Exactamundo Fernando! To say these things are complex is a vast understatement!
Think of the 'Spanish ' cuphilt.....while popularized by the Spanish, to the point of cliche', these were often made in Italy (particularly Brescia, Milan), and in limited degree some were German. I have for example one from c.1640, of Milanese style (per Boccia & Coelho) but I know the provenance, and it was found in France. It had clearly been where it was found for a very long time.
I discovered that there were a group of Milanese swordsmiths who had gone to France, near Lyon, in this time in the 17th c. Spain and France were essentially under 'Bourbon' rule, and is not beyond reason that the cuphilt remained in favor in some degree in France, though of course not as well known.
France had already moved toward 'faster' fighting swords, hence transitional rapiers, into the small sword/epee.
France did not have the kinds of major blade making centers such as Solingen, though makers from there situated in locations such as would later become Klingenthal. Toledo had revitalized its sword industry in Toledo by 1760s, and were producing swords by 1770s. These arming blades (I believe you called the cross section dos mesas?) were made there by then.
This blade is likely from c. 1690s, and in that time Solingen was of course producing blades that were not only for Spain, and its colonies, but went to France, Netherlands etc. the typical port of departure was Rotterdam, or more well known Amsterdam. This is why these locations were deemed the arms center of the world, they dispersed all over from there.
However many Spanish blades still were made in locations other than the defunct Toledo in the 17th c. Barcelona, and others. Here these were sent out of Bilbao in Basque vessels. Many of the blades were hilted in the Bilbao region (hence the name Bilbao for these swords).
These could easily have gone into French hands, and been decorated in accord with that context.
Clearly Martinique was French,but weapons were not confined to one nationality or geography. Note of interest here........Blackbeards famed ship, the "Queen Annes Revenge" was actually a French slaver captured off Martinique in 1717, then called "LaConcord" . Ironically, it was apparently originally English built, captured by the French.
So the sword need not have had to be in Spanish hands to have ended up where it was found. There was once the conundrum of 'Scottish' basket hilts from France......found to be from contingents of Jacobite supporters there.
Many British sword blades have fluer de lis on the blades from the state arsenal in Paris pre Culloden.
These were complex times, and these conundrums are the real test in research!
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