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.

[TVV]

The following yataghan was found recently in Bulgaria. Unfortunately, it is not mine, but the owner has been kind enough to provide plenty of pictures. The hilt is similar to the one from the Auctions Imperial catalogue. The guard is different, with down turned quillons. Interestingly enough, the blade is similar to a group of yataghans posted by Rumpel here.

While Buttin attributes this type to Von Trenck's troops, there are similarly hilted yataghans in Elgood's book, which have a confirmed provenance of belonging to Greek freedom fighters. I am starting to think that the form was spread throughout the Balkans in the 18th century. Certainly, not many have survived until today though.

Regards,
Teodor

[Jim McDougall]

Absolutely outstanding Teodor!!! Thank you for posting this. It is indeed very much like the unusual tall, fingerstalled type hilt, and the heavy forward curved blade of the type used probably quite widely in these times. While the 'exploits' of von Trencks pandours were well known, the exact nature of the probably widely assorted weapons used by them cannot of course be determined with any certainty.
As many of the men in his units were recruited from Balkan regions and ethnic groups in contingent areas, all supplying thier own weapons, it would be impossible to do anything but speculate. I do recall vaguely the item from the auction, which was seemingly identical to one of Buttin's swords in the catalog, but cannot recall if it was the exact item, or simply one compared to it.

Thank you for posting this and for reviving this interesting topic! I hope we might get some more input on this, and I think your idea is very well placed.

All the best,
Jim