SCHIAVONA, Napoleonic period (?) FERDINAND IV of Two Sicilies

[urbanspaceman]

I should know all this, having married a Sicilian and lived there, but I don't.
I do know that Cathey's work on schiavonas is probably the definitive, go-to source.
This pattern dates from 1640 to 1700 and is regarded as the fifth pattern; see below.

[Jim McDougall]

Victrix thank you very much! and for posting this interesting link to the Dalmatian connection with the French.

Keith, thanks for reminding me of the remarkable work by Cathey, in her inimitable thorough style of research! The work by Nathan Robinson ("My Armoury") has also long stood as excellent resource expanding on Oakeshott's study.

Its great to see this grouping of hilt forms of schiavona which as you note seems to place this particular hilt on mine of that period late 17th c.
it seems to heighten the potential for heirloom hilts being used with more contemporary blades in later periods.

Victrix as noted, this blade was not necessarily to a Sicilian 'proper' but to someone in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, which comprised a large part of Southern Italy which included Naples as well as Sicily. Thank you for the note on the varying blades on schiavona, and I like the idea that this blade is on a much older hilt (thanks again Keith for that heads up).

These hilts evolved apparently from Germanic swords of 14th-16th c. in the 'cats head' pommel, as well as the crossguard systems known in Hungarian swords of that period. Note: the catshead pommel (as seen in my example and characteristic to most schiavona) is termed KATZENKOPFKNAUF (really a mouthful!) .
This brings to mind the KATZENBALGER swords of Germanic mercenaries
having to do with 'cat fight' in simile.

The schiavona type hilt with the lattice type basket hilt appears to have evolved adding to these simpler guards and interestingly have had some similar elements to some of the Spanish type features such as downturned quillons etc (as on 'nimcha').

Apparently the schiavona term loosely has to do with Slavonic mercenaries using these swords in Spain as well as of course in Venice as bodyguards to the Doge. The Slavonic term refers to these Slavonic mercenaries with 'schiavona' being the feminine as with calling swords by female gender.

Yikes Keith, you were married to a Sicilian girl? beautiful BUT deadly!

Thank you for the input guys! Ive clearly become more intrigued by this and researching what I can find so with your input (thanks again Udo for that detailed excerpt) I feel like Im getting somewhere.

Interesting that Ive always been fascinated with Spanish colonial swords, and here an 'Italian' sword turns out to be in effect connected to Spain of the colonial period in Americas. Ferdinand IV was the son of Charles III of Spain, thus ruled as a cadet branch of the Bourbon dynasty!

Sounds complicated, no? but must get this straight for pop quiz!

[Jim McDougall]

Portrait of King Ferdinand IV of the Two Sicilies. His father King Charles VII of Naples had acceded the Spanish throne in 1759 as Charles III . This placed Ferdinand as King of Naples (and Sicily) as a cadet branch of the Bourbon dynasty. Really....how do these guys figure this stuff out?!

As he ruled Naples as Ferdinand the IV, he was King of Sicily as Ferdinand III, but as both known as Ferdinand the Bourbon.
I wonder if the IV designator in the ascription on the blade suggests this is a Neopolitan schiavona as opposed to Sicilian?

I think Im still on track, though almost lost it at the last turn!

[Jim McDougall]

Still at it-
As the Napoleonic period began, a coalition of European armies formed to defend, including Sweden, Russia, Holy Roman Empire, United Kingdom, Portugal and Naples and Sicily............known as the THIRD COALITION....in April,1805.
They were defeated by Napoleon at Battle of Austerlitz Dec.2,1805.
Napoleon then declared himself King of north Italian cities, and advanced toward Naples.

Ferdinand IV, his forces already defeated at Austerlitz, fled Naples to Sicily (Palermo) where British navy helped defend him there against French.

In southern Italy, in Naples the area of Calabria (Greek inhabitants) were fiercely loyal to Ferdinand IV and the Calabrian insurrection in these regions of the semi autonomous Neopolitan Republic (formed 1799) ended with the SIEGE OF AMANTEA (Dec1806-Feb1807).

With all of this, I would submit that this schiavona might be classified as a NEOPOLITAN SCHIAVONA OF THE THIRD COALITION, perhaps an officer of the forces of Ferdinand IV.
It may have been a heirloom hilt with later blade in accord with the rule of Ferdinand IV.


Those are my thoughts so far....what do you guys think?

Not sure if my facts are right on some of this, so corrections welcomed.

[corrado26]

I cannot find any mistake in your conclusions that this Schiavona was a property of an Neapolitan officer of the army of Naples during the Third Coalition.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by corrado26

I cannot find any mistake in your conclusions that this Schiavona was a property of an Neapolitan officer of the army of Naples during the Third Coalition.

Thank you Udo. I feel strongly that this is the proper identification of this schiavona. What is curious is the use of a clearly much older (probably early 18th c. ) hilt with a blade which may have been of latter 18th c. or at least certainly had this inscription added during the reign of Ferdinand IV.
While the Two Sicilies designation became more 'officially' used after he was restored as the Napoleonic wars ended in 1816, he then became officially designated FERDINAND I.

The turbulence in Italy continued of course until the unification in 1861, which ended the dual kingdom/state of the Two Sicilies.

[urbanspaceman]

Hi Jim. My opinion is that this is a complete blade and hilt combination from c.1700 and the inscription was a later addition.