basket hilt

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by urbanspaceman

Quite right Jim, many Jacobites were not Catholics but were simply dedicated Royalists. I don't know how the Catholics aligned when William and Mary were enthroned.
The reason I called it a Catholic blade is because of the I X in the fuller which was a Catholic symbol. It may not be easily visible.
Northern England was regarded in the South as being a "Den of Popery" while in truth 50% of the country had no interest in religion and the other 50% were divided about half and half, varying marginally according to location. It was never about religion.

Well noted Keith, and I could not see the IX on the blade. Its hard to say on many blades though those with certain symbols, markings, phrases and mottos, where these can signify certain religious significance. It was in research on the Jacobite rebellions that I learned about some of the diversities actually involved. It was interesting in my own family geneology learning of the notably different following of some of the clans where some were indeed Jacobite, while others had Royalist leanings.

In actuality, it seems that despite the religious predominance suggested by writers in various historic circumstances, there was a large number of the populaces who were actually indifferent toward these matters. It would seem that 'spun news' is not just a modern phenomenon.