![]() ![]() Influential Muslim leader and sultan of Egypt, Yemen, Palestine and Syria, Saladin founded the Ayyubid dynasty that ruled throughout the 12th and 13th century. One particularly infamous scimitar in history is that which belonged to Saladin. This can include anything from the Persian Shamshir to the Turkis Kilij. Dating back to the 1500s, the word scimitar was the English word for a sword with a curved blade that had originated from Asia, the Middle East, and other western cultures. Scimitar, however, is much more of an umbrella term than any one specific type of blade. This iconic view of the ‘oriental’ blade is the first thing that people think of when they hear the word scimitar. Often when we think of scimitars the image that is brought to mind is the scene in Indiana Jones where Indy is in a standoff with a skilled swordsman facing him down - only to shoot from the hip. To this day its whereabouts remain unknown. The sword was named a Japanese National Treasure in 1939 but disappeared less than a decade later when its owner surrendered it to his local police station under new laws instituted by the American occupation. Passed from shōgun to shōgun throughout the centuries, the blade eventually ended up in the hands of its final owner Tokugawa Iemasa. There are still Masamune blades in existence today with the most infamous perhaps being the Honjō Masamune katana. Working in the late 1200s to the early 1300s, a time when steel was notorious for its poor quality, Masamune developed a style for his creations that resulted in blades that were razor-sharp and breathtakingly beautiful in equal measures. With a skill of precision, Masamune was known for creating blades that were not only deadly but considered works of art. Masamune was another medieval Japanese swordsmith and is, to this day, considered the greatest swordsmith in Japanese history. Read more about: Science and Technology Traditional Japanese knives and their uses Most commonly associated with Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace, the Claymore was first recorded as being used in the 15th century though it is believed to have first been used in the 1200s. Used for clan warfare in the highlands, and border skirmishes with the English, the claymore sword is a later variation of a traditional Scottish longsword. ![]() The Scottish claymore (translated from Scottish Gaelic to mean ‘Great Sword’) is a two-handed double-edged sword most commonly used during the late medieval period and into the early modern period. The claymore, the longsword, and William Wallace Here are three historic blades that are still capturing imaginations centuries later. From replicas of a character’s trusty longsword to the equipment used in combat choreography: the swords reimagined in today’s popular culture are all inspired by real blades from history. Thanks to the recent boom in fantasy blockbusters, passions for sword fighting and smithing have been on the rise. Deadly blades, high paced competition and expert blacksmithing all rolled into one: Forged in Fire is the show bringing historic weaponry back to life. If you haven’t already caught Forged in Fire you’re really missing out. ![]()
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