The Espada Ancha Myth

[Jim McDougall]

In recent browsing through another forum, I found this curious heading and opened the thread hoping to find what this title meant. The author was inquiring if someone might direct him to references which might tell him about these notable Spanish colonial short swords as he could find nothing in Mexican or Spanish sources. Perhaps he was situated in Mexico as his surname was Mexican.

Naturally there was little response, but the only brief reply suggested "Spanish Military Weapons in Colonial America 1700-1821" (Brinckerhoff & Chamberlain, 1972) which is virtually the only reference ever written describing these (aside from several brief papers in subsequent years).

The so called 'espada ancha' evolved primarily in the frontier regions of New Spain (now Mexico) in the mid to latter 18th century, and appears to have evolved in hilt style from hangers/hunting swords probably from vessels which traveled between Spain and its colonies.

In the frontier regions of New Spain in the north, the Spanish southwest which included Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Alta California and the northern parts of New Spain from Baja California to Sinaloa,Sonora, Chihuahua, these areas were rugged desert with thick vegetation.

Horsemen found their military broadswords (termed espada ancha =Sp. broad sword) were not adequate for brushing trails and the blades often broke. The local blacksmiths began forging heavy blades which were stout, cutlass like types which were mounted on various interpretations of the European hanger, hunting swords types often used on ships.
In those times, these were deemed 'machete' by Spaniards although some narratives use the term cutlass.

In later years, perhaps because some of these were indeed mounted with the Spanish dragoon blades (often with the 'Spanish motto) of the 18th century, somehow the term 'espada ancha' became colloquially applied to these machetes by collectors (again, espada ancha = broadsword in Spanish).

As has been noted, information on these is sparse, so it is not surprising that this individual could find nothing, as outside the US there virtually is no reference to them I am aware of.

I would like to initiate this thread to effectively open a study of these long overlooked and under researched edged weapons. Here I would like to note that Lee Jones in his now venerable paper on this site, is probably the last author to write on these. I would like to advance our collective knowledge on these from that bench mark.

I hope those in our community will post examples, add information and please ask questions. While no regional distinctions as yet have been confirmed, there are some plausible speculations. These were locally produced with blacksmith forged blades, and the hilts, while of a basic style, often used certain embellishments such as shells from crossguard, varying grips etc.

In the attachments:
First is a bone gripped example, probably 1790s and at this point presumed of a form known in Sinaloa but later Alta Calif. and Santa Fe. Here the hilt is of the familiar hanger style but mounted with 18th c. Spanish dragoon blade (broadsword).
Next is the 'regulation' military form used by Spanish through the 18th century into 19th known colloquially as the 'bilbo' in European and American parlance. As the blades were DE, broadsword, the Spaniards regarded them as ESPADA ANCHA.

Next is a grouping of these colonial 'machete' (espada ancha) showing wide variation of forms, most of these from c. 1790-1850.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

... The author was claiming that someone might direct him to references which might tell him about these notable Spanish colonial short swords as he could find nothing in Mexican or Spanish sources. Perhaps he was situated in Mexico as his surname was Mexican ...

Dear Jim, do we have here one more 'sequel' of the espada ancha topic, which new episode features a guy that does not manage to find written stuff on this sword, assuming he is Mexican, as i try to infer from your words, which is rather curious.
Risking to do nothing but repeat parts of this topic already presented in various prior approaches, i will here roughly translate from the Spanish an entry by blogger "Legendary Jarl" in 2011 ...

... I feel happy at this moment. I feel like i've finally resolved the question that many on this forum have asked (at least for me). Many have said that the "typical knife of Mexico" should be an Aztec one. Others say it should be the machete. I agree that it must be the Guanajuato, others the bowie and so on. Those who said that it could be the machete seem to be right and i will explain the underlying question below.
These days i have been researching the origins of the Mexican army in colonial times. One thing led to another and i found the theme of the presidial soldiers or soldados de cuera. These were soldiers from the colonial era, elite corps. They were generally selected from people who had been born and raised in the border areas and who were used to the harsh conditions of those territories. Made up, therefore, mostly by mestizos, although Creoles and peninsulars also participated. Always accompanied by Indian explorers (i.e. Tlaxcaltécas), these soldiers, despite being made up of castes, were considered equal to the other bodies of the Spanish and even carried more equipment for their campaigns.
For them the main weapon, and the weapon with which they would conquer what is now northern Mexico and the southern United States and the various borders of the Spanish empire was known as the Espada Ancha.This sword design was originally commissioned in Toledo and designed especially for leather soldiers, over time it continued to be produced and evolved in different Mexican armories and its use spread to more members of society. It evolved over the centuries, but can generally be classified into two styles of cutting edge, and generally had the following dimensions:
Edge Thickness: 4 -4.5 cm measured next to the guard
Edge: from 50 to 90 cm
Materials: Wrought Iron/Steel for the edge
Wood, bone, bronze, iron for the handle
The blade was usually engraved with images of the sun, the moon and a star and had typical inscriptions such as: "Don't unsheath without reason, don't sheath me without honor". Same inscriptions that are currently read on knives and machetes produced in the Oaxaca region.
The broadsword design evolved to become indistinguishable from the machete design. But i maintain that the existence and use of the espada ancha is the reason why the use of the machete spread in modern Mexico, the same Mexico that owes its existence as such to the brave soldados de cuera and their espadas anchas. The saddest thing of all is that these soldiers have been almost forgotten and therefore the weapons they used as well. It is very sad that groups of re-enactors and historians of the United States of Anglo-Saxon origin who have nothing to do the leather soldiers know more about them than we do ourselves. There are groups of Spaniards who also want to attribute the leather soldiers as something very Spanish, but these Mexican soldiers were made up mostly of mestizos and some Creoles and commanded by people who had been born here, as was the case of the brave Juan Bautista de Anza, born in Sonora.

