Kampilan, the sword that ‘killed’ Magellan, was featured on History Channel’s bladesmiths reality contest.
We all know that Ferdinand Magellan was killed in the Philippines but only few people know what type of sword ended his life.
The sword is called Kampilan and it was featured in one of History Channel’s reality contest “Forged in Fire”, a reality contest for bladesmiths.
Kampilan is a single-edged long sword which was used by various ethnic groups in the Philippines in the early centuries.
With its size of 36 to 40 inches long, Kampilan is a much larger swords compared to other Filipino swords and it is thought to be the longest one.
The handle of Kampilan, which is called the hilt, is made of hardwood and is longer compared to other swords in order to counterbalance the weight and length of the blade.
The design of the hilt is relatively consistent with the blade, making it an effective combat weapon for fighting.
This was the weapon used by Filipino hero Lapu-Lapu and his warriors to defeat the Spaniards and kill Magellan at the Battle of Mactan on April 27, 1521.
“Forged in Fire” features Kampilan as the final stage of the four bladesmiths in the show as they must recreate this “fearsome battle weapon” to win the competition. (Source: History Channel/ Photo credit: Swords and Antique Weapons for Sale)
