A kilij is a type of one-handed, single edged and moderately curved saber used
by the Turks and related cultures throughout history starting from the
late Hsiung-nu period to the time of the Avar Empire and the Göktürk Khaganate,
Uyghur Khaganate, Seljuk Empire, Timurid Empire, Mamluk Empire, Ottoman Empire,
and the later Turkic Khanates of Central Asia and Eurasian steppes. These blades
evolved from Turko-Mongol sabers that had been used over all the lands invaded
and/or influenced by the Turkic peoples. History
= Etymology= The Turkish root verb "kır-" means "to
break" with the suffix "-inç" makes "kır-ınç" becomes kılınç, then kılıç.
The kilij became the symbol of power and kingdom. For example Seljuk rulers
carried the name Kilij Arslan means "sword-lion".
= Origins= The Central Asian Turks and their
offshoots begun using curved cavalry swords beginning from the late Hsiung-Nu
period. The earliest examples of curved, single edged Turkish swords can be found
associated with the late Hsiung-nu and Kok Turk empires. These swords were made
of pattern welded high carbon crucible steel, generally with long slightly
curved blades with one sharp edge. A sharp back edge on the distal third of
the blade known as "yalman" or "yelman" was introduced during this period.
In the Early Middle Ages, the Turkic people of Central Asia came into contact
with Middle Eastern civilizations through their shared Islamic faith.
Turkic Ghilman slave-soldiers serving under the Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates
introduced "kilij" type sabers to all of the other Middle Eastern cultures.
Previously, Arabs and Persians used straight-bladed swords such as the
earlier types of the Arab saif, takouba and kaskara.
During İslamizaton of the Turks, the kilij became more and more popular in
the İslamic armies. When the Seljuk Empire invaded Persia and became the
first Turkic Muslim political power in Western Asia, kilij became the dominant
sword form. The İranian shamshir was created during the Turkic Seljuk Empire
period of İran. After the invasion of Anatolia this
sword type was carried by Turkomen tribes to the future seat of the Ottoman
Empire. During the Crusades, Turks of Anatolia were the first target to be
attacked by the European armies, and their curved swords were misperceived by
Europeans as the imaginative "scimitar of the Saracens", the generic sword type
for all "Orientals". = Evolution of Ottoman kilij=
The Kilij, as a specific type of sabre associated with the Ottoman Turks and
the Mamluks of Egypt, was recognisable by the late 15th century. The oldest
surviving examples sport a long blade curving slightly from the hilt and more
strongly in the distal half. The width of the blade stays narrow up until the
last 30% of its length, at which point it flares out and becomes wider. This
distinctive flaring tip is called a "yalman" and it greatly adds to the
cutting power of the sword. Ottoman sabres of the next couple of centuries
were often of the Selchuk variety, though the native kilij form was also
found; Iranian blades were fitted with Ottoman hilts. These hilts normally had
slightly longer quillons to the guard, which was usually of brass or silver,
and sported a rounded termination to the grips, usually made of horn, unlike that
seen on Iranian swords. The finest mechanical damascus and wootz steel were
often used in making of these swords. In the classical period of the Ottoman
Empire, Bursa, Damascus and the Derbent regions became the most famous
swordsmithing centers of the empire. Turkish blades became a major export
item to Europe and Asia. In the late 18th century, though
shamshirs continued to be used, the kilij underwent an evolution: the blade
was shortened, became much more acutely curved, and was wider with an even
deeper yalman. In addition to the flared tip, these blades have a distinct
"T-shaped" cross section to the back of the blade. This allowed greater blade
stiffness without an increase in weight. Because of the shape of the tip of the
blade and the nature of its curvature the kilij could be used to perform the
thrust, in this it had an advantage over the shamshir whose extreme curvature did
not allow the thrust. Some of these shorter kilij are also referred to as
pala, but there does not seem to be a clear-cut distinction in nomenclature.