Rather than trying to introduce new data on this subject, an improbable win, this is more to show that, the person who said he finds no material in his (Spanish spealing) language ... well, he surely is not searching hard.

Yours ... Fernando .

[Jim McDougall]

Thank you Fernando! as always very interesting responses.
I will say that this treatment on the history of these is wonderfully entertaining and well illustrates the kind of 'lore' that has thoroughly confounded serious research on these weapons to date.
Indeed this is another 'sequel' at trying to get better perspective in the true history of these.

The 'espada ancha' was never designed in Toledo for the 'soldados de cuera' (=leather jacket soldiers) of the presidios of the frontier colonies. The form evolved entirely in the colonies, and while many examples used the broadsword dragoon blades, the heavy forged blades by blacksmiths were most prevalent for horsemen (mostly vaqueros as well as the mounted soldados, leather jackets).

The 'Spanish motto' (draw me not without reason, nor sheath me without honor) was only on the dragoon blades, never on the locally forged machete (espada ancha) ones.

These were essentially tools for brushing trails, not combat weapons (though they could have been used as required) ....the primary weapon of these leather jacket soldiers was the lance. While some firearms were used, they were typically not serviceable, powder was poor, when available. The sword was all but useless in combat against Indians.

While the full size swords remained in use by officers and the caballeros, the espada ancha (machete) was typically at hand , but seldom as a weapon.
As noted, most of the forces and settlers in frontier regions were mestizo (Spanish and Indian ancestry) but were regarded as Spaniards. Regardless of their place of birth, they closely followed Spanish customs and tradition, and were very proud people, and rightfully so. Like any developing colonial situation there were inherent disparities and difficulties, but myself, having grown up in Southern California (Alta California) I always admired the Spanish/Mexican culture.

The 'Bowie' is mentioned, and here I would note that the Bowie knife did become somewhat aligned with the so called espada ancha in the years after the Alamo (post 1836) in that they were both large bladed knives with similar hilts in most cases. I remember years ago when the late Norm Flayderman was writing his book on the Bowie knife, I was researching 'espada anchas' and we crossed paths in some of the resources.
Actually in many cases 'espada anchas' are mistaken for 'Confederate bowies) due to the heft and similarity.

In later years (c. 1840s+) the espada ancha blade had become shorter and was more of a frontier knife (often derisively termed 'frog sticker' by American frontiersmen for the 'uptick' on the blade tip).

Ironically the earlier frontier character of the espada ancha (machete) did remain favored in some later swords of the Republic of Mexico. This example from probably 1850s-60s was deemed a cutlass with a heavy blade which I believe is Solingen made. Note the hilt similarity to the US M1840 dragoon saber.

[Hotspur]

Jim, that is a known Mexican army cutlass model 1870ish

'Blade is marked “A.C. Mexico” for A. Colubuzier, a supplier of military items to the army. The reverse is marked “R.M.” with liberty cap, which stands for “Republica Mexico” '

There is an earlier rendition with a rather distinctive scabbard.

Photo (and text) from Collectors Firearms.

I don't recall any of them referenced as Espada Ancha or bowies.

Cheers
GC

[Jim McDougall]

Thanks very much ! the 1870s sounds right as well as these '1840' style hilts were around for some time. I know they were referred to as cutlass, but am not aware if they had a naval connection despite the term.

I was suggesting that the character of these heavy bladed swords in degree recalled that of the espada ancha form in discussion, not that the term was ever applied. ..just my own observation. Clearly these sabers had nothing to do with Bowie's.

Thank you for the notes on Colubuzier....I couldnt recall the name but thought it was something like that.

[Jim McDougall]

The espada ancha 'type' of hilts with full length blades were found in the southern sectors of New Spain as well as Caribbean and into South America. These regions were part of the "Spanish Main" still quite active in 19th c.
With that being the case, note the Arab influence with the 'hand nock' in the hilt near pommel, as seen on Moroccan sa'if (nimcha).
This may derive from trade activity from Spanish colonial areas in Morocco of course. The striated shell guards much favored in Spanish colonial hilts also are part of the hilt character.

The second one with larger bowl type striated shell guard is of a form seen in Brazilian regions in first half 19th c. Many Spanish colonial swords in these groups have English blades from c. 1800-10.

Other Spanish colonial swords such as the Caribbean cup hilt and bilbo prevailed in these regions as well in these periods.

The first pics are the version with smaller shell guard.
second the larger bowl type guard
Note the similar character of star type motif, striations. I have seen examples of the bowl guard type with inside langet similar to the first example shown here.
The Moroccan 'nimcha' is shown to illustrate the 'hand nock'.