Barbary corsairs/swords

fernando · 9th August 2008, 06:59 PM

Hi Mark,

Allow me to go back in time, like the XVI century and a bit westwards in territory, like the Gulf of Oman.
The attached picture is a watercoulor from a set of seventy six, which belong to the Casanatense codice, the first illustrated work available on the discoveries route, belonging to an unnamed Portuguese author.
The legend inserted in the painting says: NOUTAQUES. THEY ARE THIEVES THAT ARE ROBBING ON THE SEA..
The Noutaques ( or Nautaques or Naitaques) lived in the coast, between Ormuz and the Cape Jasque, in places like Guadel, near Muscat.
Despite the apparent fantasy put in the painting, the veracity of the situation is confirmed by several other chronists of the period, who considered these guys as "moor" corsairs. One of them, Gaspar Correia, wrote: THESE NAUTAQUES SAIL AND ROW VERY FAST TERRADAS, AND EVEN THE ROWING MEN ARE ARCHERS THAT CARRY ON THEIR BACKS THE BOW AND THE ARROWS. AND AS THEY GO ROWING, THEY DROP THE OAR AND STAND UP WITH THE BOW, THROWING ARROWS WITH THREE CORNERED HEADS, TWO OR THREE AT A TIME, ONE BETWEEN EACH FINGER, WHICH LOOSE THEIR SHAFTS AS THEY HIT THE TARGET. THEY ARE VERY DEXTEROUS AND ACCURATE IN THE THROWING. .
Martim Afonso de Sousa and the Italian Balbi precise that: THE (these) MALABAR CORSAIRS USED BOWS AND ARROWS, AND THEIR BOATS WERE ARMED WITH FALCONETS AND ARQUEBUSES.

I thaught you might like to have this material for your piracy files

.

.

M ELEY · 10th August 2008, 01:53 AM

Wow! Kronckew, were you holding out on us?!

That's a very nice piece and definately looks the type for Malay pirate (clipped point blade with both Chinese/Japanese influence). If you ever decide to part with it...

Fernando, thanks so much for this fascinating "early" depiction of these particular Corsairs. Interesting that they are referred to as 'Moorish' and then later as "Malabar" corsairs. The pirates of the western Indian coast using bows seems very logical, especially in the earlier periods before matchlock. The mention of Malabar makes me wonder if the sea rovers from that particular island might have carried Malabar/Moplah knives on their quests. Anyway, thanks for the material!

Gavin Nugent · 2nd October 2008, 11:48 AM

I thought I'd bring this ole thread back from the depths and add to it what I think could possibly be a pirate's nimcha.

regards

Gav

fernando · 2nd October 2008, 08:18 PM

Hi Gav,
Whis is this specific nimcha 'more pirate' than others?
Any particular story or details?
Fernando

Gavin Nugent · 2nd October 2008, 09:27 PM

Hi Fernando, nothing "more pirate" specific, just offering up more images, we have seen a number of images of nimcha in the forum and a couple posted here in this posting too, some presented over time have been very long others short like this one and the ones on page one, which are more consistant with a deck fighting weapon's length.

Gav

Jim McDougall · 2nd October 2008, 11:13 PM

I agree with Gav, the shortened blade may suggest maritime use, and at best would be more inclined to onboard melee situations. As I mentioned though, in the thread with the rather confusing 'camelback' nimcha title, the nimcha (more correctly termed Moroccan sa'if) was commonly associated with the so called Barbary Pirates, though most of thier depradations and raids took place on land.
Many of these carried full length blades, typically of European manufacture as this late 18th century Solingen cavalry trade blade. The term nim'cha meaning short sword had been used to describe Arab swords using short heavy cutlass type blades in Arabian 'pirate' situations on the eastern coast,in Muscat etc.. When such swords in North Africa began using the more available trade blades of full length, and as noted, for landed raids, the nim'cha term likely remained associated.

So as for 'pirate' use....'of the type' and more so due to the shortened blade.

M ELEY · 16th October 2008, 03:42 AM

Sorry, couldn't resist another bout of piracy!

I'm not good at posting pics, but here's the auction numbers...

ebay#220277602364
I believe this to be a true Malay pirate piece, mid/late 19th century. The hilt and guard are what's left of a M1845 British Boarding Cutlass, re-worked and cut down to a lenght of 18" blade with nice Malay scabbard with ?silver/white metal bands.
Reminded me of Kronkcew's sword above.

ebay #300252600262
The "hole" had a square nail shoved in it. These little iron bombs were a favorite both with privateers and the boarding parties storming ships. This one still has the congealed powder/shot inside it. A hollow wood plug with match fuse would have fit down the hole. These little buggars were instrumental in winning the conflict between the Bonhomme Richard (John Paul Jone's ship) and the Brit man-o-war he fought against. One sailor in the rigging had a whole basket of these that he kept lighting and dropping with calculation into the ranks below...

