Schiavona Swords from Medieval Collectables
The schiavona was a renaissance sword that became popular in Italy in 16th and 17th century. Stemming from the 16th century sword of the Venetian Doge guard, the name came from the fact that the guard consisted largely of Dalmatian Slavs (Schiavoni). Classified as a true broadsword this war sword had a wider blade than its contemporary civilian rapiers. The Schiavona was basket hilted (often with imbedded quillion for an upper guard) and double edged. They range from highly decorative to bare bone plain. The baskets, made in a great variety of forms, are all excellent protection for the sword hand and wrist. Almost all have a steel basket and a brass "cat's head" pommel. It was typically fitted with a double edged blade (unlike our other schiavona's, unusual employment of a single edge blade), that are made for swordplay that utilizes the cut as the main combat tactic. Some of the blades were so thin it is hard to believe, and back up the fact that this is a deadly cutting sword. The Schiavona became popular among the armies of those who traded with Italy during the 17th century. This became the weapon of choice for many heavy cavalry. Built for maximum hand protection and evincing a flair for design that one might say is typically Italian; the Schiavona-style basket-hilt remained popular until the last decades of the 18th century. The Schiavona is often considered the antecedent to other cage hilt swords such as the Scottish basket-hilted "broadsword".
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