Kilij - Turkish Sword

Kilic, Klich also called Kilij - a generic term to refer to dlinnoklinkovogo weapons in Turkey. In the domestic weapon science word kilic means one of the types of Turkish saber. The curvature of the blade begins at the end of the second third. The upper third of the blade is straight. Elman occupies most of the upper third of the blade. The dales, in most cases, are absent. The handle is straight or curved (the pommel does not protrude beyond the handle). The cross was used simple and complex (sabers of the XIX century). In Klich for the cross could be missing riders. The weight of the saber varies, on average, from one to one and a half kilograms. Fang - a cutting-stabbing saber, which was used by both foot soldiers and horsemen. Massive elman allowed to use it against warriors in high-defense armor.

In the Ottoman Empire

Sabers were widely spread among the Seljuks in the 9th-10th centuries. By the 15th-16th centuries, Turkish sabers acquire their characteristic features. Kilichi of the 16th century are distinguished by a significant blade length (up to 90-100 cm) and not very large bend. Sometimes they were supplied with valleys. The crosspieces of sabers are straight with thickenings at the ends and a cross. The handles were slightly tilted towards the blade, supplied with a faceted wooden shank, which was attached to the shank by two rivets and covered with leather, with an octagonal or hexagonal cap-shaped pommel. The saber of Prince Mstislavsky belongs to such fangs, made in the first half of the 16th century by an Egyptian master. The total length of this saber is 102 cm, the length of the blade is 88 cm, the width at the heel is 5.5 cm, the width of the Elmani is 6.0 cm, the curvature is 8.7 cm, the thickness is 9 mm, the dimensions of the cross are 22×10 cm, and the total weight (with scabbard) is 2.6 kg.

Fangs of the 17th century are distinguished by a slight bend, average width of 3 cm, thickness of 5 mm. Elman was located on 1/3 of the blade, in some cases it was sharpened on both sides. Handles, in most cases, in the form of an "eagle's head" (carabela). Crosspieces made of steel, straight or, less often - bent down, with spherical extensions at the ends. The blades were forged from plain or damask steel. They could be decorated with gold inscriptions and rosettes made using the technique of wire inlay.

Turkish saber toothby the second half of the 18th century underwent a number of changes. The average width of the blade is about 4 cm, the width of the Elmani, which is 1/3 of the blade, is 5–5.5 cm. The blade, to reduce the weight of the saber, was made thin, therefore, to compensate for the strength, it had a sharply expanding snou. There was no snou in the Elmani region. A decorative dolly was made under the snou. The curvature of the blade is significant, with the maximum bending occurring in the area near the beginning of the Elmani. The length of the blade ranged from 60 to 90 cm, but more often it was 70-75 cm. The sabers could be decorated with gold or silver notching, less often with deep inlay. Decorations were placed on holomens in the lower and upper parts of the blade, as well as on the snou. The center of impact, located at the beginning of the Elmani, could be distinguished by a decorative element. The handles of sabers, as a rule, were supplied with two bone linings, fastened to the shank with two rivets. Sometimes, for a more comfortable hold, the black was distinguished by wavy indentations for the fingers, and was oval in section. The handle ended with a rounding bent towards the blade, in which there was sometimes a hole for a lanyard. There were also handles of other types. The crosses are usually brass.

Since the second quarter of the 19th century, in connection with the reorganization of the Ottoman army according to the European model, fangs are out of use. Later, however, sabers were sometimes encountered, which were imitations of the old Turkish sabers. They were probably made in Europe for a Turkish order.

In Western Europe

Kilij initially became popular in Europe after the 15th century in the form of the Hungarian - Polish saber. Approximately in 1670 on the basis Kilic appeared karabela (from the Turkish word karabela: black poison) this weapon became the most popular sword form in the Polish army. During the 17th and 18th centuries, curved sabers, which developed from the Turkish Kilij, were widespread throughout Europe.

After Bonaparte's Egyptian campaign, the Kilij, which was adopted from the Mamelukes, became very popular among the French light cavalry officers. In 1831, the Mamalyuk, as these sabers were called, became the personal weapon of British generals.

The American victory in the first Barbary War in 1805 resulted in the Kilichi being adopted by the senior officers of the United States Marine Corps.

The handles of the European kilichi were very similar in shape to the Ottoman prototype, however, the blades, even when the extended yelman was included in the design, were usually longer, narrower and less curved than the original Kilij samples.

In the Russian Empire

Klych was common among the Cossacks (in particular, Zaporozhye and Yaik). In shape, the Cossack teeth were the same as the Cossack sabers and light cavalry weapons at the turn of the 17th-19th centuries.

In August 1909, order No. 409 was issued by the Main Directorate of the Cossack Troops on "grandfather's weapons", according to which the Cossacks were allowed to serve with weapons inherited from their ancestors. Klych was approved by Emperor Nicholas II for wearing out of order by Cossack officers. They were worn by officers of the Life Guards of the Cossack Regiment, the Life Guards of the Ataman Regiment, the Life Guards of the 6th Don Cossack Battery of the Guards Horse Artillery and the Ural Hundreds of Life Guards of the Consolidated Cossack Regiment.