rapiers.
rapiers. Round
Round about
about 1530
1530
fashioned
many rapier
rapier hilts
hilts were
were designed
designed by
by Raphael's
Raphael's disciple
disciple Caravaggio.
Caravaggio.
many
Fig.
a: Spanish
Spanish rapier
rapier «espada
ctespada de
de [azo».
laze>>. 111
I n bl'Gde
blicade De
De Ronuno
Hortuno de
de Aguire
Ayuire
Fig. 18.
18. a:
en
of Espadero
Espudero del
del Rey.
Rey. h:h:Spanish
Spanish rapia
rupkr
en Toledo
Toledo alld
and rhe
the official
officiul.r/llIllp
stump of
with
with dll1nllscened
damascened ornaments.
ornaments, now
n o w faint.
faint. In
In ricasso
ricusso stll/llP
stamp of
of ]ohanne,\'
Johunne,
Wunde,
blade name
name of
of Sebastian
Sebasticin RernwuJez
Heincinder and
and inscriptions.
i n w i p t i o n s . INat.
(Nat.
W u n d e , inin blade
Mus.
21711 and
and1013(,.
10136, m/ls.
mus. fot.).
fot.).
M U F Copellhaf?l'll.
,C o p n h a g e n . 21711
50
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
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ISSN 0435-029X
North Italian hilts often have a rather complicated basket with
many bows, which is nothing strange having regard to the fencing
masters there and the manuals
manua,ls on fencing published in that part
of the country. The Italian hilts are often extremely elegant with
slender guards and quillons.
quillons. The latter are very long,
long, longer than
for instance the German and French though scarcely comparable
with the Spanish.
Spanish. The bows are often artistically entwined. From
followed upwards by aa
below the pas-d'he
pas-d'ane runs the traditional bow followed
midway bow which may assume the form of a spiral volute; aa third
joins the knuckle bow at its middle"
middle. and on the side
side of the countercountergiiard three bows emanate from the pas-d'Bne
on to the
pas-d'ane and join on
gUard
loosely joined on to the pommel.
knuckle bow. Often the latter is only loosely
d l or knob corresponding to the ends of
It may end in a small b
ball
the quillons, or in a hook bent outwards; or, slightly rounded, it
may terminate a very short distance from
from the pommel,
ponunel, often no more
than a millimetre. The museum m
Pdaxxo Capodimonte
Capodimonte has a
in the Palazzo
number of typical Italian hilts of the middle 16th
16th century.
century. Several
for example
of them are richly ornamented, a type that is familiar for
from the famous work from 1554
1554 in the Victoria and Albert
Albert Museum
from
on London (No,
(No. E 1764-1929),
1764-19291, by Philipplo
Mantova. The hilt
Philippo Urso of Mantova,
material is
is often iron (fig,
(fig. 15)
15) gold or silver gilt with a wealth
of ornaments and figures inlaid wlth
with the technique mentioned by
Benvenuto. Although this form of inlay recalls the Spanish and
French it differs from them; the blades are often of Italian work,
16-17) and others),
especially from Milan (Caino,
(Caino, Piccinino (fig.
(fig. 16'17)
others), from
which
Which city we also
also have archival evidence of a large production of
arms, and not armour alone.
alone. Other names are Ferrara of
0/ Belluno,
Pedro di Napoli. They may also be Spanish, signed by Hortuno de
Aguirre, Delaorta, Ayala, Sebastian,
IS), Alonso de
sebastian, Hernandex
Hernandez (fig. 18),
Sahagun and others.
from Solingen,
Solingen, some of them imiIn many instances the blades are from
imitations of the Italian and Spanish-and
Spanish-and into the bargain with imitaimitations of the names of the Italian and Spanish
Spanlsh masters.
Sometimes it
masters, Sometimes
may be difficult to distinguish between the genuine blades and the
good imitations, but the Spanish blade smiths had their own technique
for farming
forming and placing the letters, and this could not be copied.
copied.
Spain is highly individual with her rapiers (fig. 18-20).
18-20). The hilts
are remarkably short-an
swords.
short-an inheritance from
from the Moorish 'swords.
The pommels are often like those of Italy and France but there are
special forms
forms too (lantern-shaped,
(lantern-shaped, etc.)
etc.) (fig.
(fig. 20).
20). There is something
undefinable, something foreign about many of the Spanish forms.
The pas-d'he
pas-d'ane bows, guards, pitons and the like are slightly more
prominent than on the weapons of
of the other countries, but first and
51
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
I
I
Fig. 19.
a: Spwlish
Spanish rapier with engraved
Fig.
/9. a:
engraved ornaments in the
rhe hilt.
hilf. In
III the blade.
Made;
en Toledo
Toledo and
af Erpadero
Juan Martinez
Martine" ('11
alld stamp
slOmp oul
e.fpadero del Rey.
Re)'.
b: Spanish? ropier
rapier with
d with
b:
Iv;,1I engraved
('n1?,.a~·ed scrolls
seroJ/s m
Gild
wilh hearts and
and flowers
/101-1:(''',,,
in enamel and silver openwork.
in
opellll'ork. In the blade the
{he whole prayer
prayer ooff Ave
A~'e
Maria, gratia plena. In rrcas.'io
ricasso crossbow sramps.
stamp^.. (Nar.
(Na,. Mus.
It/us. Copenhagen,
Co[Xnhagl>n.
10134 and 10130,
mur. fot.).
/0130, IH1H.
/ot.).
foremost the quillons
quillons are often of a different
foremost
d;fferent style,
style, the foremost
a,n open knuckle guard, often in an elegant
being turned upwards into an
arc, whereas the lower one is turned downwards in a corresponding
corresponding
arc,
(fig. 18).
