DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.23631#0042
the hilt arched and covered, together with the quillons and scabbard, in gilded silver studded with precious
stones. The second type, occasionally known as the Armenian sabre, was fashioned in Kirghiz Tartar
styles; it had its hilt and scabbard covered in sharkskin, a straight short quillon and the blade ending in a long
narrow point for stabbing. Swords of this type were usually the work of Armenians settled in Lvov,
who ornamented them with Armenian motifs and inscriptions. The third type, known as karabela, became
popular in the i 8th century and in fact outlived its period. The karabela probably originated in Turkey,
its name being associated with the Turkish town of Karabel in the vicinity of Izmir, or the Karabel
district in the Crimea. The origins of the karabela sabre can be traced to certain types of side-arm used in
antiquity, which had the pommel shaped like a bird's head, the head of an eagle as a rule. In Turkey,
this design became gradually simplified. At first, the karabela was a fighting sabre, its simple hilt made
of black horn; soon however it acquired the features ol an ornamental parade sword, its hilt and scabbard
mounted in silver or gold with precious and semi-precious stones, ivory, horn, amber and hardwood.
Such sabres must have been produced in vast numbers in 18th century Poland, above all in Lvov. The
Polish karabelas differed from their Turkish counterparts by the application of, next to oriental patterns,
motifs derived from western art, for example bell-flowers, ribbon and strapwork designs in the French
Regency style, Louis Quinze rocailles and Louis Seize garlands and candelabra. The blades, often imported,
of damascene steel, were also ornamented in Turkish fashion with gold inlay and precious stones, engraved
with armorial bearings and inscriptions, particularly pious incantations to the Blessed Virgin Mary and
to patron saints. They also featured patriotic inscriptions, usually in Latin, such as 'Pro gloria et patria',
'Amor patriae nostra lex', 'Vincera aut mori', and 'Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori'. Some inscriptions
were of a gaver nature, sometimes even slightly frivolous. One karabela belonging to the Tarnowski family
carries an inscription in Polish, which translated would run something like this: 'A cross on your forehead,
a sword for the foe, use it well in the name of God, with these words take this sword, at your stroke let
enemies fall, a Pole's advice to a Pole, a Father's gift to his Son.'
Insignia of office shown in numerous contemporary portraits represent a high standard of artistic
workmanship. The bulava mace was a hetman's insignia ol office, but also a symbol of command in general.
On the Stockholm Roll, for example, bulavas are wielded by the commanders of municipal guards. As
a rule bulavas were carried by deputy hetmans and occasionally the king himself, as supreme commander
of the army. The custom of carrying such maces as a symbol of command spread under the influence of
King Stephen Bathory, who received a bulava from Turkey in recognition of his suzerainty over the
Principality of Transylvania. Therefore early Polish bulavas were of Hungarian rypc a smallish onion-
shaped head and long haft, the whole mounted in gilded silver, with symmetrical chased designs in
Renaissance style, the head occasionally studded with turquoises, also symmetrically arranged. During
the 17th and 18th centuries Turkish and Persian bulavas were most popular. They were also mounted
in gilded silver studded with deep-set precious stones, small rubies, garnets, flat pieces of jade, large turquoises,
the whole arranged asymmetrically. Instead of turquoise, some bulavas had ornaments of blue cloisonne
and niello. Armenian-style bulavas were a thing apart as far as their beauty is concerned. Their large iron
heads and steel hafts were inlaid with gold wire in all'ai^imina fashion, namely in Persian manner, studded
sparsely with precious stones. The head featured a rosette of beautifully matched precious stones at the
top and its haft concealed a small javelin which could be screwed on at the end, thus making the bulava
an effective weapon. Polish buzdygan maces, too, often had a small javelin hidden in their hafts. The
buzdygans were fashioned in Persian style: the head had six flanges, the haft was ol steel, the whole inlaid
with gold, niello, sometimes mounted in gilded silver or gold, studded with precious stones. The buzdygan
was the symbol of office of commanders of horse regiments and their seconds, but it was also often wielded
by hetmans and their deputies as a more effective weapon in battle. War hammers and battle-axes, used
in battle and carried on parade, were all beautifully ornate, gilded and chased. The Stockholm Roll shows
cavalry officers carrying war hammers, as well as the Lord Marshals of Poland and Lithuania with their
long staffs of office. Court Marshal Lukasz Opalinski, on the portrait mentioned above, is carrying such
a staff with the initials of Sigismund III (ST for Sigismundus Tertius). Several such staffs are preserved
in the Czartoryski Collection. Made of a rare hardwood (one of them of cane), they have gilded silver
fittings set with stones and royal monograms. There can be no doubt that these gold and silver fittings
were the work of local goldsmiths, but since they carry no makers' stamp, nothing can be said about
where they were made or by whom.
