"Excalibur is the sword of the legendary King Arthur, sung by troubadours and minstrels, who ruled England in those glorious times, when worthy knights sat in their places at the Round Table, raising their cups for the health of His Majesty and final victory over evil."
Most likely, the origin of the word is Celtic. In chivalric romances it is also mentioned under the names Mirandoisa And Chastefol. Likely, original title Caliburn, and the particle “Ex-” was added later. Archaeological finds large quantity swords Dark Ages in European reservoirs suggest the existence of a custom of drowning weapons after the death of a warrior.
King Arthur obtained this sword with the assistance of the wizard Merlin - it was held over the waters by a mysterious hand (the hand of the Lady of the Lake) - after he lost his sword in a duel with Sir Pellinore.
One day, Arthur's sister, the fairy Morgana, persuaded her lover Sir Accolon to kill the king. To make his task easier, she stole Excalibur, as well as its sheath, which was magical and contributed to the healing of wounds. But Arthur was able to defeat the enemy with conventional weapons.
After last battle Arthur, when the king felt that he was dying, he asked the last of the surviving knights Round Table, Sir Bedivere (or Griflet), throw the sword into the nearest body of water - return it to the Lady of the Lake. Only after making sure that this was done did Arthur die peacefully.
According to one legend, Excalibur was forged by the blacksmith god Volund. According to another, it was forged on Avalon. In some early texts, it belonged to Gawain before falling into Arthur's hands.
In Wales, this sword is called Caledfwlch, which is made up of two words called (battle) and bwlch (breach - to break). This variant appears in early Welsh tales such as Preiddeu Annwfn and Culhwch and Olwen. It is also believed that Caledfwlch comes from the name of the legendary sword from Irish mythology - Caladbolg.
Later, Geoffrey of Monmouth used the Latin version - Caliburnus or Caliburn. It is believed that this version of the name comes from Latin word"chalybs" (steel) and names Sarmatian tribe Khalibs (kalybes), whose main occupation was blacksmithing.
When did the legends of King Arthur come into being? French literature First the Escalibor variant appeared, then Excalibor and, finally, the familiar one, Excalibur.
Ser Knowles, in the story of King Arthur's battle with the knights who rebelled against him, gives the following description of the sword: “...he raised his sword, Excalibur, which he had obtained with the help of Merlin from the Lady of the Lake and which shone brightly like the light of thirty torches, blinding him enemies."
And in the episode with Sir Badiver, it is said that the hilt of the sword was decorated with beautiful expensive stones. According to other sources, there were two dragons on the hilt, whose eyes released fire or, according to another version, had the power to calm enemies. It was decorated with hyacinths (garnets), topazes and diamonds. Also, in addition to the inscription mentioned by Thomas Bulfinch, the legends mention two more that were located on different sides sword: “take me” and “throw me away” or “one side to conquer” and “the other side to protect.”
According to Geoffrey of Monmouth in his History of the Britons, Excalibur was made on the island of Avalon.
Thomas Bulfinch gives the following version of how King Arthur got his hands on Excalibur. According to it, Bishop Bryce on Christmas Eve asked the nobility to pray for the sending of a sign through which Divine Providence would indicate the future sovereign. After this, a stone was discovered in front of the church doors, into which a sword had been stuck. On the hilt of the sword was written: “Excalibur, I am worthy of the reliable hand of a king.”
Bishop Bryce thanked the Almighty and proposed that the one who pulls the sword from the stone be considered king of the Britons. The proposal met with universal approval. Many tried their hand, but no one managed to pull out the sword. Meanwhile, Trinity arrived and the best knights of the kingdom gathered for the tournament. Sir Kay was also there, under whom Arthur, his half-brother, served as squire. In one of the fights, Sir Kai broke his sword and sent Arthur to his mother for a new one, but she was not at home. Then Arthur, seeing the sword in front of the church, easily pulled it out and gave it to the owner. Sir Kai wanted to take advantage of the wonderful weapon and take the place of the king. But then, to check, the sword was re-stabbed into the stone and no one except Arthur could pull it out. After this, Arthur was recognized as king and his coronation was organized.
