Yataghan from Napoli?

[Jim McDougall]

Thank you Spiral!

In looking at this sword on the Ashoka site, and after again reviewing the threads from 2001 and 2006, I feel this is quite likely one of these forward curved Ottoman type swords of the Napoleonic period in the Adriatic. It is known that 'pandour' units were incorporated into the French 'international' army which served in the Illyrian provinces of the French Empire, under that suzerainty 1809-1813. In this army were also Italians, and the geopolitical complexity of this period in the Adriatic would take a lot more writing than my usual!

I have seen examples of what appear to be French swords of this same yataghan blade and hilt form (though the one in mind had a small vestigial crossguard). There was a ligature under a crown cypher on the blade, and the hilt staghorn with cleft pommel. The makers stamp was incomplete lettering of European form of the period.

In Rswords post of 3/24/01, he notes a mark of an 'I' with three stars over it and a crown over that on a yataghan type sword. I found a similar yataghan type sword in Calamendrei (op.cit.p.345) which was attribited to a unit called 'Cangiaro de Truppa' 1814-20. I no longer have that reference to consult, so I'm not sure what type unit, and I think the Ashoka sword is earlier. In the same Calamendrei reference there are several naval swords of the period with Giuseppe and Labruna inscriptions, of same period. Ariel (5/21/06) notes Labruna as a Neopolitan workshop.

King Ferdinand IV of Italy (1751-1825)was also King Ferdinand III of Sicily (perhaps the three stars? and crown?). The 'L' in the markings on the discussion sword probably Labruna (?).

The pandour units were of 18th century Austrian origin primarily as 'grenzers' (Ger. grenz=border) as border patrol, who acted as light irregular auxiliary units, later as noted, adopted into the French army. They typically had a great degree of autonomy as far as uniforms and weapons, and usually adopted Oriental and Ottoman type fashion as well as weapons. This was another key example of psychological effect in presenting fearsome and unorthodox appearance, used in so many forms in military history, i.e Celts, Landsknechts, and many others.

A truly beautiful example that very likely has associations to one of these most colorful auxiliary units, and of Napoleonic period in the Adriatic.

All best regards,
Jim