Schiavonesca

Schiavonesca (in Italian: spada schiavonesca, "Slavic sword") was a type of longsword characterized by a S-shaped crossguard that originated in late 14th-century Serbia and was used by knights in the Kingdom of Hungary and Republic of Venice during the 15th and 16th centuries.

The Ottoman expansion and conquests saw north- and westward migrations of Serbs, initially within the Serbian state (the Serbian Despotate) and then to the neighbouring Hungary and Venetian Dalmatia. In Hungary, the Serbian population was very active in defending the southern border against the Ottomans. The production of this type of sword became more typologically uniform in Hungary and Venice.

The oldest specimens are estimated to date to the last decades of the 14th century, a period when Serbia was in constant conflict. The oldest mention is from the will of blacksmith Dobrič Bunisalić dating to 1391, held at the Ragusan Archives: "...doe spade schiavonesche...".

The name originated from the Balkan Slavs who used such swords in Venetian service. The term Sclavonia was the common Ragusan name for Serbia, for the most part of history its neighbouring state.

Most surviving schiavonesca can be found at the Ducal Museum in Venice, Italy.

Originals

 * 1 2 steel, Venetian, Venice, Italy

Replicas

 * 1 review of Del Tin 2152 Schiavonesca (steel) - older model, see next link for current version
 * 1 review of Del Tin 5152 Schiavonesca (steel) - Oakeshott Type XIIIa blade (variant), Type Z pommel, Style 12 guard