181. Sometimes there is quite a small cage of
curve (fig.
of close bows
emanating from
from the pas-d'gne.
pas-ct'une. One guard is sometimes turned
upwards in an open knuckle guard, the quillons forming a long, elegant
9. In these rapiers, whose blades are often unusually long,
letter S.
long,
slender, strong but whippy, like a steel splring,
spring, Toledo
Toledo work, we find
the prototypes of the curious Flemish rapiers with
with a basket
basket hilt of
of
52
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
i
l
,. ..
~
"
l
fjo
i
:l (.
Fig.
20. a:
a: Spanish
Spanish rapier
rapier with
with lantern-shaped
Ian~ern-shaped pommel
Fig. 20.
pommel and lantern-ornaments
rings. About 1580.
1580. In
In the blade De Francisco
Francisco Ruiz
quill'ons and side rings.
quili'Ons
en To~edo.
Tokdo.
en
b: Officers
Officers sword, so-called «Pappenheimer».
c<Pa;ppenheimer>>.
Dutch type from
b:
DU/ch
from about
1620-30. The
The rype
type was very popular in
in Sweden.
Sweden. In
In the
the hilt engraved
1620-30.
ornmenrs, in
in the
the blade:
blade: Clemens
Clemens Deinger,
Deinger, and stamp with a swan.
wan.
omaments,
(Nat. Mus.
Mus. CopenhaKen,
Copenhagen, 10123
I0123 and 10132,
10132, mus.
rnus. tot.).
fot.).
(Nat.
on
011
about the
the hand.
hand. The
The shape
shape of
many bows that almost wraps itself about
quillons may embody
embody a reminiscence of the
the old
old aa la Valencianas.
the quillons
step from
from there to the more
more or less
less perforated musselmusselIt is no long step
shell guard plates to
to be found
found especially
especially on
on the
the Flemish rapiers
rapiers but
shell
not uncommonly
uncc~mmonlyon the
the Spanish too.
too. There
There is
is no
no! doubt
aoubt that in this
this
an influence
influence from
from Germany
Germany (fig.
(fig. 21).
21).
we see an
Spanish rapier hilts also
also provided the
the goldsmiths with
with opOpThe Spanish
display their skill.
skill. Like
Like the
the Italian, the art of the
the
portunities to display
in Spain
S p a i n was
was on aa particularly high level
level in the
the early
early ReRegoldsmith in
and the
the 16th
16th century.
century. One
One of the most remarkable
remarkable localities
localities
naissance and
for this art
art was
was Guado1upe
Guadalupe in
in Estremadura,
Estremadura, which had fostered
fostered one
for
the most able
able Spanish goldsmiths, Fray Juan
J u a n de
d e Segovia.
Segovia. Most
Most
of the
53
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
Fig. 22/.
' I . Flemish rrap
a p i er,
er,
Fig.
<<Pappenheimer>>,
«Pappellheimer».
about 1620-30.
aho/lt
/620-30. In
/11
blade the lIame
name
the hlade
o f Heinrich
of
Heillrich PaePuether. (Call.
(Coll. E. A
A..
ther.
Christensen, E 18).
ChristellSell.
/8).
Toledo, followed by SanSanprominent, and also one of the oldest,
oldest, was Toledo,
tiago de Compostela and Ovtedo,'
Oviedo; the art was somewhat younger in
ttago
Leon and Seville.
Seville. Granada too belonged to the circle. Zaragoza
Zaragoxa must
LeOn
also be mentioned,
mentioned, because from it came a large number of skilful
skilful
also
goldsmiths to the many Italian courts and to Rome. The damascedamascening technique that was practised at Toledo was closely related to
the Oriental,
Oriental, which originally came from India. Both technically and
differs from the damascening of the other Romanesque
stylistically it differs
is to be seen not
countries. This special products of damascening is
rapler hilts but also on daggers, particularly on the charactecharacteonly on rapier
ristic ear daggers.
daggers. Like the Venetian weapon the Spanish types
types-the Venetian and the
originated in the Orient, but the two types-the
Spanish-differ in both ornamentation and form.
form. The main center
Spanish-differ
A n outstanding
Granada. An
of manufacture in Spain may have been Granada.
from this center is the dagger of Boabdil in the
the Real
Real
representative from
54
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
Armeria inin Madrid.
Madrld. Another
Another outstanding
outstanding spec:men
spec:men ofof ear
ear dagger
dagger
Armeria
possibly from
from Granada
Granada isis toto be
be found
found inin Instituto
Institute Valencia
Valencia dede Don
Don
possibly
Juan. Madrid.
Madrid. Various
Various specimens
specimens are
are inin the
the museum
museum ofof Laza;ro
Lazaro
JUaJ"l.
GaldianoininMadrid.,
Madrid,ininthe
thecoll,
coll,ojofPala"i!zo
PalazxoOdeschalchiin
Odeschalchi inRome
Romeand
and
Galdiano
Thetypes
typeshave
havebeen
beentreated
treatedby
bymrs.
mrs. Pilar
Pilar
fewother
othermuseums.
museums. The
inina a,few
FernandezVega
Vegaininan
anessay:
essay:Dag9s
Dagasgranadinas.
granadinas.The
TheSpanish
Spanishtype
typeby
by
Fern{mdez
the way
way was
was popular
popular atat the
the French
French court,
court, and
and French
French accounts
accounts ofof
the
both 15th
15thand
and16th
16thcenturies,
centuries,make
makemore
moremention
mention ofof Spanish
Spanishear
elardagdagboth
Dating
gers, e.e. g.g. the
the inventory
inventory from
from Fontainebleu
Fontainebleu asas late
late asa s 1560.
