A rare and important Mamluk steel sword dedicated to Sultan Qaytbay (r.1468-96), Egypt, last quarter 15th century

Ex-collection David Smith (d.2009), Kent, 2000s

inscriptions

‘izz li-mawlana al-sultan al-malik al-ashraf abi’l-nasr qaytbay ‘azza nasruhu, ‘Glory to our Lord, the Sultan al-Malik al-Ashraf Abu’l-Nasir Qaytbay, may his victory be glorious’

This sword is a remarkable survival from the late fifteenth century, one of only a handful bearing the name of Mamluk Sultan al-Ashraf Qaytbay (r.1468-96). Qaytbay is considered the greatest sultan of the later Mamluk period and was single-handedly responsible for the revival of art and architecture during the late fifteenth century. Although he left a proud and glorious legacy as a patron of the arts, his military achievements were equally as admirable, engaging in sixteen military campaigns during his reign and consolidating the northern boundaries of the Sultanate against the growing might of the Ottoman empire.

Born in Circassia, his skills in archery and horsemanship were soon noticed, which led him to Cairo, where he became a member of the palace guard under Sultan Barsbay. He rose quickly through the military hierarchy, becoming a commander of a thousand Mamluks and then appointed as field marshal of the entire Mamluk army. He was ultimately enthroned in 1468 as the eighteenth Burji Sultan of Egypt. A chainmail and plate armour belonging to Qaytbay is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (acc. no.2016.99).

A Mamluk manual of military practice and horsemanship composed in 1470 bears testament to the presence of the broadsword (saif Bedawi or saif Arabe) and the curved sabre (kilij) during the fifteenth century. The Kitab al-makhzun li arbab al-funun (Bibliotheque Nationale de France, inv. no.Arabe 2824) illustrates a training exercise where two mounted warriors engage in an intense fight, one holding a straight broadsword aloft whilst the other wields a curved kilij blade.

Qaytbay was clearly adept in the use of both sword types shown by the seven known swords bearing his name in the Askeri Museum (inv. nos.1/86, 1/87, 1/180, 1/181, 1/182, 1.183, and 1/210, see Yücel 2001, pp.81-87, pls.38-44). They were all part of the Mamluk armoury originally captured by the Ottomans after the conquest of Egypt in 1517 and brought to Istanbul as part of the spoils of war. Of these seven survivals, four are broadswords (inv. nos.1/86, 1./87, 1/180, and 1/183), to which we can add the present example, two have curved kilij blades (inv. nos.1/181 and 1/182), and one is a lengthy rapier (inv. no.1/210).

Of the above swords, the present example relates most closely to inv. no.1/183 (Yücel 2001, p.83, pl.40). Like ours, it is only one of the seven identified has being made of ‘damask’ steel; it shares the diamond profile of the blade with a raised central ridge and is of comparable proportions. The composition of the inscription to Qaytbay is also closely comparable. The Askeri Museum blade retains its full tang, stamped three times with the name of the craftsman Hajji Yusuf. The similarities between the two would suggest that the same swordsmith also produced the present blade.

Rarely does a sword of such importance survive outside the protective environment of an institutional setting, but the quality of this blade has clearly been appreciated and treasured since its production centuries ago. The blade has narrowed from its original form owing to centuries of resharpening by owners who valued its remarkable craftsmanship. Its preservation shows that the martial value of this sword has clearly not diminished since its original production in the late fifteenth century.

For a Qur’an produced in Qaytbay’s royal court, see the previous lot in the present sale.