The sabre or saber (see spelling differences) is a kind of backsword that usually but not always has a curved, single-edged blade and a rather large hand guard, covering the knuckles of the hand as well as the thumb and forefinger. Although sabres are typically thought of as curved-bladed slashing weapons, those used by the world's heavy cavalry often had straight and even double-edged blades more suitable for thrusting. The length of sabres varied, and most were carried in a scabbard hanging from a shoulder belt known as a baldric or from a waist-mounted sword belt. Exceptions not intended for personal carry include the famed Patton saber adopted by the United States Army in 1913 and always mounted to the cavalryman's saddle.

Etymology

The English word sabre derives from the French sabre, which comes in turn from the Magyar Szablya and Polish "Szabla", originally a Hungarian/Magyar verb for "to cut down". It is akin to the Russian sablya, and describes a similar weapon, but the exact relationship is obscure.

Origins of the weapon

The origins of the sabre in its modern form are somewhat unclear, and it may come from such Medieval European designs as the falchion, or the scimitar used by such Central Asian cavalry as the Turks and Mongols. The sabre first appeared in Europe with the arrival of the Hungarians (Magyars) in the 10th century. The original type of Polish sabre was the Karabela. The name was derived from the Turkish words Kara, meaning dark, and bela, meaning curse. The Karabela was worn by the Polish, Lithuanian, and Ukrainian nobility class, the Szlachta. Originally, the sabre was used as a cavalry weapon, but it gradually came to replace the various straight bladed cutting sword types on the battlefield. As time went on, sabres became insignia of rank in many armies, and dress use of sabres continues to this day in some armed services around the world.

Use

In the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (16–18th century) a specific type of sabre-like melee weapon, the szabla, was used. The Don Cossacks used the shashka, which also saw military and police use in the Russian Empire and early Soviet Union.

During the 19th and in the early 20th century, sabres were also used by both mounted and dismounted personnel in some European police forces. When the sabre was used by mounted police against crowds, the results could be appalling, as in a key scene in Doctor Zhivago. The sabre was later phased out in favour of the baton (or night stick) for both practical and humanitarian reasons.