The Espada Ancha Myth

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by urbanspaceman

Jim, maybe you remember my reference to Catalan swords and Catalan forges in Alta Calif. The attached images included an auctioneer's (Czerny) description indicating it was made in Toledo but named it Catalan.
Catalan design forges were established in the colonies and presumably local blacksmiths were supplying troops with these machete blade like swords.

Absolutely! and that observation of yours was one of the key breakthroughs in my understanding of these locally produced machetes (=espada anchas).
In Brinckerhoff & Chamberlain (1972) it was noted that the presidio commandantes preferred 'catalonian' blades to the Toledo, as the Toledo were prone to breaking.
While this brought attention to the possibility of blades being made in other than Toledo, that realization was that the term 'catalonian' referred to the type of forges used locally by the smiths, not the place of production.

Over the years it had been held that the 'Spanish motto' blades had been produced in Solingen for the Spanish colonial markets. We then learned that with the reopening of Toledo manufactory in 1760s, there were blades made there and it seems of this type of dragoon blades so well known.

As these blades were sent to Bilbao, from there shipped to the colonies, and there the familiar shell guard hilts of the 18th century military swords were mounted on them....these swords became colloquially known as 'bilbo's.
This appears to have been a British term for swords as early as the time of Shakespeare, and likely for similar reason, that high quality steel came from the Bilbao regions.

In Alta California, as previously noted, the horsemen would use swords for brushing trails through the heavy vegetation, but the long regulation swords were cumbersome and ill suited for this task. This was likely the cause for breakage, and the swing to cutlass like machetes from their use in off ship forays into tropical jungles etc (in the Gulf and Caribbean areas). was probably the inspiration for the weapon we now term 'espada ancha'.

Thank you for coming in on the thread! and especially for this most valuable observation on these forges.