Estoc sword of type XVII ?

[Victrix]

I read Cerjak’s post again more carefully and the sword is very long with an overall length of 127.5cm and blade lenghth of 109cm. This seems to suggest that it could be described as a ”longsword” although the hilt is not that big? Cerjak describes it as ”well balanced” and it weights only 1260g, which suggests that it was made for fencing with despite its considerable length. Are the side edges sharp? Then we have the grip made from horn which is a material more common for hunting equipment.

Cerjak also posted a picture of the sword from the Metropolitan museum with gilded pommel and quillons and silk covered grip, which seems to be made for tournaments. Then Tordensiöld posted the fascinating picture of combatants with huge estocs, equiped with special grip supports on the blades. I wonder if Cerjak’s sword could be a special duel/tournament sword?

The estoc changed its shape and form over the centuries that it remained in use. The sword pictured below is a much later Hungarian estoc/panzerstecher/koncerz from the end of the 17thC. These were used mainly for penetrating chainmail, which which were still in use by the Ottomans at the time. The sword is overall 120cm long, blade length 109cm, width at forte 2.4cm, width at ricasso 1.7cm. The blade is diamond shape in cross-section with a sharply pointed tip but the edges are not sharp. The blade is rigid stiff. It has a fuller near the hilt but this is only 19.5cm long. These were used by mounted hussars who would charge the enemy at speed with the estocs. The idea was that the tip would enter a ring in the chainmail, and then the momentum of the charge would expand or collapse the ring, enabling the estoc to penetrate deeper.

[Tordenskiold1721]

Originally Posted by Victrix

The sword pictured below is a much later Hungarian estoc/panzerstecher/koncerz from the end of the 17thC. These were used mainly for penetrating chainmail, which which were still in use by the Ottomans at the time. The sword is overall 120cm long, blade length 109cm, width at forte 2.4cm, width at ricasso 1.7cm. The blade is diamond shape in cross-section with a sharply pointed tip but the edges are not sharp. The blade is rigid stiff. It has a fuller near the hilt but this is only 19.5cm long. These were used by mounted hussars who would charge the enemy at speed with the estocs. The idea was that the tip would enter a ring in the chainmail, and then the momentum of the charge would expand or collapse the ring, enabling the estoc to penetrate deeper.

Thanks for posting this important and very good Estoc Victrix !! It's a pleasure seeing it.

As you point out it is designed to penetrate mail armor, a job the sharp and strong tip would do with ease when trusted hard into mail. Mail of any quality does not hold up well against a good trust from a solid sharp tipped blade.

I found two of the old History channel documentaries that might be of interest to some. It is orientated around the development of armor from chain mail and how, when the mail armor was not strong enough to stand piercing weapons the plate armor started developing. Here we also see some tests of the weaknesses of mail against trusting weapons:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98hRtOJqOYE&t=121s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syPjIZIrG7k

The plate armor was developed due to the weakness of the mail armor and especially the weakness the mail has against trusting weapons. The above two History Channel documentaries explains this development.

In the drawing below it seems as the mounted rider to the left is penetrating his enemy's mail with an "Estoc" type weapon rather than an lance:

[Foxbat]

We tend to romanticize the things we like, and estoc is no exception. The fact it had limited utility does not detract from that fascination. I have several of them in my collection, and have done tons of reading on their capabilities and application, and I love them, but I will not claim some miraculous power to them.

Truth be told, it didn't have to pierce the plate or high quality mail to be effective on the battlefield, as there were plenty of targets, suitable for its blade. Other weapons, things like maces and hammers, plus the pole arms, were more commonly employed against the armor.

[Tordenskiold1721]

Originally Posted by Foxbat

I have several of them in my collection, and have done tons of reading on their capabilities and application

Hello Foxbat, this is good news, I am always looking to expand my library. If you have references to your literature and pages on the subject, that would be great ! We should both share some photos here that shows the subject matter weapons. I will when back from my travels. I would love seeing your Estoc's.

[Foxbat]

Originally Posted by Tordenskiold1721

Hello Foxbat, this is good news, I am always looking to expand my library. If you have references to your literature and pages on the subject, that would be great ! We should both share some photos here that shows the subject matter weapons. I will when back from my travels. I would love seeing your Estoc's.

That sounds good! For starters here is the pair of the more traditional Saxon estocs.

[Victrix]

Originally Posted by Foxbat

We tend to romanticize the things we like, and estoc is no exception. The fact it had limited utility does not detract from that fascination. I have several of them in my collection, and have done tons of reading on their capabilities and application, and I love them, but I will not claim some miraculous power to them.

Truth be told, it didn't have to pierce the plate or high quality mail to be effective on the battlefield, as there were plenty of targets, suitable for its blade. Other weapons, things like maces and hammers, plus the pole arms, were more commonly employed against the armor.

I suppose estocs were less effective against well designed plate armour than chainmail and disappeared from use in the Western European theatre of war, especially when the matchlock and wheellock gun was introduced. In Eastern Europe however, the estoc continued in use together with the mace and warhammer well into the 18thC. This was not at all for romantic reasons, it was just that the Ottomans continued to use chainmail until then and these weapons continued to be useful for their purpose. I would certainly not dare to test wearing a chainmail and be subjected to a charge by the Hungarian estoc posted above!

[Victrix]

Originally Posted by Tordenskiold1721

Thanks for posting this important and very good Estoc Victrix !! It's a pleasure seeing it.

As you point out it is designed to penetrate mail armor, a job the sharp and strong tip would do with ease when trusted hard into mail. Mail of any quality does not hold up well against a good trust from a solid sharp tipped blade.

I found two of the old History channel documentaries that might be of interest to some. It is orientated around the development of armor from chain mail and how, when the mail armor was not strong enough to stand piercing weapons the plate armor started developing. Here we also see some tests of the weaknesses of mail against trusting weapons:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98hRtOJqOYE&t=121s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syPjIZIrG7k

The plate armor was developed due to the weakness of the mail armor and especially the weakness the mail has against trusting weapons. The above two History Channel documentaries explains this development.

In the drawing below it seems as the mounted rider to the left is penetrating his enemy's mail with an "Estoc" type weapon rather than an lance:

Many thanks for posting the interesting links and the pictures, Tordenskiold! I have never seen contemporary pictures of estocs in action before. It seems the rider in the picture is clasping his estoc close to the chest to absorb the shock from the impact? I have heard suggestions that the wearer sometimes grasped the hilt under his armpit to wield the estoc like a lance. This must have been relatively rare however, as the estoc is very much designed as a sword with a hilt and a grip to hold in the hand.