The story told by Sir Knowles is somewhat different in this regard. In accordance with her, Merlin came to Bryce, Bishop of Canterbury, and advised him to call all the earls, barons, knights and men in arms to London before Christmas so that they could know the will of Heaven about who should become king. The Archbishop agreed and on the eve of Christmas all the most noble princes, lords and barons met. They prayed for a long time in St. Paul's Church and the bishop asked for a sign that would indicate the true king. And while they were praying in the church courtyard, a huge square stone appeared right in front of the entrance with a sword stuck in its center. On the sword was written in gold letters: “Whoever draws the sword from this stone is born the rightful king of Britain.” When the mass was over, everyone came out to look at the stone and were greatly surprised. Many tried to pull out the sword, but no one even managed to move it. When everyone despaired, the archbishop declared that the one who was able to pull out the sword was not among those present, and that it was necessary to send out a cry throughout the country to find him. Ten knights were chosen to guard the stone, and an announcement was sent throughout the country that anyone could come and try to pull out the sword. Many came, but no one pulled out a sword even by a hair's breadth. On New Year's Eve a big tournament took place in London. His idea belonged to the archbishop, who sought to bring the nobles closer together so that they would not move away from each other and would be united in the face of danger and difficulties. Among others, Sir Ector, who had large estates in the vicinity of London, arrived at this tournament. With him was his son Sir Caius, recently knighted, and young Arthur. But when the time came for the fights, Kai discovered that he did not have a sword, and asked Arthur to go back to his father's house. But when Arthur arrived there, he found the house empty and closed, because the weight had gone to the tournament. Then, angry, Arthur said: “I will go to the churchyard and take with me this sword stuck in the stone, because my brother must not be without a sword today.” He arrived at the church and entered a pavilion built around a stone. There were no knights who were supposed to guard him - everyone was at the tournament. Arthur easily pulled out the sword and gave it to his brother. But when Sir Kai saw him, he recognized the sword made of stone and immediately went to his father and told him that he must now become king. But to confirm this, they went to the churchyard, where Sir Kai was asked to tell how exactly he pulled out the sword and Sir Kai repented of lying and said that his brother brought him the sword. After this, Arthur told his story. Sir Ector, not believing, ordered the sword to be thrust into the stone again. Arthur did this, and no one but him could pull the sword back. Then Sir Ector and Sir Caius fell on their knees before Arthur and recognized him as king. Arthur protested, saying that his father and brother should not kneel before him, and then Sir Ector told him the truth about his origins and that Arthur was not his own son.
In the same work of Thomas Bulfinch we find the story of Arthur's second sword, which is also considered to be Excalibur. One day, after a battle with a knight who blocked his path, King Arthur was left without a sword, which was broken in this fight. After this, the king turned to Merlin and said that he now had no weapons. To this Merlin replied that there was a sword nearby that would become Arthur's sword. They reached a wide and deep lake, in the middle of which Arthur noticed a hand in white brocade, clutching a beautiful sword in its palm. Merlin said that this was the same sword and that it belonged to the Lady of the Lake. If she allows, then Arthur will be able to take it, but if not, then no force will be able to take possession of this sword. After this, they got off their horses, got into the boat and drove out to the middle of the lake. Arthur grabbed the hilt and pulled the sword towards himself, and the hand holding it immediately went under the water.
Sir Knowles tells the story differently. According to his version, the knights and barons who wanted to excommunicate Arthur from the crown met together and went to the coronation feast in Caerleon, as if to honor Arthur, and they sat with everyone at the royal feast.
But when, after the banquet, Arthur, according to the old royal tradition, began to distribute lands to whomever he wished, they stood up and rejected his gifts with contempt, shouting that they would not accept anything from a snotty boy of unknown origin, but were ready to bring him an offering in the form of blows sword between the neck and shoulders. There was confusion in the hall, and everyone was ready for battle. But Arthur jumped up from his seat, like a flame of fire against them, and all his knights and barons drew their swords. A battle began in which the rebels were driven first from the palace and then from the city. The gates were closed behind the rebels, and King Arthur, in his zeal and rage, broke his sword about them...
