Weapons of the Pandours, and Who Were They?

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Norman McCormick

Hi,
Here are two hunting hangers both with the motto 'Vivat Pandours' etched on the blades. Both photos are from an old Dutch auction catalogue.
Regards,
Norman.

Hi Norman, and thank you for posting these! It does seem that later in the 18th century the hirschfangers and plug bayonets did bear these mottos and figures quite a lot. I have seen swords with the heavy yataghan type blade as seen in the Imperial Auctions example also mounted with hirschfanger hilts, although these are distinctly combat weapons.
We do know that in some degree, these 'hunting' weapons did find use in military context, especially in auxiliary units such as frei korps, which carried out foraging etc. in many cases.
The plug bayonet remained profoundly a hunting weapon throughout the 18th century and often into the 19th.

It is interesting that in the 17th century, hunting and various hangers often found thier way to sea, and through the 18th, again in military settings.

All best regards,
Jim

P.S. One of these renowned pandour units was led by a Scottish commander named Loudon, one of a number of Scots who had settled in regions around Slovenia, I'll have to look further for more.
The Scots were well known as professional soldiers who often fought in Eastern European armies as well as others. I have long felt that the curved blade basket hilt, the 'turcael', was brought back from thier exploits in these regions.