1560. Dating
gers,
from1538
1538there
thereisisaa drawing
drawinqby
bythe
thegoldsmith
goldsmith Crist6bal
CristobalJuan
Juan atat BarBarfrom
celona, ofof a a most
most elegant
elegant ~ar
ear dagger.
dagger. The
The archives
archives ofof Barcelona
B,arcelona
celona,
mentiondrawings
drawingsfrom
fromsuch
suchartists
artists asasAntonio
AntoniodedeValdes
Valdesand
andRajael
Rafael
mention
Ximenes from
from 1537.
1537.
dede Ximenes
The most
most characteristic
characteristic rap:ers
rap-ers are
are the
the cup
cup hilt
hilt rapiers,
rapiers, which
which
The
maketheir
theirappearance
appearanceearly
earlyininthe
the17th
17thcentury
centuryand
andculminate
culminateround
round
make
aboutthe
the1650's
16501's(fig.
(fig 22).
22).They
Theywere
werestill
stillininuse
usearound
around1700,
1700,and
anddated
dated
about
andsigned
signedspecimens
specimensofof after
afterthe
theyear
year 1700
1700are
areknown.
known.The
Thecup
cupwas
was
a,nd
possiblydesigned
designedunder
under the
theinfluence
influenceofof the
themussel
musselshells
shellsofof German
German
passibly
rapiers,which
whichon
onthe
theSpanish
Spanishrapiers
rapierswere
weremade
madelarger
largerand
androunder,
rounder,
rapiers,
timegrew
qrewinto
into the
the well-known
well-knowncup
cup oror bell.
bell. The
The turned
turned edge
edge
andinin time
and
was developed
developed inin conformity
conformity with
with the
the manuals
manuals ofof the
the Spanish
Spanish fenfenwas
The
cingmasters,
masters,its
its function
functionbeing
being toto catch
catch and
and break
break the
the blade.
blade. The
cing
quillons are
are extremely
extremely long,
long, the
the grip
grip very
very short
short and
and the
the knuckle
knuckle
quillons
guard does
doesnot
not close
closer:ght
r;ght up
up toto the
the rather
rather flattened
flattenedspherical
sphericalpompomguard
mel.On
On the
the later
later cup
cup hilt
hilt rapiers
rapiers various
various details
details are
are added
added on
on the
the
mel.
insideofof the
thebell,
bell,details
detailsthat
thatare
areofof importance
importancetotothe
theholding
holdingofof the
the
inside
weapon. Cup
Cup and
and pommel.
pommel may
may be
be quite
quite plain,
plain, undecorated
un~decoratedor
o r hahaweapon.
vingmerely
merelya anarrow
narrowlace
laceedge
edgecut
cutininthe
theiron;
iron;but
but the
themost
mostcharaccharacving
teristic form
formisis the
the cup
cup with
with openwork
openwork like
Lke fine
fine lace.
lace. Outstanding
Outstanding
teristic
specimensare
areextant,
extant,made
madeininSpain
Spainitself,
itself,i.i.a.a.ininMadrid
Madridby
byMadrileMadrilespecimens
But ititwas
was the
theartists
artistsatatNaples
Naples
nianartists,
artists,and
andindeed
indeedininPortugal.
Portugal. But
nfan
-then under
under Spanish
Spanish rule--who
rule--who became
became famous
famous for
for their
their extraordiextraordi-then
narily fine
fine cup
cup hilt
hilt rapiers.
rapiers. The
The cup
cup was
was carved
carved aa lala espagnole,
espagnole,
narily
and among
among the
the more
more renowned
renowned artists
artists inin this
this field
field are
are two
two whose
whose
and
signedworks
worksnow
nowrepose
reposeininthe
theVictoria
Victoriaand
andAlbert
AlbertMuseum
MuseumininLondon
London
signed
and the
theDetroit
Detroit Art
Art Institute,
Institute, U.U. S.S.A.,
A., Ant01lio
AntonioCilenta
Cilenta and
and Lorenzio
Lorenzio
and
Palumbo. Brescia
Bresciaand
andMilan
Milanare
areother
other towns
townswhich
which had
had aa name
namefor
for
Palumbo.
their Spanish-style
Spanish-stylecup
cup hilt
hilt rapiers.
rapiers. The
The Solingen
Solingen factories
factories imitated
imitated
their
them, and
and inin Germany
Germany we
we find
find the
the type
type represented,
represented, but
but often
often ofof
them,
somewhat coarser
coarser finish.
finish.
somewhat
Coupled with
with these
these rapiers
rapiers are
are the
the Spanish
Spanish lejt-hand
left-hand daggers
daggers
Coupled
with similar
similar iron·work
iron-work (fig.
(fig. 22).
22). Just
Just asas the
the cup
cup ofof the
the cup
cup hilt
hilt
with
rapier was
was produced
produced inin various
various forms,
forms, for
for :nstance
instance like
like aa scalloped
scalloped
rapier
55
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
·t
, ..
.,.
..
:~.-;<>
Fig. 22.
22. Spanish left-hand
hilts are possibly
possibly
tensen, E 71
71 and
tensen,
,
.C'~ .
;
"
T h e pierced
dagger and cup-hilt rapier. The
pierced and chiselled
1650. (Coli.
(Coll. E. A. ChrisChrisItalian workmanship,
workmanship, about 1650.
79).
