Since it is nearly hemispherical in proportion it allows for a good amount of mass without being too big. The pommel is a deep wheel type pommel with a circular hollow in the mid face. This type of guard seems to have been especially popular in Italy in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. There is a marked widening at the middle that matches the midrib of the blade. The guard is wide and slim with a hexagonal cross section. This design makes the most of the cutting power of a wide thin blade and the resilience of a chisel like edge. The edges are thin and sharpened in a way that is reminiscent of a cold chisel. The blade is wide with a slim flattened diamond cross section. It moves swiftly and allows cuts to be delivered with authority and precision. The balance of this sword makes it feel much lighter in the hand than it actually is. The forward pivot point is close the the point of the blade, while the aft pivot point is located close to the middle. Taking away all guesswork and conjecture, it is made to represent the actual dynamic and functional properties that swords from this group typically exhibit. The Next Generation Alexandria sword is made after first hand study and documentation of original swords of this group. They may have been specially made as gifts to the Sultan, or were perhaps chosen because of their high quality as fighting weapons, representing the martial spirit of the knights and men at arms who fought for King Janus of Cyprus. It is probable that the swords were given as dipomatic gifts following the peace treaty of 1414 between King Janus of Cyprus and the Sultan al-Mu´ayyad Shaykh (a peace that lasted ten years). The blades bear marks of bladesmihts from Milan.Īll these type XVIIIc swords were introduced to the arsenal in the years 1414-15, 1415-16 and finally a large group in 1419. No two swords of this group have exactly the same dimensions, but they share so may similarities in form and proportion that it seems likely they were are all made to the same description. Their hilts consists of a wide slim guard with downturned ends and a pommel that is either of wheel type or octagonal in shape.
They are of Oakeshott type XVIIIc, having very wide blades that taper to a sharp point. Among the famous European Knightly swords that were deposited in the arsenal of Alexandria during a period from 1367 to 1436, one group stands out because of their striking proportions and fine quality.
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