The belt from which the karabela was suspended was an essential item of a nobleman's attire. The
stones. The second type, occasionally known as the Armenian sabre, was fashioned in Kirghiz Tartar
styles; it had its hilt and scabbard covered in sharkskin, a straight short quillon and the blade ending in a long
narrow point for stabbing. Swords of this type were usually the work of Armenians settled in Lvov,
who ornamented them with Armenian motifs and inscriptions. The third type, known as karabela, became
popular in the i 8th century and in fact outlived its period. The karabela probably originated in Turkey,
its name being associated with the Turkish town of Karabel in the vicinity of Izmir, or the Karabel
district in the Crimea. The origins of the karabela sabre can be traced to certain types of side-arm used in
antiquity, which had the pommel shaped like a bird's head, the head of an eagle as a rule. In Turkey,
this design became gradually simplified. At first, the karabela was a fighting sabre, its simple hilt made
of black horn; soon however it acquired the features ol an ornamental parade sword, its hilt and scabbard
mounted in silver or gold with precious and semi-precious stones, ivory, horn, amber and hardwood.
Such sabres must have been produced in vast numbers in 18th century Poland, above all in Lvov. The
Polish karabelas differed from their Turkish counterparts by the application of, next to oriental patterns,
motifs derived from western art, for example bell-flowers, ribbon and strapwork designs in the French
Regency style, Louis Quinze rocailles and Louis Seize garlands and candelabra. The blades, often imported,
of damascene steel, were also ornamented in Turkish fashion with gold inlay and precious stones, engraved
with armorial bearings and inscriptions, particularly pious incantations to the Blessed Virgin Mary and
to patron saints. They also featured patriotic inscriptions, usually in Latin, such as 'Pro gloria et patria',
'Amor patriae nostra lex', 'Vincera aut mori', and 'Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori'. Some inscriptions
were of a gaver nature, sometimes even slightly frivolous. One karabela belonging to the Tarnowski family
carries an inscription in Polish, which translated would run something like this: 'A cross on your forehead,
a sword for the foe, use it well in the name of God, with these words take this sword, at your stroke let
enemies fall, a Pole's advice to a Pole, a Father's gift to his Son.'
Insignia of office shown in numerous contemporary portraits represent a high standard of artistic
workmanship. The bulava mace was a hetman's insignia ol office, but also a symbol of command in general.
On the Stockholm Roll, for example, bulavas are wielded by the commanders of municipal guards. As
a rule bulavas were carried by deputy hetmans and occasionally the king himself, as supreme commander
of the army. The custom of carrying such maces as a symbol of command spread under the influence of
King Stephen Bathory, who received a bulava from Turkey in recognition of his suzerainty over the
Principality of Transylvania. Therefore early Polish bulavas were of Hungarian rypc a smallish onion-
shaped head and long haft, the whole mounted in gilded silver, with symmetrical chased designs in
Renaissance style, the head occasionally studded with turquoises, also symmetrically arranged. During
the 17th and 18th centuries Turkish and Persian bulavas were most popular. They were also mounted
in gilded silver studded with deep-set precious stones, small rubies, garnets, flat pieces of jade, large turquoises,
the whole arranged asymmetrically. Instead of turquoise, some bulavas had ornaments of blue cloisonne
and niello. Armenian-style bulavas were a thing apart as far as their beauty is concerned. Their large iron
heads and steel hafts were inlaid with gold wire in all'ai^imina fashion, namely in Persian manner, studded
sparsely with precious stones. The head featured a rosette of beautifully matched precious stones at the
top and its haft concealed a small javelin which could be screwed on at the end, thus making the bulava
an effective weapon. Polish buzdygan maces, too, often had a small javelin hidden in their hafts. The
buzdygans were fashioned in Persian style: the head had six flanges, the haft was ol steel, the whole inlaid
with gold, niello, sometimes mounted in gilded silver or gold, studded with precious stones. The buzdygan
was the symbol of office of commanders of horse regiments and their seconds, but it was also often wielded
by hetmans and their deputies as a more effective weapon in battle. War hammers and battle-axes, used
in battle and carried on parade, were all beautifully ornate, gilded and chased. The Stockholm Roll shows
cavalry officers carrying war hammers, as well as the Lord Marshals of Poland and Lithuania with their
long staffs of office. Court Marshal Lukasz Opalinski, on the portrait mentioned above, is carrying such
a staff with the initials of Sigismund III (ST for Sigismundus Tertius). Several such staffs are preserved
in the Czartoryski Collection. Made of a rare hardwood (one of them of cane), they have gilded silver
fittings set with stones and royal monograms. There can be no doubt that these gold and silver fittings
were the work of local goldsmiths, but since they carry no makers' stamp, nothing can be said about
where they were made or by whom.
The belt from which the karabela was suspended was an essential item of a nobleman's attire. The