79).
especially in the latter part of
calyx of greater or smaller depth and especially
the 17th
17th century got sloping brims with a higher margin under
so the guard on the Spanish
SDanish left-hand
the knuckle guard, so
left-hand dagger
((lace border»
border)) on the
varies in appearance, becomes lobate, with a «lace
smooth iroln
iron plate. That the cup hilt rapier pers-sts
pers:sts so long in Spain is
development in Spanish fencing
fencing as
as evolved
due to the special line of development
Luis Paeheeo
Pacheco de
de Nal'vaez
Narvaex with its methodology and its
its geometrical,
by Luis
geometr~cal,
devised movements. A good idea of the Spanish school
scientifically devised
of fencing was provided by the large work which appeared in Leyden
in 1630,
1630, by Girard Thibaust d'Anvers: Academie
l'epee ou se
Aeademie de i'epee
uemonstru"nt par
par reigles
reigles mathematiques
mathematiques sur le
le fondament
f o n d a m n t d'un
d'un eercle
cercle
dcmonstrent
mysterteux la
la theorie
theofie et
et pratique
pratique des
vrais et
et jusqu'a present
present incopus
mysterieux
des vrais
ineognus
56
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
secrets de maniement des armes aa pied et aa cheval, a work difficult
to understand
tUlderstand but illustrated by eminent artists.
In France at about the middle of the 17th century a change was
made to a shorter small-sword-xla
small-sword-----{(la courte &peen
epee» and the left-hand
left-hand
dagger was abolished. The three edged blade was introduced at the
same time and a distinction was made between epee militaire and
epee de v;lle.
v:Ile. A book by Le Perche
P(~rche du Courdray the founder of the
French School with: L'Exercioe
l'Exercice des armes ou
OU le
le maniement des fleuIleuret-,
ret-, Paris 1635
1635 was of particular interest,
interest. The French school was insinstrumenta~l
trumental in causing the long rapier to disappear in Italy and elsewheelsewhere except Spain,
Spain, and the new shorter and more simple form to appear.
appear.
17th century the small-sword
During the second half of 17th
small-sword led to the
dress-swords which flourished
handsome dress-swords
flourished during the rococo.
rococo.
France separated herself
herself on the whole from
from Italy and Spain by
heavkr forms of sword,
sword, though maintaining a high degree of
her heav:er
elegance.
elegance. Iron chiselling came into1
into the foreground and Spanish damdammross the Pyrtntes
(fig. 23).
23). At first the hilts
ascening made its way across
Pyrenees (fig.
Spanish.
were of the same
same complicated types as the Italian and Spanish.
Some way into the 17th
17th century the French swords separated from
from
Some
the French
those of the
the other Romanesque countries on account
accotUlt of the
fencing system.
fencing
are scarcely
scarceIy ever lacking a quillon runrunFrench renaissance hilts are
ning right through the cross with aa front and back end. Then
are the knuckle-guard
and the other bows. It has several
there are
knuckle-guard and
Slouth German hilts, which were often
points of similarity with South
mfluenced
close of the
the1 16th
16th
influenced by French work especially towards the close
around the year 1600.
1600. French artists and goldsmiths
century and arotUld
provide drawings
drawings and suggestions
suggestions for characteristic renaissance hilts
gold and silver, and several such
such drawings
drawings are
are extant
extant. after them
in gold
i a at Lyons by Pierre WoeiriOt
Woezriot from Lorraine, Bordeaux, Paris and
elsewhere. The drawings
drawings of EZienne
the artists
elsewhere.
Etienne Delaune influenced the
and swords makers at the Bavarian court, including iron chisellers
like Daniel and Emanuel
Bnanuel Sadeler,
Sadetler, whose hilts
are actually French in
like
hIlts are
style. A
A special
special iron-work
iron-work technique developed
developed in France, with ornastyle.
ments and whole pictorial scenes
background.
scenes in blued relief on a gilt backgrotUld.
One famous
famous sword and gtUl
gun smith, Antoine Jacquard 0/
of Poitiers, drew
One
designs for hilts with silver incrustations in black steel.
steel. In
I n the late
late
rococo France, especially Paris,
baroque and during the rococo
Paris, became the
European centre for elegant dress-swords.
dress-swords. French 16th
16th and 17th
17th cencenEuropean
inventories and other documents sometimes mention swords with
tury inventories
h la espagnole,
espagnole, a
B la italienne, and a la allemaigne
allemaigne by French
hilts a
sword hilt was not necessarily made in the country
artists. A sword
artists.
cotUltry in
57
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
,.,
-:~~:t
.
.{ ."
.
'.,
"'I. .•
J
..".
~t-~~.'
Fii!.
French
Fig. 23.
23. Tile
T h e «classical»
<<cl~rrssical~>
French rapier
rapier INm
f&m about
about 1575.
1575. Hilt
Hilt richly
richly damascened
damascened
ps inin Ihe
wilh
with Raid
gold and
and silver.
x i h r . Slam
Stamps
the ricasso.
ricasso. (Call.
(Coll. E.
E. A.
A . Christensen.
Christensen,
E
E 208).
208).
whose
whose type
type and
and style
style itit was
was designed.
designed. Form
Form and
and style
style depended
depended
upon
upon the
the desires
desires of
of the
the customer.
customer.
The
The swords
swords in
in England
England stand
stand to
to some
some degree
degree quite
quite alone.
alone. In
I n that
that
country
separate group
group of
of designs
designs and
and aa separate
separate style
style
country were
were evolved
evolved aa separate
which
which on
on the
the whole
whole were
were local
local (fig.
(fig.24
24 b).
6 ) . The
The hilts
hiltsoften
often have
haveseveral
several
bows
bows and
and guards,
guards, half-and
half-and whole
whole guard
guard plates,
plates, small,
small, shallow
shallow
bowls,
bowls, etc.
etc. Sometimes
Sometimes the
the pommels
pommels are
are reminiscent
reminiscent of
of the
the Spanish
Spanish
and
and French,
French, occasionally
occasionally of
of the
the German.
German. The
The quillons
quillons are
are frequently
frequently
peculiar,
peculiar, for
for instance
instance extremely
extremely volute-rolled.
volute-rolled. The
The decorative
decorative elements
elements
are
are highly
highly characteristic.
characteristic AA special
special favourite
favourite isis the
the damascening,
damascening,
58
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
Fig. 24.
