Famous Swords - Baptism

William IV, called Fierebrace (meaning "Iron Arm" or “Strong-o’-the-Arm”), was the Duke of Aquitaine and Count of Poitou in the late 10th century. His sword Baptism saw frequent use as William fought to protect his holdings - often against the counts of Anjou.

In 988, William went to war with his brother-in-law, Hugh Capet, the newly-elected king of France whom William refused to recognize. Capet renewed his claim on the great duchy of Aquitaine and invaded it that year. Capet’s royal army suffered defeat on the plain of the Loire Valley, where William sheltered the young Louis, son of Charles, the last legitimate Carolingian heir. William opened the palace of Poitiers to him and treated him as royalty, regarding him as the true heir to the French throne. William finally retired to a monastery, as his father had done, leaving his wife Emma to rule Aquitaine in the name of their son William until 1004.

Famous Swords: Cortana

Ogier the Dane, a legendary hero, was the son of Gudfred, king of Denmark. In La Chevalerie Ogier de Danemarche, Ogier had a son who was slain by Charlot, son of Charlemagne. Seeking revenge, Ogier sought out and slew Charlot, and was only barely prevented from killing Charlemagne himself. He resisted Charlemagne for seven years, but made peace with him in order to fight at Charlemagne's side against the Saracens. Legend has it that Ogier walked all the way from his final battle in France to the Castle Kronborg in Helsingør. Ogier is said to dwell in the castle, his beard grown down to the floor. He will awake when Denmark is in mortal danger, at which time he will rise up and deliver the nation.

An inscription on Ogier the Dane's sword Cortana read “My name is Cortana, of the same steel and temper as Joyeuse and Durendal.”

Famous Swords: Balisard

Ruggiero is a leading character in the Italian romantic epics Orlando Innamorato by Matteo Maria Boiardo and Orlando Furioso by Ludovico Ariosto. According to these epics, Ruggiero was the son of a Christian knight and a Saracen, and a descendant of Hector of Troy. Ruggiero took up his sword, Balisard, joined the Saracen army in its invasion of Europe, and fell in love with the female Christian knight Bradamante. Unfortunately, he was captured and held captive by the enchantress Alcina on her magical island until the good sorceress Melissa freed him. Ruggiero then rescued the princess Angelica who had been offered as a sacrifice to a water-dwelling orc. Finally, he was baptised into Christianity, and married Bradamante. Rodomonte, a Saracen king, appears at the wedding feast and accuses Ruggiero of betraying the Saracen cause. The two knights duel, and Ruggiero succeeds in killing Rodomonte.

Famous Swords: Durendal

Roland was a legendary figure in medieval Europe. He was popular amongst minstrels who turned his life into an epic tale of the noble Christian killed by Islamic forces. In French Medieval literature, Roland was the chief official in Charlemagne’s court, and may have been Charlemagne’s nephew. According to Ludovico Ariosto's poem, Orlando Furioso, Roland’s unbreakable sword Durendal (enchanted by various Christian relics) once belonged to Hector of Troy, and was given to Roland by Maugris.

The sword is said to contain within its hilt a tooth of Saint Peter, blood of Saint Basil, hair of Saint Denis, and a piece of holy clothing belonging to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In order to prevent it from being captured by the ambushing Saracens, Count Roland attempted to destroy the sword by beating it against rocks high in the mountains. Durendal proved indestructible, however, and he ended up cutting a narrow mountain pass in the Pyrenees now called La Brèche de Roland. When this attempt to destroy the sword failed, Roland hurled it into a poisoned stream.

Roland was later killed in the Battle of Roncevaux Pass, in 778, when the Basques ambushed Charlemagne’s war party returning from victory in Spain. Local folklore claims Durendal still exists, preserved in Rocamadour, France.

Famous Swords: Naegling

In the Old English epic poem by the same name, Beowulf, a hero of Geatland (what is now southern Sweden), battles three antagonists: Grendel, Grendel's mother and later in life (after returning to Geatland and becoming a king) a dragon. He is mortally wounded in the final battle, and after his death his body is returned to Geatland for burial.

Naegling is the name of one of the swords used by Beowulf, and the name may well stem from jeweled nails on its hilt. Beowulf wins the sword from a fight between the Geats and Frisians. The sword does not survive Beowulf's final encounter with the dragon, but instead snaps in two. An important note is that the sword breaks not because of the dragon's strength, but rather the force the hero himself puts behind it.

Famous Swords: Ascalon

In 303, the Roman Emporer Diocletian issued an edict authorizing the systematic persecution of Christians across the Empire. Count George, a member of Diocletian’s personal guard, was ordered to participate in the persecution but instead confessed to being a Christian himself and criticized the imperial decision. An enraged Diocletian ordered his torture and subsequent execution. After his death, George was venerated by Christians as a martyr of the faith. By the fifth century the cult of Saint George had reached the Western Roman Empire, and in 494, George was canonized as a saint by Pope Gelasius I.

