Renaissance executioner sword from Germany

broadaxe · 12th October 2010, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matchlock

The three holes near the tip of the blade are of course not for making the piece lighter by 2-3 grams (!) but are the last Baroque decorative element of the older Gothic trefoil (Dreipass).

This of course is no longer a Renaissance sword as that epoque ended in the early 17th century. It is of High Baroque type (2nd half 17th c.).
Best,
Michael

The three holes are supposedly not for removing but rather adding weight by attaching two pieces of steel via nuts or rivets. This is probably an urban myth, the reason is purely decorative and religious, a trefoil indeed. However not all beheading swords of this type have the three holes. I can think of a secondary benefit created by the holes: a sinister whistle while the blade spins rapidly in mid air... Unlike the axe, the motion was paralell to the ground and the executioner had to build up speed with 2-3 free spins, before the death blow was struck.

Matchlock · 12th October 2010, 04:25 PM

Exactly, broadaxe!

m

Mauro · 12th October 2010, 10:54 PM

Many thanks to all of you for these very interesting informations. I am always surprised from the many simbols are hidden in an old sword. I enlarged the photos of the shield and I can note that the horizontal bars are surely 9. I checked the coat of arms of Saxony in wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Saxony) and it has 9 stripes so many many thanks. One of the coat of arm seems surely Saxony. I don't know the meaning of the other but I shall continue to search in that direction.

Mauro · 13th October 2010, 02:33 PM

Looking into wikipedia trying to follow the coats of arms of Saxony I found a coat of arms that could represent the second shield. It is made of two sword crossed. “The lower right fourth quarter shows in sable and argent the electoral swords (Kurschwerter) in gules, indicating the Saxon office as Imperial Arch-Marshal (German:Erzmarschall, Latin:Archimarescallus), pertaining to the Saxon privilege as prince-elector, besides the right to elect a new emperor after the decease of the former. The Lauenburg branch duchy adopted this coat-of-arms, used before by the other brach duchy Saxe-Wittenberg until its extinction in 1422, in order to enforce its failed claim to succession in Saxe-Wittenberg.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sachsen-Lauenburg.PNG

Reichsritter · 14th October 2010, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mauro

Many thanks to all of you for these very interesting informations. I am always surprised from the many simbols are hidden in an old sword. I enlarged the photos of the shield and I can note that the horizontal bars are surely 9. I checked the coat of arms of Saxony in wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Saxony) and it has 9 stripes so many many thanks. One of the coat of arm seems surely Saxony. I don't know the meaning of the other but I shall continue to search in that direction.

Hi Mauro, All Saxon coat of arms are always barry of 10 Sable (black) and Or (gold)...regardless of branch, or period from duchy, Kingdom until it became a state. The coat of arms on your sword I noticed has barry of 8 (8 bars horizontal). This interests me since such shield are used by the Lords of Kuenring. If you can wikipedia the coat of arms of the Princes of Liechtenstein you will notice on the 2nd quarter a similar shield with 8 bars of yellow and black. This signify their Kuenring ancestry. No conclusion on my part but just an observation.

Mauro · 14th October 2010, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reichsritter

Hi Mauro, All Saxon coat of arms are always barry of 10 Sable (black) and Or (gold)...regardless of branch, or period from duchy, Kingdom until it became a state. The coat of arms on your sword I noticed has barry of 8 (8 bars horizontal). This interests me since such shield are used by the Lords of Kuenring. If you can wikipedia the coat of arms of the Princes of Liechtenstein you will notice on the 2nd quarter a similar shield with 8 bars of yellow and black. This signify their Kuenring ancestry. No conclusion on my part but just an observation.

Thanks Reichsritter, I understood and I agree. What do you think of the second coat of arm ? It could be the swords in the Sachsen-Lauenburg coat of arms ? thanks Mauro

Reichsritter · 14th October 2010, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mauro

Thanks Reichsritter, I understood and I agree. What do you think of the second coat of arm ? It could be the swords in the Sachsen-Lauenburg coat of arms ? thanks Mauro

It is my guess as I mention on early post that the shield per fess (horizontal partition) swords in saltire (crossed) was a symbol of office. Yes it could be, the two shields are similar.

Well, I am not in authority to say that your sword was once in the service of the Saxon Lords ;-)
I'm still trying to figure out the cap/ crown on top of the shield. Damn, now I'll have to pull something in deep storage and dust some books !

