Basket-hilted sword

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Italian basket-hilted broadswords

The basket-hilted sword is a the name of a group of sword types characterized by a basket-shaped guard that protects the hand. An early example was recovered from the wreck of the Mary Rose, an English warship lost in 1545.^[1] It could be considered a development of the complex hilts used on rapiers and "side-swords". These complex hilts gained popularity as civilian weapons, and as armor was becoming obsolete, meaning a guard capable of covering the hand was needed. At first the wire guard was a simple design but as time passed it became increasingly sculpted and ornate.^[2]

By the 17th century there were regional variations of the original design: the Walloon hilt, the Sinclair hilt, Schiavona, Mortuary Sword and Scottish Broadsword.^[3] The final two were common in England, whether domestically-produced or acquired through trade with Italy and Germany. They inspired the later cavalry sabre adopted during the 18th century and used to deadly effect during the Napoleonic Wars.^[4]

Sinclair Hilt

George Sinclair's forces land in Norway, 1612. The soldier in the center is armed with a Sinclair hilt broadsword and wears a comb morion.

The Sinclair Hilt was one of the earliest basket-hilt designs and was of south German origin.^[5] On average the blade of a Sinclair or "compound" hilt sword measured 38in.^{[citation needed]}

It had long quillons and an oval leather-wrapped grip that was originally designed for falchion blades but was soon applied to the broadsword.^[6] It had a large triangular plate very similar to the ones used on main gauche daggers and was decorated with pierced hearts and diamonds.^[7]

Hilts of this design were also used on other weapons including sabres, cutlasses, rapiers, backswords and civilian hunting hangers.^[8]

A similar weapon was the Pallasch which had the same hilt and straight blade but was single-edged. It was used until the mid-18th century by the Austrian army and inspired the British 1796 Heavy Cavalry Sabre.

It is believed that these swords were brought back to Scotland by George Sinclair's mercenaries who had served on the continent.^[9]

The Sinclair hilt broadsword influenced the development of the Scottish basket-hilted claymore, which was used by highlanders in the 17th and 18th century.^[10] After the Jacobite Wars it became a symbol of Scotland.^[11]

Walloon Sword

Swiss-made Walloon sword

This weapon was common in Germany, Switzerland, Scandinavia^[12] and the Netherlands.

The Walloon sword was favored by both the military and civilian gentry^[13] for its versatility: it was light, flexible, and good for both cutting and thrusting as well as the more accurate pointwork required in duels with rapiers.^[14] Its hilt was ambidextrous with shell-guards and knuckle-bow that inspired 18th century continental hunting hangers.^[15]

Following their campaign in the Netherlands in 1672 (when many of these German-made swords were captured from the Dutch), the French began producing this weapon as their first regulation sword.^[16] Weapons of this design were also issued to the Swedish army from the time of Gustavus Adolphus until as late as the 1850s.^[17]

Schiavona

Venetian schiavona of the late 17th century

The Schiavona was a Renaissance sword that became popular in Italy during the 16th and 17th centuries.^[18] Stemming from the 16th-century sword of the Venetian Doge guard, the name came from the fact that the guard consisted largely of Istrian and Dalmatian Slavs - Slovenes and Croats (Schiavoni).^[3] It was widely recognisable for its "cat's-head pommel" and distinctive handguard made up of many leaf-shaped brass or iron bars that was attached to the cross-bar and knucklebow rather than the pommel.^[3]

The sword it self has origins in so called Serbian sword. Some parts of Serbian coast after downfall of Serbia accepted Venetian republic, and they were added to Dalmatia. Mercenary soldiers known as "pronije" (system of solders and name comes from Byzantine mercenary soldiers "pronoia") were hired and they spread their weapons. This is not surprising since at the time before downfall of Serbian despotate, Serbian despot Stefan Lazarevic had a "school of fighting" for knights and nobles and students from all across Europe came to him to learn. Farther there are archaeological evidence as well as mentioning in archives of Dubrovnik by master swordsmith, who describes "Serbian sword". Similar designs of sword hilt are found in Hungary and Greece (Byzantine Empire) so it could be connected to those nations as well.

Classified as a true broadsword, this war sword had a wider blade than its contemporary civilian rapiers. It was basket hilted (often with an imbedded quillon for an upper guard) and its blade was double edged. A surviving blade measures 93.2 cm × 3.4 cm × 0.45 cm and bears two fullers or grooves running about 1/4 the length of the blade. Weighing in at around 1.1 kg, this blade was useful for both cut and thrust.^[19]

The name "Schiavona" means "big slave", or "enslaver", which is what gives the sword this name.^[3] Alternatively it could be a derivative of the Italian word for Slav, due to its association with the Balkan mercenaries who formed the bodyguard of the Doge of Venice^[20] and distinguished themselves in the wars against the Ottoman Empire.^[3]

The schiavona became popular among the armies of those who traded with Italy during the 17th century and was the weapon of choice for many heavy cavalry.^[21] It was popular among mercenary soldiers and wealthy civilians alike; examples decorated with gilding and precious stones were imported by the upper classes to be worn as a combination of fashion accessory and defensive weapon.^[22]

Mortuary sword

Hilt of an English mortuary sword

A similar weapon was the cut-and-thrust mortuary sword which was used after 1625 by cavalry during the English Civil War. This (usually) two-edged sword sported a half-basket hilt with a straight blade some 90-105 cm long. These hilts were often of very intricate sculpting and design.

In the 19th century it was conjectured that the ornate markings were meant to commemorate King Charles I, the executed English king.^[23] However this style of hilt predates the execution of Charles (1649).^[4]

Another possible origin of the name comes from the half-basket guard itself, which often bears a passing resemblance to a human rib cage.^[24]

This sword was Oliver Cromwell's weapon of choice; the one he owned is now preserved in the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds. Mortuary swords remained in use until around 1670 when they fell out of favor among civilians and began to be replaced with the smallsword.^[4]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Schiavona

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mortuary swords

Notes