24. a:
a: /lalian.
Italian. b:
b: English
English and.
and. r:c: Spanish
Spanish nw-hill
cup-hilt rapiers.
rapiers, the
the English
English raraFig.
E. A.
A.
pier IVith
with rich
rich silver
silver incruslalions.
incrustrrtions. Fir,l'l
First half
half of
of 171h
17th cenlury.
century. (Call.
(Coll.E.
pier
Christensen, EE 91,
91, 20.
20, 20(,).
206).
Chri.wensen,
which recalls
recalls the
the French
French or
or South
South german.
german. There
There isis aa predilection
predilection for
for
which
salver and
and gold
gold incrustations
incrustations in
in the
the dark
dark steel.
steel. The
The artistic
artistic quality
quality
sJver
is
is often
often very
very high.
high. In
In many
many cases
cases itit isis impossible
impossible to
to decide
decide whether
whether
the
the hilts
hilts are
are the
the work
work of
of Eng;ish
Engiish goldsmiths
goldsmiths and
and artists
artists or
or of
of immi·
immigrated
grated South
South German
German craftsmen.
craftsmen. The
The latter
latter alternative
alternative isis not
not unu·
unusual,
sual, as
as in
in the
the 17t~
17th century
century England
England sent
sent for
for German
German craftsmen
craftsmen
and blade
blade smiths
smiths (HOWlSlow
(Hounslow blades).
blades). There
There isis also
also pierced
pierced iron
iron work
work
and
with no
no form
form of
of inlay
inlay in
in other
other materials.
materials. Some
Some of
of this
this work
work attains
attains
with
to
to great
great beauty
beauty whereas
whereas others
others are
are rather
rather crude,
crude, almost
almost primitive.
primitive.
On
On the
the whole,
whole, England's
England's 17th
17th century
century sidearms
sidearms have
have aa physiognomy
physiognomy
of
of their
their own.
own.
There
There as
as in
in Italy
Italy and
and France
France the
the hilt
hilt became
became simplified
simplified about
about the
the
59
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
middle of
of the
the 17th
17th century.
century. The
The many
many bows
bows disappear
disappear and
and are
are reremiddle
placed by
by aa single
single knuckle-bow
knuckle-bow and
and mussel-shell
mussel-shell guards,
guards, often
often rather
placed
small and
and placed
placed below
below the
the quillons
quillons at
at the
the lower
lower ends
ends of
of the
the pas-d'fl.lle.
pas-d'8ne.
small
Although itit cannot
cannot generally
generally be
be said
said that
that all
all European
European sword
sword
Although
hilts can
can be
be divided
divided into
into Latin
Latin and
and Germanic
Germanic and
and these
these again
again into
into
hilts
Italian, Spanish,
Spanish, French,
French, English,
English, etc.,
etc., itit is
is possible
possible to
t o make
make aa certain
certain
Italian,
subdivision. The
The Germanic
Germanic hilts
hilts were
were evolved
evolved on
on a.nother
another basis
basis and
and
subdivision.
originally according
according to
to other
other principles
principles than
than the
the Latin.
Latin. Actually
Actually itit was
was
originally
not long
long before
before the
the Latin
Latin characteristics
characteristics began
began to
to influence
influence the
the GerGernot
manic and
and vice
vice versa.
versa. In
In Germany
Germany especially
especially in
in the
the South,
South, many
many
manic
Latin elements
elements were
were absorbed.
absorbea. The
The same
same was
was the
the case
case in
in the
the NetherNetherLatin
lands, where
where in
in particUlar
particular the
the Spanish
Spanish influence
influence was
was highly
highly perceptiperceptilands,
ble. (fig.
(fig. 21).
21). In
I n conjunction
conjunction with
with the
the Germanic
Germanic elements
elements special
special
ble.
forms emerge
emerge just
just here,
here, as
as was
was the
the case
case in
in England.
England. One
One separate
separate
forms
development occurred
occurred in
in the
the East
East corner
corner of
of Central
Central Europa,
Europa, where
where
development
the much
much enclosed
enclosed basket
basket hilts
hilts that
that are
are familiar
familiar from
from the
the schiavones,
schiavones,
the
dusaggr: sa'bres,
sa~bres,etc.,
etc., become
become characteristic.
characteristic, However
However this
this extreme
extreme
dusagg,~
hand protection,
protection, intended
intended mainly
mainly as
as aa guard
guard against
against the
the cutting
cutting
hand
blow, also
also become
become the
the recipient
recipient of
of Latin
Latin elements,
elements, receives
receives aa kind
kind af
af
blow,
pas d'kne, oblique
oblique bows,
bows, etc.,
etc., on
on the
the counter-guard
counter-guard or
or quite
quite aa little
little cross
cross
I::as-d'ane,
of bows
bows On
on that
that side.
side. In
In this
this respect
respect North
North Italy
Italy displays
displays aa curious
curious
of
form with
with the
the Latin,
Latin, very
very long
long quillons,
quillons, often
often slightly
slightly S-shaped,
S-shaped, with
with
form
closed basket-hilt,
basket-hilt, sometimes
sometimes quite
quite devoid
devoid of
of pas-d'ane
pas-d'hne and
and oblique
oblique
aa closed
guards, an
an Halo-Slav
Italo-Slav type
type of
of sword,
sword, mainly
mainly intended
intended for
for cutting.
cutting.
guards,
In Switzerland
Switxerland the
the combination
combination of
of Latin
Latin and
and Germanic
Germanic isis clearly
clearly
In
visible. Around
Around the
the 1520's
15210's there
there are
are still
still large
large cutting
cutting swords
swords to
to be
be
visible.
seen, almost
almost hand-and-half
hand-and-half swords
swords with
with aa cruciform
cruciform hilt,
hilt, pas-d'ane
pas-d'be
seen,
and oblique
oblique bows,
bows, side
side rings
rings which
which connect
connect the
the pas-d'ane-ends,
pas-d'hne-ends, pitons
pitons
and
25). The
The Swiss
Swiss sabres
sabres also
also have
have
and half
half or
or whole
whole knuckle-bows
knuckle-bows (fig.
