Styrian Armoury > Discover > Collection > Edged weapons

Edged weapons

The collection of edged weapons contains around 2,414 items: two-handed swords one-and-a-half handers various types of sabres, pallasches, estocs, dusägges and broadswords.

Collection

Image Credits

Before the advent of small firearms, edged weapons were the main weapons used by the cavalry; only a small number of edged weapons were carried by the infantry.
Most of the edged weapons date back to the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries; a small number of around 1,100 sabres belonging to the reserve forces date back to 1808/1809. Most of the weapons were purchased from Styrian workshops; the key areas for producing blades were Judenburg and Weiz, whilst the swordsmiths – who provided the hilts for the blades – were mainly centred in Graz.

Hungarian sabre

It was not just the light cavalry in Hungary, Poland and other eastern European countries that were influenced in their choice of weapons by the Ottomans: the sabre also became common in Styria. Despite its name, the Hungarian sabre was produced in Styrian workshops.

Two-handed swords

The largest form of sword is the Zweihänder, the two-handed sword. The Zweihänder sword first emerged as early as the 13th century, however it was not until the second half of the 16th century that it developed into a special cutting weapon with its own design.

The cavalry's swords

The cavalry's main weapon of choice was the straight sword which was almost always double edged. In many cases there are badges on the blades which indicate their origin: most of them came from Passau and Styrian workshops.

Estocs

Estocs or even rapiers were carried by soldiers on horseback as well as by the infantry.

Back

Overview

Next