After this, the rebels established a camp near Caerleon. Merlin tried to reason with them by telling them about Arthur's royal origins. Some listened to him, others did not... Arthur and the archbishop also spoke with the rebel kings, but in vain.
After everything, Arthur said to Merlin: “I need a sword that can severely punish these rebels.” “Come with me,” Merlin replied. “There is a sword nearby that I can get for you.” And they set out at night and rode until they reached a beautiful and wide lake, in the middle of which Arthur saw a hand in white brocade holding a huge sword. “Get out!” There’s the sword I told you about!” - said Merlin. Then they saw a girl floating on the lake in the moonlight. “Who is this girl?” - asked Arthur. Merlin said that this is the Lady of the Lake, who lives in a beautiful castle on the mountain, and to take the sword, her permission will be required. Meanwhile, the maiden swam up to King Arthur and greeted him, and he greeted her. Arthur said that he would like the sword that the hand holds in the middle of the lake to become his, since he does not have a sword. To which the Lady of the Lake said that if King Arthur gives what she asks, the sword will be his. The king agreed, saying that he would give anything. The Lady of the Lake agreed and told Arthur to get into the boat and take the sword and added that she would ask for her gift when the time came. Arthur and Merlin swam to the sword, Arthur took the sword, and the hand holding it sank under the water. After this, Arthur and Merlin returned to Caerleon....
Later, a maiden wearing a richly decorated cape appeared in Arthur's palace. When she threw it off, everyone saw the noble sword with which she was girded. When asked where she got this sword, she replied that this sword is a sign and she will not be able to take it off until she finds a knight full of faith, immaculate, truthful, strong body and having committed heroic deeds, incapable of cunning and betrayal, only he can pull it out of its scabbard. Ballin, who was at Arthur's court, turned out to be exactly that knight.
Meanwhile, a richly dressed lady arrived at Arthur's court on horseback, greeted Arthur and asked him for the gift he had promised her in exchange for Excalibur. Arthur promised to give everything that his power would allow. Then she asked for the head of Ballin, or the head of the maiden who came with the sword, or the heads of both of them, because Ballin had killed her brother, and the maiden had caused the death of her father. But Arthur refused and suggested that she ask for another gift. The Lady of the Lake insisted. And then Ballin appeared in the hall. Seeing the Lady of the Lake, Ballin recognized her as the killer of his mother, whom he had been searching for for three years without success. And when he was told that the Lady of the Lake demanded his head, Ballin drew his sword and beheaded her. Arthur was angry and demanded an explanation. After all, he owed a lot to the Lady of the Lake and as his guest, she was under his royal protection. To this Ballin replied that this lady was a witch who had killed many, including his mother. Arthur did not punish Ballin for the crime committed at his court, but ordered him to leave. Ballin left, and ordered his squire to take the head of the witch to Northumberland, and he himself went in search of King Raines in order to die, kill him, or bring him captive to Arthur and thus earn his forgiveness. Looking ahead, let's say that the king forgave. But that's another story...
After the battle with Mordred, King Arthur lay unconscious for a long time, and when he came to his senses, he saw Sir Lucan dead and Sir Bedivere crying over the body of his brother. And the king said to Sir Badiver: “Stop crying... The Brotherhood of the Round Table is destroyed forever, and my kingdom, which I loved so much, is devastated by war. My time is running out quickly, take Excalibur, my good sword, go to that shore over there and throw it into the water. And give me your word that you will do so.” Bedivere did not immediately decide to part with the sword and returned to Arthur several times, because he did not see the benefit of throwing away such a good and richly decorated sword. He hid the sword in the reeds. And each time Arthur asked what he saw. Bediver replied that there was nothing but wind and waves. And Arthur understood that he was lying and sent him back. And here in last time Sir Badiver went to the edge of the water and threw the sword as far as possible. And then a hand stuck out of the water and caught the sword, swung it three times and disappeared. Badiver returned and told everything to the king.