(fig. 25).
and
curious combinations
combinations of
of bows.
bows. On
On the
the whole
whole Switzerland
Switzerland is
is remarremarcurious
kable for
for her
her different
different local
local types-swords
types-swords as
as well
we11 as
as rapiers,
rapiers, hangers
hangers
kable
and daggers.
daggers.
and
One of
of the
the local
local groups
groups observable
observable especially
especially in
in the
the Germanic
Germanic
One
A number
number of
of excellent
excellent and
and
development is
is to
to be
be found
found in
in Saxony.
Saxony. A
development
very characteristic
characteristic rapiers
rapiers are
are preserved
preserved in
in the
the Electorial
Electorial Armoury
Armoury in
in
very
Dresden, while
while others
others have
have been
been spread
spread about
about museums
museums and
and collections
collections
Dresden,
in the
the course
course of
of time.
time. Characteristic
Characteristic isis another
another large
large and
and simple
simple
in
cruciform type,
type, one
one that
that was
was easy
easy to
to imitate
imitate and
and therefore
therefore gave
gave rise
rise
cruciform
multitude of
of copies
copies and
and falsifications.
falsifications. The
The characteristic
characteristic feature
feature
to aa multitude
to
of these
these swords
swords isis the
the often
often short,
short, plump
plump form
form of
of the
the grip
grip with
with an
an
of
almost serrated
serrated collar
collar above
above and
and below
below as
as well
well as
as vertical
vertical bands
bands of
of
almost
iron from
from the
the one
one to
to the
the other,
other, and
and also
also aa biconical
biconical pommel,
pommel, often
often
iron
with six
six sides
sides on
on each
each half.
half. One
One also
also encounters
encounters the
the long,
long, divided
divided
with
60
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
i
I
I
Fig.25.
25.Swiss
Swissone-and-a-half
one-and-a-halfsword,
sword,early
early 16th
16thcentury.
century.(Coli.
(Coll.E.E.A.A .ChristenChristenFig.
.~I'Il,
sen,Ell).
E 11).
grip,
grip,a areminiscence
reminiscenceofofthe
thelate-mediaeval
late-mediaevalsword.
sword. The
Thequillons,
quillons,which
which
often
oftenwiden
widentowards
towardsthe
theends,
ends,are
areeither
eitherhorizontal
horizontalororfaintly
faintlycurved.
curved.
thecross
crosson
onthe
theguard
guardisisa a horizontal
horizontal bow.
bow.Some
Somehave
havetwo
twopaspasInInthe
d'ane,
d'kne, connected
connected byby a a small
small ring
ring whereas
whereas the
the counterguarct
counterguard: has
has
ananoblique
obliquebow
bowfrom
fromthe
theend
endofofone
onepas-d'ane
pas-d'hetotothe
thecross
crossororthere
there
are
are two
two crossed
crossed oblique
oblique guards,
guards, one
one from
from each
each pas-d'ane.
pas-d'he. Others
Others
have
have only
onlyone
onepas-d'a.ne
pas-d'8neand
anda a single
singleoblique
obliquebow.
bow.Below
Belolwthe
the cross
cross
there
there isis sometimes
sometimes a a k;nd
kind ofof muff
muff ofof silver.
silver.The
Theblades
blades are
areoften
often
61
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
heavy with
with one
one or
or more
more grooves.
grooves. In
I n aa few
few cases
cases they
they are
are Milanese
Milanese
heavy
blades, in
in others
others Solingen.
Solingen. The
The mountings
mountings on
on hilt
hilt and
and scabbard
scabbard
blades,
are often
often silver,
silver, decorated
decorated with
with ornaments
ornaments (engraved
(engraved or
or chased)
chased)
are
Heinrich Aldegrever
Aldegrever and
and his
his circle.
circle. In
In this
this
in aa style
style recalling
recalling i.i. a.a. Heinrich
in
type we
we see
see the
the old
old mediaeval
mediaeval sword
sword of
of cross-form
cross-form surviving
surviving under
under
type
the influence
influenceof
of the
thenew
new Latin
Latin currents,
currents,the
the short
short grip
grip and
and the
the various
various
the
bows under
under the
the quillons
quillons and
and the
the pas-d'ane.
pas-d'ane. This
This transitional
transitional type
type
bows
was very
very popular
popular in
in the
the Scandinavian
Scandinavian cOlUltries,
countries, where
where not
not lUlcomuncomwas
monlyitit appears
appearswith
with aa long
longtwo-piece
two-piecegrip,
grip,pas-d'ane,
pas-d'ane,oblique
obliquebranches
branches
monly
There are
are examples
examples in
in Sweden.
Sweden. ItIt was
was popular
popular inin DenDenand the
the like.
like. There
and
mark and
and isis represented
represented by
by the
the silver-adorned
silver-adorned sword
sword of
of the
the Danish
Danish
mark
nobleman Herluf
Herluf Trolle
Trolle 0516-1565)
(1516-1565)in
in Herlufsholm
Herlufsholm Church
Church in
in Sealand.
Sealand.
nobleman
Saxonian type,
type, influenced
influenced by
by the
the North
North Italian
Italian rapiers
rapiers or
or striscias
striscias
AA Saxonian
the burial
burial sword
sword of
of Christoph
Christoph Rosengaard
Rosengaard (ob.
