The French M1840 was the first bayonet to sport a yataghan blade. The Yataghan is a Turkish sword design whose blade has a graceful double-bend that adds strength and rigidity, while keeping the grip and point in direct alignment for maximum thrusting efficiency. This was a hugely influential innovation that would become the dominant sword bayonet blade style used for the remainder of the 19th Century. The following picture is a French M1866 bayonet for the 11 mm. Chassepot needle-fire rifle. This example was made in 1867.