This episode echoes the existing traditions of drowning weapons among the Celts. However, in such French works as Chrétien de Troyes" Perceval, Story of the Grail and Vulgate Lancelot Proper section, it is mentioned that Excalibur was also owned by Arthur's nephew and one of his best knights, Sir Gawain.
In addition, legends say that the dying Arthur was taken by boat, accompanied by three queens, to the island of Avalon, where he hoped to heal his wounds among the elves. And what’s more, Arthur promised to return.
In this regard, one old Welsh tale is very curious, which talks about King Arthur’s cave filled with treasures, where knights sat at the table, girded with swords and in armor. And at their head was the king. They were just sleeping, waiting in the wings... Who knows, maybe Arthur got his sword back, or maybe someone will someday find it among the blades being pulled out from the bottom of European lakes these days.
Excalibur is credited with magical powers and is also associated with the rightful sovereignty of Britain. Caladbolg, from which it is believed to have originated, was the lightning sword of the legendary Irish hero Fergus mac Roich and was famous for its extraordinary strength. The same properties are attributed to Excalibur - Arthur’s sword shone, blinding enemies with its light. Geoffrey of Monmouth writes that Arthur defeated enemies with one blow, and during the battle with the Saxons he single-handedly destroyed 470 enemy warriors with the sword Caliburn. Arthur also pierced the helmet with one blow and cut Flollon’s head in two.
The scabbard of Excalibur, according to legend, has own strength. For example, they protected the owner from death from blood loss. In some legends, wounds stopped bleeding altogether if the sheath remained on the body.
It should be noted that in the legends of King Arthur and his knights, pagan beliefs are mixed with the Christian religion. So the king never went into battle without calling on the Mother of God for help, and part of the mighty power of his weapon was granted to him through prayers to the Almighty.
Excalibur is the sword of King Arthur, which was often attributed amazing and magical properties. Today we will tell the legend about him in the words of Thomas Malory, author of the famous "Le Morte d'Arthur".
“... And so, in the greatest of the churches of London - whether it was St. Paul's Cathedral, the French Book does not say - long before daylight, all the classes of the kingdom gathered to pray. And when matins and early mass had departed, suddenly people saw in the courtyard of the temple opposite the main altar big stone about four corners, like a marble tombstone, in the middle on it there is like a steel anvil a foot high, and under it there is a wonderful naked sword and around it there are golden inscriptions: “Whoever pulls this sword out from under the anvil is, by right of birth, the king over all over the land of England."
the people were surprised and told the archbishop about it..." "...Then they [the people] went to the archbishop and told him how the sword was drawn and by whom. And on the day of the Epiphany, all the barons gathered there to once again try, whoever wished, to pull out the sword, and in the face of them all, only Arthur managed to pull it out. Many lords here became angry and said that it would be a great shame for them and the whole kingdom if they were ruled by a thin youth. And such a discord flared up here that it was decided to postpone the matter until the Presentation of the Lord, and then all the barons would gather again, until that time they sent ten knights to guard the sword day and night, pitched a tent over the stone and the sword, and five of them stood guard...” incidentally, who was Thomas Malory, the author of the book from which the above quote is taken.
He was a 16th-century knight who was imprisoned for robbery in New Gate Prison in London. Fortunately, he was given the opportunity to study there literary activity. He called his famous work “Le Mort D’Arthure” (“The Death of Arthur”) “A Brief Excerpt from the French Book,” although, in fact, it was not a translation, but a retelling of foreign and local literary works. A prisoner of New Gate, he was able to visit the nearby library of the monastery of the Order of St. Francis. It is assumed that the total volume literary sources Malory's works - mostly in poetry, by the way - are five times larger than the volume of the book he himself wrote.