After the Auspicious Incident, the Turkish army was modernized in the
European fashion and kilijs were abandoned for western-type cavalry
sabers and smallswords. This change, and the introduction of industrialized
European steels to Ottoman market, created a great decline in traditional
swordsmithing. Civilians in the provinces and county militia, continued
to carry hand-made kilijs as a part of their traditional dress. İn the late
19th century, Sultan Abdulhamid II's palace guards, the Ertuğrul Brigade,
carried traditional kilijs as a romantic-nationalistic revival of the
earlier Ottoman Turkoman cavalry raiders. This sentiment continued after
dethronement of the sultan by the nationalist Young Turks. High-ranking
officer dress saber of early 20th century was a modern composite of
traditional kilij, "mameluke" and European cavalry saber.
= Adoption by Western armed forces= Following the Ottoman invasion of
Balkans, European armies were introduced to the kilij, though Greeks, Russians,
Ukrainians, Poles, other Slavs and Hungarians were not strangers to this
sword type from their earlier encounters with Turkic nomads such as Bulgars,
Khazars, Pechenegs, Cumans and Tatars. Russian cossacks and the peoples of the
Caucasus adopted a variation of nomadic Tatars' kilij as the shashka. The Kilij
first became popular with the Balkan nations and the Hungarian hussar cavalry
after 15th century, the sabre taking the name of szabla. Around 1670, the
karabela was evolved, based on Janissary kilij sabres; it became the most popular
sword-form in the Polish army. During 17th and 18th centuries, curved sabers
that evolved from Turkish kilij, were widespread throughout Europe.
As the Mamluks were of Turkish descent, the Egyptians bore Turkish sabers for
hundreds of years. During the Napoleonic Wars, the French conquest of Egypt
brought these beautiful and functional swords to the attention of the
Europeans. This type of sabre became very popular for light cavalry officers,
in both France and Britain, and became a fashionable sword for senior officers to
wear. In 1831 the "Mamaluke", as the sword was now called, became a
regulation pattern for British general officers. The American victory over the
rebellious forces in the citadel of Tripoli in 1805 during the First Barbary
War, led to the presentation of bejewelled examples of these swords to
the senior officers of the US Marines. Officers of the US Marine Corps still
use a mameluke pattern dress sword. Although some genuine Turkish kilij
sabres were used by Westerners, most "mameluke sabres" were manufactured in
Europe; their hilts were very similar in form to the Ottoman prototype, however,
their blades, even when an expanded yelman was incorporated, tended to be
longer, narrower and less curved than those of the true kilij.
Terminology The Turkish language has a rich
terminology involving swords, swordsmithing, parts and types of
blades. Below is listed some of the terminology about names of the main
parts of a kilij and scabbard in order of the term, literal translation of the
Turkish word, and its equivalent in English terminology of swords.
In popular culture The kilij was featured in an episode of
the Spike show, Deadliest Warrior, in which Vlad the Impaler fought Sun Tzu.
The damage caused by the sword was compared to a jian, and was voted by the
show's commentators as the most destructive one-handed sword on the
show. In Assassin's Creed: Revelations, Yusuf
Tazim has a Turkish Kilij as his personal weapon.
The Kilij is one of the curved sword type weapons in FromSoftware's cult hit
video game Demon's Souls. In Season 5 of the television adaptation
of Game of Thrones, Dornish cavalry are shown using a kilij-style sword as a
standard sidearm in addition to their ubiquitous spear.
See also Dao
Mameluke sword: a derivative of the Kilij
Pulwar Saif
Shamshir Tulwar
Yatagan: another distinctive Turkish sword
Sabre Szabla
Scimitar Notes
References Stone, G. C. and LaRocca, D. J.. A
glossary of the construction, decoration and use of arms and armor in all
countries and in all times. Courier Dover Publications. ISBN 0-486-40726-8.
ÖGEL, Bahaeddin, "Türk Kılıcının Menşe ve Tekamülü Hakkında", A.Ü. DTCF
Dergisi, 6, 1948 The Kilij and Shamshir. Turkish and
Persian sabers External links