My Foreword:
The following article, originally published in Hungarian, presents an archaeological perspective on several enormous ceremonial swords—often referred to in the source as pallos—that surfaced in a Turkish museum. While the interview offers valuable insights into the ceremonial and representative functions of these extreme specimens, a few points require clarification for readers unfamiliar with the nuances of Hungarian and European sword typology.
The first concerns terminology. The Hungarian word pallos is used throughout the original text as a general term for any straight, double-edged sword. Historically, however, the term carried a broader and at times inconsistent meaning. In modern historical and martial arts scholarship, a distinction is made between the pallos as an executioner’s sword (a specialised tool never intended for combat) and the various straight-bladed, double-edged swords used in warfare, such as the knightly arming sword or the longsword.
The name pallos can be confusing also because they later became cavalry swords, with a slanted, saber-like one-handed grip—a form entirely different from the medieval two-handed variants. By using pallos as a catch-all, the article inadvertently conflates these functionally distinct categories, which can obscure the practical military role that certain types of straight, two-handed swords played in medieval Hungary.
The second point relates to the longsword tradition. The article states that two-handed swords “are hardly found in Hungarian hands by the twilight of the Middle Ages,” with the exception of specific castle-defense weapons. This claim overlooks the longsword (hosszúkard in Hungarian)—a versatile, hand-and-a-half sword used extensively across Europe from the 14th century onward.
The longsword was not only present in the Kingdom of Hungary but was also integral to the chivalric culture of the Angevin and Sigismund eras, and its associated fighting techniques remained part of Hungarian martial practice well into the 17th century. This tradition existed alongside the lighter sabers preferred for cavalry warfare against the Ottomans and should not be conflated with either the much larger ceremonial swords discussed in the interview or the later two-handed Zweihänder of German Landsknechts.
With these clarifications in mind, the reader can better appreciate the article’s core subject: the extraordinary ceremonial swords whose function lay not in combat, but in the visual language of power, representation, and prestige in medieval and early modern European courts.
Here is the work of Zubor Tamás, who interviewed Rákóczi Gergely:
“With its extreme size, it was effective even against multiple opponents,” – an archaeologist expert on Hungarian giant swords
Three enormous swords have appeared in a museum in Turkey, the largest of which is 270 centimetres in length. But what were these massive weapons used for by medieval Hungarians?
We contacted archaeologist Rákóczi Gergely with this and a few other burning questions.
Let’s start with the basics: are these swords or pallos? [Translator’s note: The Hungarian word pallos historically referred to a straight, often double-edged sword, distinct from the curved saber.]
In general terms, any sword with a straight blade, usually double-edged, was called a pallos. For example, in the 16th–17th centuries, there existed the cavalry pallos used by dragoon cavalry, which was distinguished from the saber by its non-curved blade. The executioner’s sword, which became notorious as an execution tool, can also be classified among the pallos.
How did these originally Hungarian antiquities end up in Turkey? Is anything known about this?
Unfortunately, I cannot say for certain, but the 150 years of continuous castle wars following the Battle of Mohács could have provided ample reason and opportunity for these swords to be taken to the Ottoman Court, for example, during the capture of Buda.
What confirms that these are indeed Hungarian weapons?
Unfortunately, I cannot be certain about this either; I trust the expertise of my Turkish colleagues; they surely possess authentic data indicating their Hungarian provenance. Otherwise, you cannot tell just by appearance or look, because the Gothic swords of contemporary Europe were largely made using the same methods and with similar characteristics.
When and, more specifically, where in Hungary could they have been made?
I am not sure they were made in Hungary at all; they may originate from the territory of the Holy Roman Empire, which was famous for weapon manufacturing in the Middle Ages.
What could the largest one have been used for? It was practically impossible to fight with it; that’s almost certain.
Yes, the middle sword, which according to the description is 270 cm long, is already too large to be used practically. This does not preclude its use in case of necessity, but due to the immense weight caused by its size and the imbalance in weight distribution, it would actually be too slow to wield effectively in combat. The function of these swords, therefore, was not primarily military, but rather ceremonial and ritual; their main purpose was representation.