His sources almost certainly included Chretien de Troyes, French poet 12th century, and Geoffrey of Monmouth, author of the History of the Britons and the Life of Merlin, also dated 12th century. Note: Geoffrey does not have a legend about the sword in the stone (at least in the edition to which the link is given), but Chrétien de Troyes does. This can be quite significant, with geographical point vision. Be that as it may, until now the prevailing idea was Celtic origin legends about a sword stuck in a stone (or, according to Malory, under an anvil standing on a stone).
Legendary sword in the stone, which is often associated with the legend of King Arthur, exists. It is not located in some Avalon, of course, but in Italy. It can be seen in the Montesiepi Chapel, near Saint Galgano Abbey in Chiusdino, in Tuscany. The story is like this. Thirty kilometers southeast of Siena stands the dilapidated Abbey of San Galgano, which once belonged to the Cistercian Order (an order adjacent to the Benedictines). This abbey was built just in the 12th century, in honor of the memory of the saint, who in the world bore the name Galgano Guidotti. This Guidotti led a very dissolute lifestyle, was arrogant, voluptuous and prone to all sorts of violent atrocities. But one day he had a vision of the Archangel Michael, and Guidotti, abandoning everything, became a hermit, and after his death - in 1181 - he was canonized.
It is said of him that, as a sign of his renunciation of peace - and war - Guidotti plunged his sword into a stone, which “givered like butter.” As a result, only the handle and three or four centimeters of the blade stick out from the stone, forming a cross. According to legend, after Galgano's death, countless people tried to steal the sword. The chapel also contains the mummified hands of one of the thieves, which remained after he was attacked by a pack of wolves, who, according to legend, were also guarding the sword. Medieval historian Mario Moiraghi believes that it was this legend that formed the basis of the Arthurian cycle. This is indirectly supported by the estimated time of appearance of the works that formed the basis for later retellings of the Arthurian plot. Chrétien de Troyes wrote his poem Perceval, which tells the story of the sword in the stone in 1190. Between 1210 and 1220, a German version of the Holy Grail myth (also a mandatory attribute of the Arthurian cycles) was created. And its author, Wolfram von Eschenbach, also focused his attention on Perceval (Parzival). As further evidence, Moiragi presents the testimony of Dionisa, the mother of Saint Galgano (or Galgania), before the council of cardinals who decided on the canonization of the deceased in 1190. According to Moiragi, Dionisa set out “all the main components of the myth of the Round Table”: a knight overcoming all obstacles on the way to his ideal, his search for the Holy Grail (however, in Galgano’s vision it was not the cup from which Christ drank at the Last Supper that appeared, but some text whose meaning he could not understand); and in the center of everything is the sword. “Knightly” stories brought by traders from Persia were very popular at this time in Italy, and especially in Tuscany. Moiragi also found an explanation of where the image of the “Round Table” came from, at which Arthur’s knights sat. The chapel was round, built around a sword in stone. A characteristic detail, by the way: Malory had a tent erected around the stone, where ten selected knights stood guard day and night.
According to Moiragi, more later authors they could change the name Galgano into Galvano - so, in the end, Gawain was born, the son of Morgause and Lot of Orkney, Arthur’s nephew and one of his best knights. In one of the stories, Gawain even acted as the envoy of the King of Britain to Rome. Galgano's sword was studied by specialists. Although the sword was considered a fake for many years, recent research has proven that the metal composition and style of the sword are entirely consistent with the period from 1100 to the early 1200s. This is indeed a metal sword, apparently forged precisely at the time when the legendary saint lived. Therefore, it appeared before Arthurian stories in the retelling of Chrétien de Troyes and others. But this does not mean that the Celts could not have similar stories. And finally: during the study of the Tuscan sword in the stone, it turned out that there was some kind of emptiness underneath it. Church authorities, however, have not yet given permission to move the stone, so scientists do not know what the sword in the stone hides underneath. Nowadays, it is kept under protective glass, still in stone, in the chapel and is available to everyone. By the way, while I was looking for information about this sword, I discovered another one:
“... And so, in the greatest of the churches of London - whether it was St. Paul's Cathedral, the French Book does not say - long before daylight, all the classes of the kingdom gathered to pray. And when matins and early mass had passed, suddenly people in the courtyard of the temple opposite the main altar saw a large stone with four corners, like a marble tombstone, in the middle on it there was like a steel anvil a foot high, and under it - a wonderful naked sword and around it golden writing : “Whoever pulls this sword out from under the anvil is, by right of birth, king over all the land of England.”
