The attached photo is of a sword owned by Don Juan de Austria (bastard son of Charles V), the hero of the great naval battle of Lepanto.

I found this photo several years ago, when Googling around. I saved it as wallpaper, but didn't log what website it came from (idiot that I am :confused: ). All I remember is that the site labelled it as an "estoque".

From what I understand, Don Juan actually fought with a two-handed sword at Lepanto (source: Gunpowder and Galleys by Guilmartin), and that the sword is in the Museo Naval in Madrid. Is the sword in the attached pic the same sword? It's really pretty, and I'd love to know more about it.

Also, I'll be happy to post credits for the photo in question, provided that anyone has any info on it--I don't want to violate any copyright laws or anything. :\

Thanks,

David

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http://cvc.cervantes.es/actcult/museo_naval/s...mas_22.htm

I can't read spanish, but I just ran a Google Images search for "Don Juan Estoque".

Hope that helps! :D

Well, for what it's worth: an auto-translated version

(I did study spanish for five years, and still a quick trip to google is the best I can do...)

So, in short, it's a gift from the Pope to Don Juan for his deeds at Lepanto, and the current grip (wonder exactly how much of the grip and fittings are covered by "empuñadura") is from 1869.