[Bill Duncan]

First real post here.
Now first off I know that this is not a functional sword and in no way would I want one from this company ( mainly because I have no self restraint when it comes to cutting.) And I know that it is probably not a good copy of the original type sword, all I really want to know is what type of sword is this called? I know that it is Moorish and it was used during the years that Isabella and Ferdinand were doing every thing in there power to drive out any Moor the saw.
So what is this type of sword called?
The blade looks to be a XI and since at the time (1492) Moors still used a shield that makes some sense.
Any thoughts?
Dunc

[Juan Carlos Llaurado]

Hi,

Also my first post here.
This sword is called (in spanish) a "Gineta". Don´t know what would it be its english name, though.

This is the most common sword that arabs had while in Spain (Al-Andalus then).

And yes, it´s a wallhanger. Most of the replicas actually sold in Toledo are not battle ready by any mean. Some of them look gorgeous, but are tourist-aimed gifts. It´s not easy to find good and correct historical replicas nowadays in Toledo (shame on us).

Juan Carlos

[Bill Duncan]

Muchos gracias!
Yeah the ones I posted are not what you would call Historically accurate but they were all I could find on line for a picture.
I have a Atrim bare blade XI that I think would look grand as one of these type swords (right now it is waiting for a pommel to make it a “Colado de Cid”. See a Spanish theme here?) An d if I can make these hilts interchangeable then two fine looking sword will I have!
Funny thing about this idea is the fact that El Cid’s time swords where of the Xa and XI type (1065-1102 more or less) while Moors three hundred years later used the same type and there Spanish counterparts used XVIII type swords.
Will see what happens and post updates.
Dunc

[Chuck Perino]

Interesting

Does the star of David (located on the hilt of the sword pictured above) have a meaning in arab or Moor culture other than the obvious Jewish associations of the 6 pointed star?

[Bill Duncan]

Since both Islam and Christendom came from the Jewish faith it would not surprise me if it did.
But to be honest I have no idea.

[Juan Carlos Llaurado]

Hi again Bill,

Here you have several other Gineta models, these ones from Teruel.


Actually, there are many opinions stating that the Cid´s Tizona was actually a Gineta, but the original has suffered some alterations in its history, and the actual hilt and guard it is believed to be much newer than the blade itself .(XVth century quite possibly).

As in regards to the Colada, there´s not many information on this sword (only that it did belong to El Cid), and the actual representation is not to be trusted at all, those quillons are not historically correct for his time. There are several unidentified blades in the Museum belonging to that period, and one of those could actually be the Colada, but almost surely we´ll never know.

I´ve got a friend working at the Real Museo del Ejercito here in Madrid (soon to be moved to Toledo), where the original (supposed original) Tizona is kept (not the one shown to the visitors), so if you have some questions regarding these swords i could get real good information out of him.

cheers
Juan Carlos

[Bill Duncan]

Man that is really nice of you!
I guess I should have been a little more descriptive on the Colada De Cid that I have in mind, It will be a typical XI with a brazil nut pommel and antler grip and a very short guard.
Of the few swords I have seen of this period the guards were not overly long and given the fact that the Cid was a fighting man this type makes since to me.
On the last pic you posted I can see the resemblance of the two types of swords and how one could have influenced the idea of the Colada.
Thank you for the help!
Dunc