My Christmas sword, Mameluk of the Imperial Guard

[fernando]

Originally Posted by kai

...Deus translates as Allah in an Islamic context; I don't think the word per se would necessarily raise an eyebrow during that period if the blade was deemed desirable by the owner...

Originally Posted by Victrix

I think it’s time to re-read post #1 of the thread again, and re-open that bottle of Armagnac!
It’s a beautiful sword which I would not mind having in my collection...

Let it be no doubt;Fabrice's sabre is obviously an excellent sword ... with or without Armagnac ; and definitely i wouldn't mind to swap it for my example . Perhaps the issue was to whether its blade is consistent with the hilt where it is mounted on, in the context of such proposed timeline.
We learn that Napoleon brought back in his and his officers luggage from the Egypt campaign (August 1799) a bunch of Mameluke sabres as also some unmounted blades (not hilts), all as expectedly of Islamic nature, those often called Sabres du Retour d'Egypte (Les Sabres portés par l'armée Francaise by Lhoste/Resek). Those were strong curved blades, with a variable pronounced fleche (bow) often with over 10 cms. and Coranic decorations.
Following the steps of such culture, why would a Mameluke trooper (or officer) preferred a blade captured in Austerlitz to that of his reputedly excellent original one; possibly because such one was damaged ? or to honor himself for the new blade capture ... a remote possibility, i am afraid.
Alright, he wouldn't necessarily know that the "Pro Deo et Patria" theme was not such an unique catch, as we may see out there, including in THIS very forum.
But curiously this said inscription may be seen also in more than one existing blades mounted on Mameluke style sabres, as if this was a current procedure.
Food for thought .

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