Kirach and Firangi

[ariel]

Originally Posted by Jens Nordlunde

Welcome to the forum, and sorry for the late response.

Firangi (can be spelled in different ways) has a straight European blade, usually longer than most Indian swords. See the picture.

Kirach has an Indian, one edged blade, usually with a false edge. The special thing with the Kirach is, that the blade close to the tip curves towards the edge. For a picture, have a look at the link. http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=683&highlight=Kirach

I understand that originally "firanghi" was a term applied to the Portugese foreigners and then expanded to embrace all Europeans. Most early European blades were straight rapiers; thus the sword Firanghi was the one sporting a straight rapier blade. However, the Sumatran Piso Podang hails from the Portugese "Espadao" (pronounced with -ng at the end) which means just that: "sword" and can be either straight or curved. So far so good.

But... What about curved European blades? The term Alemani applied to swords with a curved cavalry saber blade. Likely, the early examples were German and then the term just spread around.
Many European trade blades bore an inscription "Fringia" or suchlike (the place that did not exist) just to assure an Oriental buyer that the sword was indeed "Firanghi".
Jens is unquestionably correct in his general definition: Firanghi in principle is an Indian sword with an European blade.
Just that history and linguistics play bewilderingly complex games; the definitions become blurred, mutant and ultimately imprecise, because "fusion swords" defy rigid classification rules.