(ob. 1596)
1596) in
in the
the
isis i.i. a.a. the
Cathedral of
of Roskilde
Roskilde (fig.
(fig. 26).
26). The
The heavy
heavy Saxonian
Saxonian types
types are
are often
often
Cathedral
depictedon
onthe
thetombstones
tombstonesof
of Danish
Danishnobles.
nobles.This
ThisSaxon
Saxontype
type achieved
achieved
depicted
such aa wide
wide distribution
distribution in
in Denmark
Denmark because
because of
of the
the latter's
latter's intimate
intimate
such
relationship with
with Saxony
Saxony through
through royal
royal marriages
marriages and
and the
the cultural
cultural
relat:onship
influencefrom
fromthe
theLutheran
Lutheran Electorate.
Eilectorate. Saxon
Saxon craftmen
craftmen came
came to
to DenDeninfluence
.
.,....=;r. ...
........
'\.'
Fig. 26.
26. Silvennounled
Silvermounted rapier
rapier from
from Ihe
the IOmh
tomb of
o f Chdsloph
Christoph Rosengaard,
Rosengaard,·.)h.
o h .1596.
1596.
FiR.
Suxon Iype
type wilh
with ltalian
Italian influence.
influence. On
O n Ihe
the broad
broad silverplale
silverplate Ihe
the coal
coat of
of
Saxon
and name
name of
o f Ihe
the owner.
owner. (Roskilde
(Roskilde Cathedral,
Carhedral, Denmark).
Denmark).
arms and
arms
62
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
mark, sword-makers
sword-makers among them. Sidearms
Sidearms were imported
imported from
from there
type are rEproduced
reproduced in Danish portrait
or imitated. Swords of Saxon ~ype
paintings of the period.
its appurtenant left-hand
left-hand
Another characteristic Saxon type with its
dagger is in the Dresden
Dlresden A
r m o u r y . The hilt has not quite
quite lost its
its
Armoury.
mediaeval form, though it has got the
the modern accessories such
as pas-d'ane,
pas-d'ane, side rings and counterguard. The material is
is iron
chkelled in a basketry pattern. There are other sword-rapiers
sword-rapiers in
in
ch:selled
and with knuckleknuckleDresden with hilts in the same basketry pattern and
bow and curved parade quillon. Some
Some of the specimens preserved
in the Dresden Armoury have Milanese blades others have SolinSollinthe name of Peter Munsten.
Munsten. Possibly there
gen blades bearing the
swords, made for
for the Electoral
Electoral lifelifewas some question of a series
series of swords,
Fig.
Fig. 27.
27. Sl1xoniall
Saxonian rapiers,
rapiers, ahout
about 1600.
1600. Silver incrusl(/(ions
incrustations ill
in hilt
hilt and grip.
grip. III
In
the
Hermall Slof
PO the
the
the blades:
blades: Herman
Stof me
m e fecit
fecit Solillgell,
Solingen, alld
and stamps.
stumps. Blade
Blade I\)
dared 1619.
1619. (Nat.
(Nar. Mus.
Mus. Copellhal!ell,
Copenhagen, 10128
10128 alld
and 10127,
10127, mus.
muy. fot.).
fat.).
left dated
63
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
(1586-91) and Christian
Christian Il
I 1 (1601-1611).
(1601-1611). Some
guards under Christian II (1586-91)
are now in the Danish naLonal
nat-onal museum (fig.
(fig. 27-28).
27-28).
elegant rapiers are
made of
In connection with the Saxon swords mention must be made
one of the period's most distinguished German chisellers, Ottmar
Ottma~
close of the
Wetter, who was attached to the Elector's court at the close
16th century.
oentury. Actually he was from
from Munich, whence as a Protestant
16th
he had had to flee
flee to Saxony,
Saxony, where he found protection under the
Lutheran Elector. For the prince he made a number of sword hilts
besides other iron work. One of his most characteristic swords,
swords,
entirely in black, now in the Royal Arsenal Museum
Museunl in Copenhagen,
Copenhagen,
is both signed and dated (1594).
(1594). And other works from
from his hand
and his school are to be seen in several museums in Germany, EngEngland,
U.
S
.
A.
(J.
Hayward,
Studies
on
Ottmar
Wetter,
Livrustkammaland, U, S.
CJ.
LivrustkammaStockh. 1949).
1949).
ren V. Stockh.
Fig.
28. Saxon
Smon rapier with
with wheelwheelFig. 28.
belongs
T o it helongs
lock pistol. To
dagger fig.
14. (Nat,
(Nar.
the da/?ger
fig. 14.
Mus. Copenhagen.
Copenhagen, I0115
IO/ /5
fot.).
10163, mus.
and 10163,
nlI/S. rot,).
64
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
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ISSN 0435-029X
The most
most distinguished
distinguished of
of the
the German
German groups
groups is
is undoubtedly
undoubtedly that
that
The
belonging to
to Munich
Munich at
at the
the Bavarian
Bavarian court.
court. The
The forms
forms of
of these
these
belonging
swords and
and their left-hand
left-hand daggers
daggers are
are particularly
particularly good
good and
and survisurviswords
ceable, of
of the
the latest
latest fashion;
fashion; but
but what
what makes
makes them
them remarkable
remarkable is
is the
the
ceable,
decoration, the
the masterly
masterly ch:selling-work,
ch-selling-work, in
in which
which figures,
figures, leaves
leaves and
and
decoration,
flowers stand
stand well
well in
in finely
finely cut
cut and
and blued
blued relief against the
the gilt
gilt
flowers
They are
are chiefly
chiefly the
the work
work of
of the
the two
two brothers
brothers Daniel
DanieJ
background. They
background.
and Emanuel
Emanuel Sadel'er.
