[JD Stewart]

Hello,

I have had a friend send me a series of posts from your forum, which certainly helped me get the general gist of some issues that I need resolved, and I wanted to skip the middlewoman.

Anyway, I have some questions -and more will surely come up- about swords in the 1790's.

You must understand if I am vague at times in regards to certain things.

A issue has come up, a stop in the road that is so insignificant, yet, massive in its ability to wreck my creative flow.

Could I please get suggestions on the best sword manufacturer, regardless of rarity, available in the Mediterranean area in 1792?

Thank you so much.

[J. Nicolaysen]

Hi, interesting question. I can't help you much myself but hopefully someone else can. Here is some general information that might lead to a better answer.

In 1792 I think some main military events would be the French Revolutionary Wars and the wars between Russia and the Ottoman Empire.

A lot of swords at this time might be more for cavalry use like this Pattern 1796 used by many of the western powers. But I think these would be made at a few large companies on a munitions-scale. Obviously the 1796 is a little later, but the design is in response to events from your time of focus. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pattern_1796_light_cavalry_sabre

Smallswords were popular for dueling and light carry, but might be on the way out by this time: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_sword

Lots of backswords and basket hilts, but these are probably on the way out too, and more British anyhow.The 1796 Heavy Cavalry sword would be a great backsword. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1796_Heavy_Cavalry_Sword
Baskethilts were used in the Jacobite Rebellion, but that's a little earlier and not Mediterranean.

The Ottomans had wonderful swords also, the Kilij (sabre) and Yataghan. Kilij could be very ornate, used by the Janissaries and other cavalry classes. Yataghans could be used by any soldier and can be very plain or ornate, depending on the class. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yatagan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilij

Swords are really more of a sidearm since most armies depend on muskets and gunpowder at this time. Then I guess you also have cutlasses and backswords for naval use.

So there is a wide variety of swords depending on the type of person carrying it and what they are using it for. First I think you have to say what area of the Mediterranean (Italy/France or Ottoman controlled) and then probably the type of use (cavalry, non-mounted sidearm like smallsword or yataghan, or naval use). Then I think you might get a more specific answer. What kind of sword above do you think your character would be using?

As I said above, there were companies in France and Italy that would make nice weapons for armies and then you might have individual makers for the rest, but I don't know of any myself.

[John Hardy]