the people were surprised and told the archbishop about it..." "...Then they [the people] went to the archbishop and told him how the sword was drawn and by whom. And on the day of the Epiphany, all the barons gathered there to once again try, whoever wished, to pull out the sword, and in the face of them all, only Arthur managed to pull it out. Many lords here became angry and said that it would be a great shame for them and the whole kingdom if they were ruled by a thin youth. And such a discord flared up here that it was decided to postpone the matter until the Presentation of the Lord, and then all the barons would gather again, until that time they sent ten knights to guard the sword day and night, pitched a tent over the stone and the sword, and five of them stood guard...” incidentally, who was Thomas Malory, the author of the book from which the above quote is taken.
He was a 16th-century knight who was imprisoned for robbery in New Gate Prison in London. Fortunately, he was given the fortunate opportunity to engage in literary activities there. He called his famous work “Le Mort D’Arthure” (“The Death of Arthur”) “A Brief Excerpt from the French Book,” although, in fact, it was not a translation, but a retelling of foreign and local literary works. A prisoner of New Gate, he was able to visit the nearby library of the monastery of the Order of St. Francis. It is assumed that the total volume of Malory's literary sources - mostly poetic, by the way - is five times greater than the volume of the book he himself wrote.
His sources almost certainly included Chretien de Troyes, a 12th-century French poet, and Geoffrey of Monmouth, author of the History of the Britons and the Life of Merlin, also dating from the 12th century. Note: Geoffrey does not have a legend about the sword in the stone (at least in the edition to which the link is given), but Chrétien de Troyes does. This can be quite significant from a geographical point of view. Be that as it may, until now the prevailing idea was that the legend of the sword stuck in a stone (or, according to Malory, under an anvil standing on a stone) had a Celtic origin.
The legendary sword in the stone, often associated with the legend of King Arthur, exists. It is not located in some Avalon, of course, but in Italy. It can be seen in the Montesiepi Chapel, near Saint Galgano Abbey in Chiusdino, in Tuscany. The story is like this. Thirty kilometers southeast of Siena stands the dilapidated Abbey of San Galgano, which once belonged to the Cistercian Order (an order adjacent to the Benedictines). This abbey was built just in the 12th century, in honor of the memory of the saint, who in the world bore the name Galgano Guidotti. This Guidotti led a very dissolute lifestyle, was arrogant, voluptuous and prone to all sorts of violent atrocities. But one day he had a vision of the Archangel Michael, and Guidotti, abandoning everything, became a hermit, and after his death - in 1181 - he was canonized.
It is said of him that, as a sign of his renunciation of peace - and war - Guidotti plunged his sword into a stone, which “givered like butter.” As a result, only the handle and three or four centimeters of the blade stick out from the stone, forming a cross. According to legend, after Galgano's death, countless people tried to steal the sword. The chapel also contains the mummified hands of one of the thieves, which remained after he was attacked by a pack of wolves, who, according to legend, were also guarding the sword. Medieval historian Mario Moiraghi believes that it was this legend that formed the basis of the Arthurian cycle. This is indirectly supported by the estimated time of appearance of the works that formed the basis for later retellings of the Arthurian plot. Chrétien de Troyes wrote his poem Perceval, which tells the story of the sword in the stone in 1190. Between 1210 and 1220, a German version of the Holy Grail myth (also a mandatory attribute of the Arthurian cycles) was created. And its author, Wolfram von Eschenbach, also focused his attention on Perceval (Parzival). As further evidence, Moiragi presents the testimony of Dionisa, the mother of Saint Galgano (or Galgania), before the council of cardinals who decided on the canonization of the deceased in 1190. According to Moiragi, Dionisa set out “all the main components of the myth of the Round Table”: a knight overcoming all obstacles on the way to his ideal, his search for the Holy Grail (however, in Galgano’s vision it was not the cup from which Christ drank at the Last Supper that appeared, but some text whose meaning he could not understand); and in the center of everything is the sword. “Knightly” stories brought by traders from Persia were very popular at this time in Italy, and especially in Tuscany. Moiragi also found an explanation of where the image of the “Round Table” came from, at which Arthur’s knights sat. The chapel was round, built around a sword in stone. A characteristic detail, by the way: Malory had a tent erected around the stone, where ten selected knights stood guard day and night.
