The Spanish Motto

[Jim McDougall]

It seems this aphorism has been around for centuries in various national contexts, and the reason for terming it the 'Spanish motto' is yet another 'collectors' chestnut arising from the fact it is phrased in Spanish. This seems derived from observations in Aylward (1945, "The Smallsword in England") where he shows the phrase in French noting its commonality on their blades. In this he notes the phrase has been a"'perennial favorite since the Spanish invented it".

It seems the phrase turning up on virtually any Spanish sword in the late 19th into early 20th century instantly identified it as a 'conquistadors sword' in the flowery writings of those times. As so often the case these kinds of romanticism carried into the colorful descriptions used by exuberant collectors of the time to enhance their examples.

I recall research into this many years ago, along with Juan Perez in Spain, and I too was stunned by the apparent fact that these blades were NOT from Toledo, as of course always assumed, but Solingen exports. While these were intended for Spains colonies in the Americas apparently, as they were so ubiquitous, especially in the United States, I have seen them turn up in any number of colonial situations from North Africa to India.

The notes on Knecht in Wallace Collection (Mann, 1962) became pretty much the final word on German production of blades bearing this motto.

The occurrence of these blades on Confederate swords, as noted by Glen, seems to derive from these blades circulating after the Mexican American war (1846) where many of these were captured by US officers from Mexican cavalry. I recall researching years ago one of General Custers swords (now in museum at Little Big Horn) that was claimed to have been taken by him from a Confederate officer in a 'running fight'. It had of course the so called 'Spanish motto' on the blade.

What is puzzling is this phrase turning up on plug bayonets, as it is clear its meaning refers to a sword worn to be used in combat or duel in a chivalrous sense. It seems oddly placed on a plug bayonet though these were typically later used as hunting knives, but the late Roger Evans ("The Plug Bayonet") claims the 'motto' occurs on their blades back to 17th c. Clearly it was simply used in a commemorative sense, much as perhaps 'Remember the Alamo' on Bowie knives.

On that note....Glen, what picture do you refer to with Jim Bowie's portrait sword?

While it is clear that this 'motto' appears on countless Mexican sword blades, many of them from old bilbos (M1728 regulation shell guard broadswords) and 18th century Spanish, many of them have bolder letters and as noted likely into 19th c. I had always thought that Toledo which was brought back into producing blades by Carlos III in the 1760s might have produced many blades with the 'motto' but it is unclear, and hard to differentiate between the Solingen products and what might have been select Toledo examples.

Many with the bold majescule lettering have the familiar cosmological sun and moon used popularly on Solingen blades added as embellishments. I wonder if Toledo might have simply added these the same as the Germans had spuriously used their markings for centuries? Sort of a 'turnabout is fair play' gesture

More of the conundrums and mysteries in studying the history of these weapons which make it such an adventure! While this is of course one of my usual wordy missives, I just wanted to share my own perspectives along with the great insights you guys have placed here.