Sadeler. Slightly
Slightly younger
younger is
is the
the similarly
similarly fine,
fine, but
and
p s h a p s somewhat
somewhat less
less thorough
thorough work
work of
of Caspa'1"
Caspaa Spiith.
Spath. The
The Sadelers
Sadelers
~~rhaps
11, where
where
were summoned
summoned to
to Prague
Prague by
by the
the German
German emperor
emperor Rudol/
Rudolf II,
were
they made
made several
several ceremonial
cerem~nialweapons,
weapons, specimens
specimens of
of which
which are
are now
now
they
to be
be seen
seen in
in Vienna.
Vienna. The
The motifs
motifs in
in their
their chiselled
chiselled hilts
hilts are
are t~ical
typical
to
of the
the period:
period: antique
antique gods
gods and
and goddesses,
goddesses, herms,
herms, fauns,
fauns, masks,
masks, etc.,
etc.,
of
Sadelers' work
work was
was
among leaves
leaves and
and flower
flower garlands.
garlands. Many
Many of
of the
the Sadelers'
among
dono in
in collaboration
collaboration with
with French
French artists
artists and
and designers
designers and
and all
all their
their
dono
products bear
bear aa light
light and
and elegant
elegant stamp
stamp that
that suggests
suggests French
French protoprotoproducts
types. Very
Very remarkable
remarkable are
are the
the hilts
hilts on
on some
some of
of these swords
swords now
now
types.
Collection in
in
in the
the Victoria
Victoria and
and Albert
Albert Museum
Museum and
and in
in the
the Wall
Wallace
in
ace Collection
London, others
others in
in Munich
Munich and
and Vienna.
Vienna. Among
Among other
other things
things there
there
London,
The blades
blades
are the
the drawings
drawings of
of Etienne
Etierzne Delaune,
Delaune, which
which were
were patterns.
patterns. The
are
in many
many of
of the
the Sadelers'
Sadelers' works
works are
are Milanese.
Milanese. Round
Round about
about the
the year
year
in
1700 and
and in
in the
the first
first half
half of
of the
the 18th
18th century
century drawings
drawings were
were published
published
1700
on hilts
hilts for
for dress-swords,
dress-swords, especially
especially by
by Augsburg
Augsburg and
and Nuremberg
Nuremberg a,r·
airon
tists.
tists.
The simplification
simplification of
of these
these sword
sword hilts
hilts in
in the
the 17th
17th century
century was
was
The
not confined
confined to
to South
South and
and West
West Europe.
Europe. One
One particular
particular form
form dedenot
veloped. in
in North
North Germany
Germany about the
the middle
middle of that century,
century, the
the
veloped
so-called Brandenburg
Brandenburg sword,
sword, wholly devoid
devoid of bows
bows and
and hhandguard,
so-called
andguard,
having aa cruciform hilt but more
more slender
slender and
and of other proportions
having
than the
the old
old mediaeval
mediaeval swords.
swords. A
A typical
typical and
and unusually
unusually fine
fine example
example
than
is the
the one
one in
in the
the Victoria
Victoria and
and Albert
Albert Museum,
Museum, signed
signed by
by the
the
of it is
of
16601-70. Others
Others by
by the
the same
same
chiseller Gott/Tied
Gottfried Leygebe,
Leygebe, dated
dated to
to 1660-70.
chiseller
and other
other artists
artists repose
repose in
in the
the museums
museums of Europe
Ebrope and
and America,
AmeTica, or
or
and
are depicted
depicted in
in the
the portrait
portrait painting
painting of
of the
the time.
time.
are
With hilts
hilts such
such as
as the
the later
later French,
French, English
Qnglish and
and Brandenburg
Brandenburg we
we
With
are now
now on
on the
the way
way to
to sidearms
sidearms of
of an
an entirely
entirely different
different fonn.
form. In
In
are
reality they
they form
form aa connecting
connecting link
link with
with the
the characteristic
characteristic smallsmallreality
swords of
of the
the 18th
18th century,
century, the
the fine,
fine, often
often elegant
elegant and
and slender
slender dressdresssword5
swords whose
whose small
small hilts
hilts bear survivals
survivals of
of the
the old
old pas-d'ane
pas-d'sne and
and
swords
whose blades are
are slender,
slender, sharJrPointed
sharp-pointed and
and stiff.
stiff. With the
the sidearms
sidearms
whose
the baroque we
we have arrived
arrived at
at the
the transitional stage
stage to
to the
the last
of the
phase of these
these weapons.
weapons. This
This is
is the
the last
last independent epoch
epoch before
phase
they becom2
becorn2 shorn
shorn of
of their artist:c
artistic significance-to
significant-to some
some extent
extent
they
65
5
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
their usefulness too, and become simply brazier work, more or less in
mass production. Individual swords are made only in special cases.
In its best style the sidearm becomes an accessory to the gala uniuniform of officers or civil servants, or swords of honour like the French
swords from Boutet in Versailles, sabres presented on special Woccasions to persons of merit, from generals to N. C. 0
s . As mass arc.
Os.
arti'
cles they become the regulation military swords, sabres, etc,
etc., bearing
the impress of the particular services who are to wear them and,
to some extent, of the style and fashion of the period. Their interest
and importance lie elsewhere
elsewhere. Their value as art and their cost - with
few
few exceptions - are slight compared with the sidearms of former
periods, from the mediaeval sword to the rapiers of
of the renaissance
and thence to the dress-swords of
of the rococo.
rococo.
66
Gladius, II (1963), pp. 5-68
ISSN 0435-029X
Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer
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.68

from mediaeval sword to renaissance rapier - Gladius

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