9th August 2008, 06:59 PM	#1
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Hi Mark, Allow me to go back in time, like the XVI century and a bit westwards in territory, like the Gulf of Oman. The attached picture is a watercoulor from a set of seventy six, which belong to the Casanatense codice, the first illustrated work available on the discoveries route, belonging to an unnamed Portuguese author. The legend inserted in the painting says: NOUTAQUES. THEY ARE THIEVES THAT ARE ROBBING ON THE SEA.. The Noutaques ( or Nautaques or Naitaques) lived in the coast, between Ormuz and the Cape Jasque, in places like Guadel, near Muscat. Despite the apparent fantasy put in the painting, the veracity of the situation is confirmed by several other chronists of the period, who considered these guys as "moor" corsairs. One of them, Gaspar Correia, wrote: THESE NAUTAQUES SAIL AND ROW VERY FAST TERRADAS, AND EVEN THE ROWING MEN ARE ARCHERS THAT CARRY ON THEIR BACKS THE BOW AND THE ARROWS. AND AS THEY GO ROWING, THEY DROP THE OAR AND STAND UP WITH THE BOW, THROWING ARROWS WITH THREE CORNERED HEADS, TWO OR THREE AT A TIME, ONE BETWEEN EACH FINGER, WHICH LOOSE THEIR SHAFTS AS THEY HIT THE TARGET. THEY ARE VERY DEXTEROUS AND ACCURATE IN THE THROWING. . Martim Afonso de Sousa and the Italian Balbi precise that: THE (these) MALABAR CORSAIRS USED BOWS AND ARROWS, AND THEIR BOATS WERE ARMED WITH FALCONETS AND ARQUEBUSES. I thaught you might like to have this material for your piracy files . . Attached Images Last edited by fernando; 9th August 2008 at 07:15 PM. Reason: SPELL AND FONT

2nd October 2008, 09:27 PM	#5
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	Hi Fernando Hi Fernando, nothing "more pirate" specific, just offering up more images, we have seen a number of images of nimcha in the forum and a couple posted here in this posting too, some presented over time have been very long others short like this one and the ones on page one, which are more consistant with a deck fighting weapon's length. Gav

16th October 2008, 03:42 AM	#7
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,184	A few pirate pieces/purchases from eBay Sorry, couldn't resist another bout of piracy! I'm not good at posting pics, but here's the auction numbers... ebay#220277602364 I believe this to be a true Malay pirate piece, mid/late 19th century. The hilt and guard are what's left of a M1845 British Boarding Cutlass, re-worked and cut down to a lenght of 18" blade with nice Malay scabbard with ?silver/white metal bands. Reminded me of Kronkcew's sword above. ebay #300252600262 The "hole" had a square nail shoved in it. These little iron bombs were a favorite both with privateers and the boarding parties storming ships. This one still has the congealed powder/shot inside it. A hollow wood plug with match fuse would have fit down the hole. These little buggars were instrumental in winning the conflict between the Bonhomme Richard (John Paul Jone's ship) and the Brit man-o-war he fought against. One sailor in the rigging had a whole basket of these that he kept lighting and dropping with calculation into the ranks below... Last edited by M ELEY; 16th October 2008 at 04:41 AM. Reason: Spelling.

10th August 2008, 01:53 AM	#2
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,184	Wow! Kronckew, were you holding out on us?! That's a very nice piece and definately looks the type for Malay pirate (clipped point blade with both Chinese/Japanese influence). If you ever decide to part with it... Fernando, thanks so much for this fascinating "early" depiction of these particular Corsairs. Interesting that they are referred to as 'Moorish' and then later as "Malabar" corsairs. The pirates of the western Indian coast using bows seems very logical, especially in the earlier periods before matchlock. The mention of Malabar makes me wonder if the sea rovers from that particular island might have carried Malabar/Moplah knives on their quests. Anyway, thanks for the material!

2nd October 2008, 11:48 AM	#3
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	possibly a pirates Nimcha I thought I'd bring this ole thread back from the depths and add to it what I think could possibly be a pirate's nimcha. regards Gav Attached Images

2nd October 2008, 08:18 PM	#4
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Hi Gav, Whis is this specific nimcha 'more pirate' than others? Any particular story or details? Fernando

2nd October 2008, 11:13 PM	#6
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,459	I agree with Gav, the shortened blade may suggest maritime use, and at best would be more inclined to onboard melee situations. As I mentioned though, in the thread with the rather confusing 'camelback' nimcha title, the nimcha (more correctly termed Moroccan sa'if) was commonly associated with the so called Barbary Pirates, though most of thier depradations and raids took place on land. Many of these carried full length blades, typically of European manufacture as this late 18th century Solingen cavalry trade blade. The term nim'cha meaning short sword had been used to describe Arab swords using short heavy cutlass type blades in Arabian 'pirate' situations on the eastern coast,in Muscat etc.. When such swords in North Africa began using the more available trade blades of full length, and as noted, for landed raids, the nim'cha term likely remained associated. So as for 'pirate' use....'of the type' and more so due to the shortened blade.