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20th April 2022, 09:35 PM | #1 |
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Here are additional pics of the same schiavona. Note that the diagonal border of the basket, on the obverse side, is composed of two parallel bars, with "ladder rungs" in between them. This is the mark of a Type 2 hilt. The later and more ornate variants, Types 2a and 2b, have two and three rows of these rungs or steps, respectively, forming the outer border of the basket.
The well-preserved scabbard on this example has the iconic sailor's knot braided into the seam of the leather, representing the Republic of Venice's symbolic marriage to the sea. |
20th April 2022, 09:47 PM | #2 | |
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Does anyone know the meaning of the circular spheres on the pommel in the specimen posted above by werecow? |
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21st April 2022, 12:42 AM | #3 | |
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Venice's preoccupation with maritime affairs is exemplified by the annual ceremony during which the Doge and his court cruised on the massive gilded barge "Bucintoro" into open waters and threw a gold ring to the waves, to renew the Republic's vows of marriage to the sea. And for a long time, its main rival in Italy was Genoa, its seafaring counterpart on the other side of the peninsula. I would tend to think that from a tactical perspective, a shorter weapon such as the storta , a broad-bladed cutlass or falchion, might be handier aboard the cramped decks of a galley. |
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21st April 2022, 08:58 AM | #4 |
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As schiavona means Slav then presumably these swords were predominantly from the Slavs living around the Adriatic in Venice, Dalmatia, and Montenegro. There were some Slav stradioti but I understand most were Greek and Albanian. At some times Venice controlled much of Dalmatia and also employed Dalmatian mercenaries. It seems schiavonas were typically Dalmatian (and Istrian?) and not used much in the hinterlands of Bosnia and Croatia/Hungary. If not donned and used on ships, the schiavonas must have been used at least to defend the many walled cities on the coast like Dubrovnik (Ragusa), Split (Spalato), Zadar (Zara), etc.
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21st April 2022, 06:36 PM | #5 | |
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And it's true that not all Venetian military action was naval, since the Republic occupied and ruled fortified towns and harbors throughout the eastern Mediterranean as well, both on mainland and island territory. A sword like the schiavona would have been quite appropriate in defense of these positions. The extent of their use, or that of any other type of sword, was probably dictated by the ethnic or geographic origin of the troops involved in the area in question. The question of the schiavona's use throughout the inland part of Croatia or Hungary is an interesting one. Hungary had great influence and control over parts of Croatia during the late Middle Ages. It's interesting to look at the schiavona's predecessor, the open-hilted broadsword with horizontal S guard and squarish pommel (sometimes with "proto-ears" on the upper corners), called in Italian arms literature la spada alla schiavonesca. This "sword in Slavonic style" exists in great numbers in the Armory of the Palazzo Ducale in Venice, and has strong affinities in form to the typical medieval Hungarian sword. The square pommels, many with central bosses and some with "earlets" , were also carried over into the numerous variations of hilts on the Venetian spade da fante or foot-soldiers' swords, of which numerous examples, dating from the late 15th- beginning 16th cent., are also to be found in the Doge's Armory. The scabbard of the typical schiavona also has a rather Hungarian flavor, with the reinforcing straps on each side on its lower third, secured with numerous bands along their length. You also find this treatment on Polish hussar saber scabbards, the weapon having a point of common origin in Hungary. Whether these influences flowed the other way, such as the basket hilted schiavona achieving any degree of popularity in Hungary, is something that can be looked into. All I can say at this point is that having visited a number of arms collections in Hungarian museums, schiavone were not in evidence. . |
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21st April 2022, 08:14 PM | #6 | |
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21st April 2022, 10:12 PM | #7 | |
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Yes, the influence of Hungary cannot be denied. It seems that Croatia, despite Venetian dominance of the coast, was never fully out of the Hungarian shadow. Geographically, the country is like an upside down L, with the shorter arm pointing east and bordering Hungary. The Balkans can be such a complex region! Yes, Serbia has a Slavic culture and language. The divide between Serbs and Croatians is mainly religion (Orthodox vs Roman Catholic) and the written language. A friend who has lived part of his life in former Yugoslavia tells me that the spoken languages are very similar, but due to the historical and religious background, one uses Roman and the other Cyrillic letters. Unfortunately this has also had political repercussions that turned out quite nasty during World War II. |
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21st April 2022, 10:24 PM | #8 | |
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You mention the düssage, another very interesting weapon. I note that this Germanic term seems related to the name tessak, applied to a short bladed and generally curved sword in Poland, Russia, and other eastern countries. Do you also see a structural / functional relationship between it and the north Italian storta / coltellaccio ? Different name but similar in size and proportions. The appeal of curved blades to horsemen has a functional basis (cutting efficiency for sweeping cuts from the saddle), undoubtedly inspired by the military traditions of forces such as Tatars, Seljuks, Ottomans, and other Eastern peoples. |
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21st April 2022, 10:12 AM | #9 | |
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Pommels. spheres and cats ...
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Note that, although the general assumption that the figure often seen in pommels is a cat's (or wolf's) head, there are those who take it as more probable that it is a more or less stylised lion, with the relation of Venice with its symbol of power, the lion of Saint Marcus. (Sorry for the poor pictures ) . |
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21st April 2022, 06:01 PM | #10 | |
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feline connection
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21st April 2022, 07:54 PM | #11 | |
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