According to Moiraga, later authors could change the name Galgano into Galvano - so, in the end, Gawain was born, the son of Morgause and Lot of Orkney, Arthur's nephew and one of his best knights. In one of the stories, Gawain even acted as the envoy of the King of Britain to Rome. Galgano's sword was studied by specialists. Although the sword was considered a fake for many years, recent research has shown that the metal composition and style of the sword are entirely consistent with the period from 1100 to the early 1200s. This is indeed a metal sword, apparently forged precisely at the time when the legendary saint lived. Therefore, it appeared before Arthurian stories in the retelling of Chrétien de Troyes and others. But this does not mean that the Celts could not have similar stories. And finally: during the study of the Tuscan sword in the stone, it turned out that there was some kind of emptiness underneath it. Church authorities, however, have not yet given permission to move the stone, so scientists do not know what the sword in the stone hides underneath. Nowadays, it is kept under protective glass, still in stone, in the chapel and is available to everyone. By the way, while I was looking for information about this sword, I discovered another one:
Sword Excalibur is one of the most mysterious myths associated with King Arthur. Today we will talk about King Arthur and his glorious sword Excalibur.
The greatest Western European Legend, Historia Regum Britanniae, written about 1135 by Geoffrey de Monmouth in Latin and translated into Old French twenty years later by the Norman Robert Weiss, first mentions the magic sword of King Arthur under the name Caliburn.
Telling about historical battle at Badon, during which King Arthur successfully repelled the Saxon invasion, the author tells how Arthur, having overshadowed himself with a precious sword made on the sacred Celtic island of Avalon, rushed into the thick of the battle, striking his enemies with the first blow. Legend says that the king killed four hundred and seventy warriors with his only weapon - the sword Caliburn. This sword is credited with the magical properties of cutting the blades of other swords, while remaining unharmed and preserving its owner, who must have a pure heart.
Sword Excalibur.
The origin of the sword has two versions, which somewhat contradict each other.
According to the first version, it was made by the wizard Merlin, who, by the power of magic, enclosed it in a large stone and wrote on it that whoever could extract the sword from the stone would become the king of all Britain by right of birth.
How did Arthur get this sword?
His father, Uther Pendragon, whose surname translates as “dragon slayer,” was a just and wise king. Trying to get along with the gods and express their will on earth, the king kept with him advisor Merlin, wise man, who became famous for his ability to communicate with the Spirits of nature. No one knew where this Merlin came from under the king. They said that he was born on the mysterious island of Avalon, from where he came one day, but no one knew where this island was.
Merlin appeared unexpectedly in difficult times for the kingdom, and also unexpectedly disappeared when everything fell into place. On the night when King Uther's son Arthur was born, he suddenly came in flashes of lightning and asked to give him the boy. The king unquestioningly fulfilled Merlin's wishes, especially since the sage declared that it would be better for the kingdom. No one in the entire kingdom knew that the king had an heir. He disappeared along with Merlin.
About the subsequent fate young Arthur various legends they speak differently. One part of the legends claims that Arthur was raised by the knight Ector under the constant supervision of Merlin, and the second part says that Arthur lived for seventeen years with the sage Merlin himself on the island of Avalon.
King Uther never saw his heir again, and before his death he decided to entrust the fate of Britain to Merlin, to the only person, whom he trusted. Due to his foresight, Merlin leaves the decision on the fate of the future kingdom to the will of the gods, because he believed that the kingdom of Britain should be restored fair government and no man can decide who is just and who is not.
