I am inclined to go along with the suggestions this sword may have certain composite elements, and may have to do with such practices of use of same from Sudanese swords, as per Oakeshott in "Records of the Medieval Sword".
As noted, the shape of the grip does resemble 'two hander' style, but it is not to say could not have been used on a more regular size in the 'bastard' sense.
Also, the pommel is with the cross fourchee and heraldic shield on the opposing side, which it seems I have seen in illustrations in Boeheim and other late 19thc. references describing 'crusades' period swords.
The blade does seem to be of unusual character as noted, and certainly the cross and orb seems so as well. This device was popularly adopted on many native kaskara blades, and seen by the tribesmen as drum and sticks, a symbol of authority or standing (Briggs, 1965).
The unusual script may be psuedo Arabic? unsure on that, but surely atypical for European application with cross and orb. The 'crusades' trophy swords from Alexandria seem to have had somewhat similar 'inscriptions'.
The guard being bronze/brass is also something seen on kaskaras, but not always. It seems there may have been apotropaic properties involved, as suggested to me by certain authorities in London. The cross section here seems unusual but not unlikely. Earlier examples may have had this beveled character, but most seemed lozenze rather than hexagonal in section.
In Darfur guards often flared at the ends in the Funj fashion of earlier 19th c. so if there is evidence of these being trimmed off..........but cannot see why.
I am surely no expert on medieval nor Sudanese swords, but these are things I have noted in my limited experience with them and research on them.
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