The Espada Ancha

[Jim McDougall]

The espada ancha is probably one of the most under researched sword types in the collecting world, and surprisingly ubiquitous, yet virtually going unnoticed. There has been little published on them, the first known reference being "Swords of California and Mexico in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries" by Arthur Woodward in 1946.

In 1972 "Spanish Military Weapons in Colonial America 1700-1821" by Sidney Brinckerhoff & Pierce Chamberlain , included them in the outstanding reference which has become the standard reference on Spanish colonial arms.

Two brief articles by J.Hanson, and Bill Adams came later, but nothing else until Lee Jones published his concise and most informative article here, now in the forum archives.

I have been intrigued by these unique swords of the frontiers of New Spain and American Southwest virtually my entire life, growing up in Southern California. My hope was to do a comprehensive study on these compiling research and collecting which has covered well over five decades, and to augment the few but valuable articles noted.

While this was published by the Swedish Arms Society at the Livrustkammeren in Stockholm, in thier Centennial Yearbook, which is of course in Swedish, Staffan Kinman, the director, kindly presented the entire article in English.

The work continues, and I recently found a shellguard example (attached) which is yet to arrive. As noted earlier by Mark Eley (again my sincere thanks to him for his response) these had a close connection to the 'cutlass', from which they evolved as discussed in the article.

Presently the entire article will hopefully join those held in our archives so those interested might be able to read through it. ...this is pending.

I look forward to knowing of anyone else with interest in these Spanish colonial swords, and comments and examples.

[urbanspaceman]

Well done Sir. We travel on parallel paths. Keep up the good work.
I wonder if this curiosity of mine fits anywhere in your world; it is certainly an oddity with more relations in the naval world, but still not certain.

[Jim McDougall]

Thank you so much Keith!
Yes I remember that beauty!
This seems to fall into the category of naval cutlass alright.

As noted,the Spanish espada ancha, as I point out in the article, is likely derived from the hunting hangers of the 17th century which were typically used aboard vessels as well as the heavy bladed types regarded as cutlasses.
The heavy bladed 'cutlass' was far more durable for the utility duties it was most inclined to find use in, particularly ashore when such weapons were needed to clear vegetation etc.

The 'name game' comes into play here,as used aboard vessels, stout often shorter bladed weapons were collectively termed 'cutlasses', while ashore used in the vegetation clearing (and other) functions it became 'machete'.

This was actually the Spanish term by which the 'espada ancha' was known as these evolved in the frontier regions of New Spain (now Mexico,and Southwestern America) in the 18th century. The espada ancha term came from a writers mistranslation in the mid 1960s and has remained in place with collectors since.

This fine example appears to have the hilt of a British infantry hanger of 1750s and of course the stag horn grip popular with hunting swords of the times. As we know, these horn grips often occur on various cutlass forms as they had through the 17th century as well.The blade seems somewhat cut down from a hanger of the period much in the manner of dirks.

You will recall this example,an English or French hanger cut down into a dirk.

[urbanspaceman]

Peter mentioned such swords cut down to form 'Bowie' knives.
Here's my 10c worth.
As close as you can come to a cut down sword.
This Western/Coleman knife is the knife Harvey drew when about to start the knife fight with Butch. "Rules! In a knife fight?"
I'd wanted one of these since I first saw the movie.
I've actually chopped fire kindling with this one.
It's much bigger than it looked in Ted Cassidy's fist.