For instance, a wealthy baron’s immediate military retinue, his banderium, or possibly his familiaris [retainer] might have carried such a weapon to symbolise his lord’s power. We also find these in the royal court during the Middle Ages, where they were carried by the bodyguard as symbols of the ruler’s power. On occasions such as military parades, jousting tournaments, triumphal processions after victorious campaigns, diplomatic visits, banquets, and royal audiences – in short, there were many splendid celebrations and occasions back then when the king could represent the greatness of his power with these enormous, oversized swords, in addition to the regalia.
Obviously, it was more or less the same elsewhere in Europe.
This was not some Hungarian peculiarity; yes, it was a widespread practice everywhere during the heyday of chivalric culture. From Germany to the misty isles of Albion, we know numerous examples of these ceremonial swords. They were used with equal preference in the courts of high nobility and rulers in the 14th–15th centuries.
What design features can be observed on these swords from Hungary?
The double-edged specimen has a polygonal pommel; its crossguard is quite robust, widening towards the ends, with a latticed, pierced decoration in the shape of a Latin cross. On the extremely thick blade, near the crossguard, two parallel grooves transition into a single indentation at the centre of the blade – this part of the sword is called the fuller. This piece is rare even among ceremonial swords, as it weighs at least 7 kilograms.
Its somewhat smaller counterpart is kept in the British Royal Armouries, which was made in Passau, Germany, measuring 230 cm in length and weighing 6.5 kg. The lower weapon, however, is much smaller, and from this it can be seen that this was a two-handed battle sword intended for practical purposes. Its design is otherwise quite similar; its straight crossguard likewise widens towards the ends but is undecorated. The fuller on this one extends to the middle of the blade, and the pommel is a flattened disc shape.
King Edward III of England also had a two-handed sword of similar size. These swords were not carried traditionally in scabbards, but generally rested on the shoulder. The upper specimen is “only” about 2 metres long, and its blade is also much thinner. This was also intended for combat use. In early modern terminology, such heavy, long, two-handed swords were called two-handed pallos.
Why did these larger, heavier weapons become widespread in contemporary Europe?
In the 14th century, plate armour appeared, replacing mail armour, and precisely in response, weapons also became heavier. So, it wasn’t some kind of fashion; they were forged and used to be capable of piercing heavy armour. Ultimately, due to this competition between armour and offensive weapons, by the 15th century, they had become widespread across Europe.
However, two-handed swords were used not only in the Middle Ages but also in the 16th–17th centuries, even after the spread of firearms. At this time, the weapon type experienced a new golden age thanks to the German mercenaries, the Landsknechte, who sought fortune as military adventurers across Europe, some of whom specialised in two-handed swords reaching almost unbelievable lengths of 2 metres and weights of 6 kg.
The blades of these were often flamed, meaning they had a wavy edge. With the appropriate skill, such a weapon was reportedly effective even against the pikes, the prevalent polearms of the era. Another major advantage was that, precisely by exploiting its extreme size, it was effective against multiple opponents, i.e., against numerical superiority. In the early modern period, they frequently appeared on the battlefield as bodyguards to military leaders or as warriors guarding the army standard; due to their high combat value, they drew double the pay of an average infantryman.
Were all these characteristics of Hungary as well?
Here at home, two-handed swords are hardly found in Hungarian hands by the twilight of the Middle Ages; the sole exception consisted of the long two-handed swords used in castle warfare, employed for defending castle walls against enemy assaults, which in the terminology of the period were called bastion pallos. In open-field battles, however, Hungarians primarily used lighter weapons (mainly one-handed sabers) developed specifically for warfare against the Ottomans. If someone on the Hungarian theatre of war against the Ottoman Empire encountered a warrior wielding a two-handed sword, they could be certain they were seeing a German or Swiss mercenary. Such men frequently and in large numbers served in the German imperial auxiliary armies sent against the Ottomans, as well as among the defenders of the frontier castles.
Source: Szócsinné Vitéz Léber Ottilia
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