Concerning falchions

Bobwhite

Bobwhite

Joined
Nov 30, 1999
Messages
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Lately I have been researching edged weapons in general. Like getting Arms and Armour books out of the library. The falchion has really caught my attention. I have noticed it takes several shapes. I have seen clip pointed and spear pointed ones and ones that look like machetes on steroids. Can anyone give me more info on the history, evolution and forms of this sword? Any good ones to be bought out there? All info appreciated, links would be great. Thanks.
 
My guess is that the Falchion evolved from a farming implement like the machete. Despite this humble beginning it was used fairly commonly if period illustrations are any guide. Strangly not many have survived intact (the Conyers Falchion being a notable exception) possibly because the were a tool to ben used unlike many of our surviving sword examples who although used were also objects of almost religious veneration. As for finding a modern reproduction the only ones I know about are made by Fulvio Del Tin of Del Tin and Glen Parrel of Viking Metalworks. Both are supposed to be great. In all honesty you are more likely to get your hands on one of Glen's though since Fulvio's wait time is so long.
 
Hi,

Regarding the falchion, taken from "The Archeology of Weapons" (Oakeshott)....

"One of these weapons is the falchion. This is a development from the old Norse sax, particularly the long Norwegian sax, which was popular all over Europe during the eleventh and twelth centuries, as we can see by its frequent appearance in manuscript paintings. During the thirteenth century its form altered considerably: the blade became extremely broad at is "optimal striking point." ............ The blade of the falchion from Thorpe differs from the Durham and Chatelet ones for it is very similar to a sabre blade. How this blade form developed is not clear; we rarely see it in manuscript pictures before 1290, and it seems to have no direct kinship, like the Durham type, with the old Norwegian long sax. It may have developed under an Eastern European influence, for it is very closely akin the the Sword of Charlemagne - the Hungarian one - in Vienna, a type which had been in use in Eastern Europe since the ninth century. Whatever the origin of its particular form, as a falchion it is still a direct descendant of the sax, the Greek kopis and the ancient Egyptian kopsh, and its form remained in use from the early fourteenth centruy till the mid-eighteenth, with modifications, while the Durham type (the machete on steroids) is seen no more after about 1300."

Hope that helped,

Lamont
 
Oh yes,

I remember that an article on the HACA website mentioned that the falchion was used as a last ditch effort of swordmakers to find a design that could be effective through heavy plate armor. I assume this would be the Durham style with its heavy blade design.

Lamont
 
It seems to me that falchions were used long before the advent of heavy plate, so although the falchion might have been modified in a last ditch attempt to defeat heavy plate I do not think that is what brought it into existence. It was my understanding that the long thrusting swords like the type XVII were really the last attempt to defeat plate.
 
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This is a 17th century Italian example. Nothing tops a good authentic example.
 
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