The episode of St George and the Dragon was a legend brought back with the Crusaders and retold in the Romance genre. The sword with which St George slew the dragon was called Ascalon, named after the city of Ashkelon in Israel. In the fully-developed Western version, a dragon makes its nest at the spring that provides water for the city of "Silene" (perhaps modern Cyrene) in Libya. In order to collect water, the citizens have to dislodge the dragon from its nest for a time. To do this, they offer the dragon a daily human sacrifice (the victim is chosen by drawing lots) and one day, this happened to be the princess. She begs for her life, but to no avail. She is offered to the dragon just as St George is passing through on his travels. He faces the dragon, slays it and rescues the princess. The grateful citizens abandon their ancestral paganism and convert to Christianity.

Famous Swords: Angervadil

Frithiof is the main character of a legendary saga from Iceland that dates to c.1300. Frithiof “the bold” was the son of King Thorstein and the bravest among men. He had been raised together with a girl name Ingeborg by their foster-father Hilding. Both Frithiof’s and Ingeborg’s paternal fathers die in war, and Ingeborg’s two brothers (now kings) become jealous with Frithiof's excellent qualities. They deny him Ingeborg's hand and take her to another kingdom. Still, Frithiof visits Ingeborg and they continue to love each other.

The two evil brothers then send Frithiof away to another kingdom to take tribute. While he is away, they burn down his homestead and marry Ingeborg to an older king named Ring. When Frithiof returns with the tribute and learns about what has transpired, he leaves the country and becomes a Viking. After three years he returns, and spends a winter with the dying king Ring. Ring appoints Frithiof earl and makes him the care-taker of his child with Ingeborg. After Ring dies, Frithiof and Ingeborg marry and he becomes the king of Ringerike. He then declares war on Ingeborg's brothers, killing one of them with his sword, Angervadil, and making the second one his vassal.

Famous Swords: Arondight

In the Arthurian legend, Sir Lancelot is one of the Knights of the Round Table. In most of the French romances and works, he is characterized as the greatest and most trusted of Arthur's knights, and plays a part in many of Arthur's victories – but Arthur's eventual downfall is also brought about in part by Lancelot, whose affair with Arthur's wife Guinevere destroys the unity of Arthur's court. Sir Lancelot named his legendary sword Arondight.

Famous Swords: Crocea Mors

According to the legends presented by Geoffrey of Monmouth, Julius Caesar’s sword was given the name Crocea Mors (Latin for "Yellow Death"). The British prince Nennius acquired the sword when, during hand-to-hand combat with Caesar, it became lodged in his shield.

The sword killed everyone Nennius struck with it. Nennius died fifteen days after the battle from a head wound inflicted by Caesar, and the sword was buried with him.

Famous Swords: Gram

In Norse mythology, Sigurd is the central character in the Völsunga saga. Sigurd's sword, Gram, was originally forged by Weyland the Smith for Sigurd's father, Sigmund, who received it in the hall of the Volsung after pulling it out of a log into which the god Odin had stuck it—nobody else could pull it out.

By the time Sigurd received his father's sword it was in pieces. He asked his stepfather Regin (a gifted smither) to reforge it, and the resulting sword was so powerful it clove an anvil in half. Regin then sent Sigurd to kill the dragon Fafnir and recover the treasure that was stolen from Regin's father. Sigurd kills the dragon by digging a pit under a trail that leads to a stream and plunging his sword into the dragon’s heart. Regin, however, corrupted by the cursed gold, plans to kill Sigurd and take the treasure for himself. Sigurd learns of this plot and ends up killing Regin.

Famous Swords: Morglay

Sir Bevis of Hampton was a real Anglo-Saxon hero whose strange adventures were told all over England. The famous sword, Morglay, with which he won so many battles, is still kept as a relic in Arundel Castle. He was one of the first to fight against the new forces from Europe that were trying to conquer England.

Morglay, the magic sword that could never be broken, was given to him by Josian, a princess and childhood friend of Bevis whom he later marries. You can click here to read the complete tale of Sir Bevis.

Famous Swords: Greysteel

Greysteel was a sword carried by a Norse hero named Koll the Thrall. Koll was once a slave of a Norse King named Alrek. On a trip to Sogn, Koll spotted a girl brewing ale and told King Alrek of her beauty. The king met the girl, and they were wed the same year. To reward Koll, King Alrek made him an earl and gave him a residence south of the Hard Sea.

