(Oakeshott Type XIX)
The Doge (Duke) was the elected head of the Venetian state for over 1,000 years, until 1797, when the last Doge (the 120th) was removed by Napoleon. Venice was a republic, ruled by an oligarchy with the Doge at its head. The Doge, like the Holy Roman Emperor, held office for life and was similarly regarded as the ecclesiastical, the civil and the military leader, in the power structure termed caesaropapism. Commonly the person selected as Doge was the most politically shrewd older man in the city. Our sword, the Doge, is representative of the type of sword often associated with the republic of Venice. Oakeshott describes the Type XIX as a single-handed sword with a broad flat blade that has clearly chamfered edges that run nearly parallel, a fuller that runs through the upper third, and a flat ricasso section at the base of the blade. The blade is of hexagonal cross-section. This example also has the characteristic spur at the end of the ricasso that is seen on Venetian examples of this type.
Specifications
Overall length: 40.5″ (102.9 cm)
Blade length: 33.75″ (85.73 cm)
Blade width: 1.5″ (3.8 cm)
CoG: 5.25″ (13.3 cm)
CoP: 18″ (45.7 cm)
Weight: 2 lbs 7 oz (1.1 kilos)
This sword is offered in a limited edition of 500 swords worldwide.