JUSTICESWORDS · 5th April 2011, 06:48 PM

Greetings.
I am new here and I collect and have researched execution swords for some time.
I read here with interest, (as I have also read elsewhere on the www), people wondering what the three holes that sometimes appear in the tips of execution swords are for.
While some dealers of such weapons and even some authors have mistakenly stated that these three holes were for the attachment of extra weights to give the executioner a more powerful swing, this is not the case at all.
The actual reason this was done on some execution swords was because of a superstitious belief that had nothing at all to do with function. In boring such holes through the tip of the blade it was believed that some of the evil energy stored in the blade from beheading so many bad people would be allowed to escape from the sword and thus render the weapon easier for the executioner to “control.”
While in modern times we would look upon any sword as a common object or a tool, executioner’s swords in medieval times were believed to possess a “killing soul” of sorts that was always thirsty for human blood. It was believed that only the executioner had the power to control the sword’s desire for killing and that it essentially had a mind of its own.
This supernatural power and the executioner’s ability to control it were very important.
There is at least one case on record of an executioner putting a large group of prisoners to death in a single session. When the local justice officials suggested that the remaining executions be halted and continued the next day the executioner claimed that he was not in the least bit tired and could go on beheading prisoners all day. He then made the grave mistake of claiming that he would in fact have no trouble beheading every single person in attendance, including the local justice officials. This boast terrified the populace and they in turn had the executioner put to death because they now believed him to be possessed by the evil spirit of his execution sword and utterly helpless to curb its desire for blood.
In addition to possessing an inherently murderous spirit, old execution swords were also believed to provide protection for those about to go into battle. Coveted by early warriors, old execution swords that had taken many lives often had their blades cut into small triangles of metal which were then sewn into the clothing of a knight. In doing this, it was thought that the power of a sword which had killed many people would transfer its energy and protective powers to the warrior and keep him safe in battle.

I hope this information may be of some help.

Cheers, Steve

5th April 2011, 06:48 PM	#8
JUSTICESWORDS Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 5	The three holes in the tip of some execution swords Greetings. I am new here and I collect and have researched execution swords for some time. I read here with interest, (as I have also read elsewhere on the www), people wondering what the three holes that sometimes appear in the tips of execution swords are for. While some dealers of such weapons and even some authors have mistakenly stated that these three holes were for the attachment of extra weights to give the executioner a more powerful swing, this is not the case at all. The actual reason this was done on some execution swords was because of a superstitious belief that had nothing at all to do with function. In boring such holes through the tip of the blade it was believed that some of the evil energy stored in the blade from beheading so many bad people would be allowed to escape from the sword and thus render the weapon easier for the executioner to “control.” While in modern times we would look upon any sword as a common object or a tool, executioner’s swords in medieval times were believed to possess a “killing soul” of sorts that was always thirsty for human blood. It was believed that only the executioner had the power to control the sword’s desire for killing and that it essentially had a mind of its own. This supernatural power and the executioner’s ability to control it were very important. There is at least one case on record of an executioner putting a large group of prisoners to death in a single session. When the local justice officials suggested that the remaining executions be halted and continued the next day the executioner claimed that he was not in the least bit tired and could go on beheading prisoners all day. He then made the grave mistake of claiming that he would in fact have no trouble beheading every single person in attendance, including the local justice officials. This boast terrified the populace and they in turn had the executioner put to death because they now believed him to be possessed by the evil spirit of his execution sword and utterly helpless to curb its desire for blood. In addition to possessing an inherently murderous spirit, old execution swords were also believed to provide protection for those about to go into battle. Coveted by early warriors, old execution swords that had taken many lives often had their blades cut into small triangles of metal which were then sewn into the clothing of a knight. In doing this, it was thought that the power of a sword which had killed many people would transfer its energy and protective powers to the warrior and keep him safe in battle. I hope this information may be of some help. Cheers, Steve

12th October 2010, 04:25 PM	#2
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Exactly, broadaxe! m

12th October 2010, 10:54 PM	#3
Mauro Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 83	Many thanks to all of you for these very interesting informations. I am always surprised from the many simbols are hidden in an old sword. I enlarged the photos of the shield and I can note that the horizontal bars are surely 9. I checked the coat of arms of Saxony in wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Saxony) and it has 9 stripes so many many thanks. One of the coat of arm seems surely Saxony. I don't know the meaning of the other but I shall continue to search in that direction.

13th October 2010, 02:33 PM	#4
Mauro Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 83	Looking into wikipedia trying to follow the coats of arms of Saxony I found a coat of arms that could represent the second shield. It is made of two sword crossed. “The lower right fourth quarter shows in sable and argent the electoral swords (Kurschwerter) in gules, indicating the Saxon office as Imperial Arch-Marshal (German:Erzmarschall, Latin:Archimarescallus), pertaining to the Saxon privilege as prince-elector, besides the right to elect a new emperor after the decease of the former. The Lauenburg branch duchy adopted this coat-of-arms, used before by the other brach duchy Saxe-Wittenberg until its extinction in 1422, in order to enforce its failed claim to succession in Saxe-Wittenberg.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sachsen-Lauenburg.PNG