Later, Koll and another earl named Gunnvald both asked to marry the same woman, and Gunnvald was granted her hand. After that, Koll secretly took a great army to Stord, and they set fire to Gunnvald’s house. Gunnvald came out and was killed. His foster son, King Josur, showed up with an army to avenge Gunnvald’s death, and when Koll saw his sails, he ran to his warships. They fought, and both King Alrek and Koll fell to King Josur along with the better part of their army.

Famous Swords: Curtana

Saint Edward the Confessor, son of Ethelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, was the last King of England from the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 until his death in 1066. Edward was canonised in 1161 and is considered a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, which regards Edward the Confessor as the patron saint of kings, difficult marriages, and separated spouses. Curtana was the name of his sword.

According to the mythological history of Curtana, its tip was broken off by an angel to prevent a wrongful killing. A more recent Curtana, or "Sword of Mercy", is believed to have been made for the coronation of Charles I of England and is included in the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. The blade is cut off short and square, indicating the mercy of the sovereign. It is used in cermonies to bestow knighthood, and is among the five swords used at coronation ceremonies.

Famous Swords: Zulfiqar

Ali ibn Abi Talib was the cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad and was raised in his household. When Muhammad reported that he had received a divine revelation, Ali, then only about nine or ten years old, believed him and professed Islam. He was the first male to accept Islam. For the ten years that Muhammad led the community in Medina, Ali was extremely active in his service, leading parties of warriors on battles, and carrying messages and orders. Muslims greatly respect Ali for his knowledge, belief, honesty, his unbending devotion to Islam, his deep loyalty to Muhammad, his equal treatment of all Muslims and his generosity in forgiving his defeated enemies.

By most accounts, Muhammad presented Zulfiqar to a young Ali at the Battle of Uhud. During the battle, Ali struck one of the fiercest adversaries, breaking both his helmet and his shield. Seeing this, Muhammad was reported to have said "La fatà illa Ali, la saif illa Zulfiqar" meaning "There is no hero but Ali, and no sword except Zulfiqar". This is widely engraved on weapons and has become a battle cry for some Muslims.

Famous Swords: Joyeuse

Charlemagne is not only regarded as the founding father of both French and German monarchies, but as the father of Europe: his empire united most of Western Europe for the first time since the Romans. Charlemagne was engaged in almost constant battle throughout his reign, often at the head of his elite bodyguard squadrons, with his legendary sword Joyeuse in hand.

The name of Charlemagne's sword, Joyeuse, translates as "joyful." Some legends claim that it was forged to contain the Lance of Longinus within its pommel - others state it was supposedly smithed from the same materials as Roland's Durendal and Ogier's Cortana.

Famous Swords: Tizona

Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, known as El Cid Campeador, was a Castilian nobleman in medieval Spain who became the chief general of Alfonso VI, fighting against the Moors in the early Reconquista. Later exiled by the king, El Cid left service in Castile and worked as a mercenary for other rulers, both Muslim and Christian, earning tremendous respect and esteem from both.

Tizona was taken in battle from a Moorish chief named Malik Bucar, and became the sword carried by El Cid while fighting the Moors in Spain. It is now one of Spain's most cherished relics and can be found at the Museo del Ejército (Army Museum) in Madrid. The sword carries two inscriptions: “IO SOI TISONA FUE FECHA EN LA ERA DE MILE QUARENTA” (In medieval Castilian: I am Tisona, made in the year 1002”) and “AVE MARIA – GRATIA PLENA – DOMINICUS TECUM” (In Latin: Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with you.)

Famous Swords: Excalibur

I've decided to begin a new installment of blogs, entitled "Famous Swords". These blogs will reference facts and myths about the blades and their respective owners. I've tried to keep the narratives short and to the point (HAHA) for the benefit of those not inclined to reading lengthy accounts of history (like my wife). And if this series follows the path of my "Punctuation Marks" series, it will be short-lived and incomplete. Enjoy!

Where else could we begin? The legends of King Arthur include his establishment as England's king through the sword in the stone episode, the advice of the wizard Merlin, the castle Camelot, the institution of the fellowship of the Round Table, the quest for the Holy Grail and numerous magical adventures.

There are two originally separate legends about the sword's origin. The first is the “Sword in the Stone” tale, in which Excalibur can only be drawn from the stone by Arthur, the rightful king. In the second, Arthur draws a separate sword from the stone, and instead receives Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake after breaking his first sword in a fight with King Pellinore. The Lady of the Lake calls the sword “Excalibur” and Arthur takes it from a hand rising out of the lake. On his deathbed, he asks Sir Bedivere to throw Excalibur back into the lake. Before the sword strikes the water's surface, a hand reaches up to grasp it and pulls it under.