Thomas Del Mar - Arms & Armour

192
A FINE GERMAN ETCHED HALBERD OF THE GUARD OF
THE EMPEROR FERDINAND I, CIRCA 1558-1564
with tapering central blade formed with a medial ridge,
crescentic axe-blade, and flat rear fluke cut with a series of
notches, both sides etched with a pattern of scrolling leafy
tendrils on a matted granular ground, the axe blade
charged with the fire steels and ragged crossed staves of
Burgundy impaling a coronet and dividing the cypher FAR,
tapering socket extending to a pair of straps, on a wooden
haft, with an additional pair of side-straps (cleaned, small
areas of pitting)
57cm; 22Iin head
Ferdinand I was born in Madrid on the 10th March 1503,
the younger brother of the Emperor Charles V. In 1526 he
was elected King of Bohemia following the defeat of
Suleyman the Magnificent. In 1529 his forces successfully
repelled the assault of Suleyman at the first siege of
Vienna. In 1531 he was elected King of the Romans, making
him the designated heir of his brother. This continued the
process which would eventually convert the crowns of
Bohemia and Hungary into the hereditary possession of the
Habsburgs. In 1538 Ferdinand succeeded to the crown of
Hungary from Prince John Zepolya by the treaty of
Nagyverad/Grosswardein. In 1556 Charles V resigned the
empire to him though Pope Paul IV refused to acknowledge
Ferdinand. On March 14th 1558 Ferdinand assumed the title
Holy Roman Emperor without being crowned by the Pope.
A number of halberds from this group dated 1558 are
preserved in the Vienna Town Arsenal, See L. Gratz 1977,
pp. 144-45, nos. 580-583. Another was sold in these rooms,
7th December 2006, lot 225 (£8400, including premium)
£4000-6000
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