From a Mameluke Chief to a British officer - A sword with magnificent history!

Рет қаралды 7,437

Күн бұрын

This fantastic Mameluke or Mamluk/Mameluk kilij was given to a British officer in 1801 by the Mamluke chief Ibrahim Bey, who had fought Napoleonic at the battle of the pyramids in 1798. It went on to serve throughout the Peninsula and 100 day campaigns in the Napoleonic wars and beyond. In this video we look at the type of sword this is, the history of each owner and a close up look at the specifications of the weapon and also the important influence it had on British 19th century swords.

Пікірлер: 32

@jonc4050 2 жыл бұрын

The history of this sword is freakin awesome, I hope that it was a fighting sword. I'm in complete awe right now

@franciscusz Ай бұрын

Amazing how a sword can tell the stories of all the deceased

@overlord621 2 жыл бұрын

Thank a lot for such a detailed and exciting video!

@adamriles327 2 жыл бұрын

Amazing content, thanks much for the wonderful stats too! Too little exposure on the Shamshir/Kilij. Hope u make more videos. Ur doing a great service

@jeremy4655 10 ай бұрын

Very insightful. Thanks for sharing :)

@madmusial Жыл бұрын

Truly fascinating

@manetho5134 2 жыл бұрын

As an Egyptian, I am saddened that most of these beautiful historic Egyptian swords have found their way out of Egypt, almost no Egyptian has one of these and the only ones left are in museums

@laurolavanda1807 13 күн бұрын

🤷🏽‍♂️

@normtrooper4392 2 жыл бұрын

If only swords could talk; what stories they could tell

@Davlavi 2 жыл бұрын

nice

@gokmenpasha 2 жыл бұрын

Great video. (you are mixing up devshirme in the Ottoman Empire, which was sourced from Christian peoples. Mamluks which were mostly drawn from Turkic peoples (not Christian). )

@laurolavanda1807 13 күн бұрын

Ancient Mamluks were fron the Caucasus

@electrominded8372 2 жыл бұрын

I own a British Mameluke type saber from the early 1800's, allegedly. It is stamped with the British Crown and a "1" on the blade and has multiple dings in the edge derived from use. Very beautiful horn hilt with grip wire and gilded brass hilt fittings, including a bugle knuckle guard shaped similar to a 1796 LC. But the thing is, it's got a huge single fuller along 80% of its length - not diamond cross section or flat like other Mameluke sabers and without a yelmen. Steel scabbard, slightly ornate, with brass fittings. Any idea what it could be?

@AcademyofHistoricalFencing 2 жыл бұрын

Lovely. That isn't unhead of, in terms of the broad fullered blade, I have one too, made around the 1830s. What is strange with yours is the crown inspection stamp which I have never seen on a British mameluke sword and in theory should not exist. It's possible they were put together earlier on, but sometimes odd in period match ups hapened too,. Incidetanlly, Wellington had a Mameluke with knuckle bow - ageofrevolution.org/200-object/duke-of-wellingtons-waterloo-sword/

@SirKanti1 2 жыл бұрын

You mentioned that it was going off for restoration. Is there anyone you would recommend? Looking to get my Dutch Klewang restored

@AcademyofHistoricalFencing 2 жыл бұрын

Restoration costs a huge amount and is really only worth it on highly valuable items, generally speaking you are best doing some research and going at it yourself, just being gentle, going slow and looking for as much advice as possible. For most antiques it's best to just go over them with oil and scouring pads/brass brushes over steel parts and ensure wood and leather is not to dry and that's it.

@SirKanti1 2 жыл бұрын

@@AcademyofHistoricalFencing Thanks, It's really just the scabbard which needs some work. Looking forward to the next sparring day

@AcademyofHistoricalFencing 2 жыл бұрын

If it's an all or mostly leather scabbard that is the issue then you can get them back into good shape with a heavy load of dubbin or something with beeswax. It's amazing how some near dead scabbsrds can be brought back this way.

@Mpantiques Жыл бұрын

Very beautiful sword, old ottoman karabela blade, 17. century, kilijs do tend to have fuler, broader fuler, sculpted and engraved. T spine on kilijs apeared in second half of 18. century, but kilijs with broader back, not clear t spine but wedge like apeaered in early 18. Century, maybe even 17. Century. There are venetian and especialy austrian karabela blades from 17. century with that wedge back. Gap on the back of a scabbard is for ease of taking out and puting in the curved sword and it is normal on all of islamic swords.

@cdjmk1000 2 жыл бұрын

Nice video! thank you! One curiosity tho.. Is this a sabre or a sword?

@AcademyofHistoricalFencing 2 жыл бұрын

All sabres are swords. In British English a curved blade was normally called a sabre, but also called a sword, and sometimes even a broadsword.

@cdjmk1000 2 жыл бұрын

@@AcademyofHistoricalFencing hmmm...im still confused. Whats the difference? Seems like its a personal choice

@AcademyofHistoricalFencing 2 жыл бұрын

Sword is a hugely broad term which encompasses a huge number of different types, and so a sabre, cutlass, longsword, broadsword, all of them are still swords, it is an umbrella term. Sabre in British English typically meant a curved sword. Broadsword usually meant a straight heavy blade, but could sometimes refer to curved blades too due to their preference for cutting.

@cdjmk1000 2 жыл бұрын

@@AcademyofHistoricalFencing thank you!

@GermanSwordMaster 2 жыл бұрын

Is it though? I dislike the use of the term "sword" as an umbrella term for all whitearms, since kilic for example Just means the same in turkish, yet er use it very specificly. A sword is the (european) straight, mostly double edged edged bladed weapon for me. Sabres are sabres, falchions are falchions, messer are messer. The overall term should still be White arm , bladed weapon, arme blanche, blankwaffe etc. Thats why the latter terms exist. And i feel that it used to be that way broadly speaking. In the literature and auction houses etc.