Merlin points to the stone in which the sword is hidden and waits for a sign from above that will indicate who will get the sword. Many knights tried their strength by trying to extract . But Merlin understood perfectly well that it was not a matter of physical strength, but in the strength of spirit, in the ability to live not for oneself, but for others.
A variety of knights tried to get the place of king for themselves. Arthur was also among them, but not as a knight, but as a page to his sworn brother Kay, who lost his sword through carelessness and asked Arthur to get him a new one. Without thinking twice, Arthur took out the magic stone and brought it to Kay to replace the lost one.
Kay immediately realized what opportunity fate was giving him, because this sword was impossible not to recognize. Without hesitation, he went with him to Merlin. But Merlin could not be fooled, and he ordered Kay to put the sword back into the stone and show all the people how he pulled it out of there. Kay had no choice but to tell the truth.
Thus, the ignorant and unaware page instantly becomes the king of Britain, who ruled justly and wisely, caring for the humiliated, the poor, the insulted and continuing the traditions of his father Uther.
The second version of the origin of the sword Excalibur tells that King Arthur received it one day from the fairy of a forest lake when he passed by it. He saw that a hand in a sleeve made of luxurious silk rose from the middle of the lake, clutching a wonderful sword, shining like hundreds of torches in the night. The Lady of the Lake approached Arthur on the water and explained to King Arthur that this was a magical one that was waiting for a worthy knight. Arthur expressed very craving master this sword and the Lady of the Lake allowed Arthur to take the sword and ordered him to take it out of its sheath only in right combat. She also said that the sword and scabbard should always be with Arthur, because the sword and scabbard are magical and can protect the king from wounds.
Various legends associate the sword Excalibur. According to some, this sword was stolen from the king and he was killed with it. According to others, the sword was always with Arthur and he returned it to the Maiden of the Lake before his death, when he suffered his first and only defeat. And supposedly the Maiden of the Lake took the dying king to the mythical island of Avalon, symbolizing the other world, where Arthur is still waiting for his return to Britain.
A sword is not just a weapon, it is a faithful amulet, the strength and glory of which is forged in battles. History has known many swords, among them special place occupied by legendary swords that raise the morale of entire nations.
Excalibur
Probably about legendary Excalibur Everyone heard King Arthur. It could not be broken, and the scabbard gave the owner invulnerability.
Excalibur's name probably comes from the Welsh "Caledwulch", which can be translated as "heavily striking". It is first mentioned in the Welsh epic Mabinogion (11th century). According to one version, the name comes from the Latin “chalybs” - steel, and the prefix “exc” meant enhanced properties.
According to one legend, Arthur pulled Excalibur from the stone, thereby proving his right to be king, but in most texts, he received it from the fairy of the lake after he broke his first sword. Before his death, he ordered it to be returned to its rightful owner, throwing it into the water.
There is definitely a historical prototype behind the myth of Excalibur, as well as behind the figure of King Arthur. Only this is not a specific weapon, but a tradition. For example, the custom of drowning weapons in Northern and Western Europe. Strabo describes such a ritual among the Celts in the vicinity of Toulouse, archaeological excavations in Thorsbjerg indicate the presence of such a tradition in Jutland (weapons date back to 60 - 200 AD).
Durendal
The sword of Charlemagne's nephew, who terrified his enemies, repeated the fate of Excalibur. According to the saga of Charlemagne, he was thrown into the lake after the death of his master Roland during the Battle of Roncesvalles (778). The later chivalric poem Roland the Furious states that part of it is still preserved in the wall of the French sanctuary of Rocamadour.
Its legendary properties were almost the same as those of Excalibur - it was unusually durable, and did not break even when Roland tried to break it against a rock before his death. Its name itself comes from the adjective “dur” - hard. Judging by the frequent mentions in sources about the breakage of swords, the quality of the steel was generally weak point medieval warriors.
If Excalibur special properties The scabbard was different, but for Durandal it was the hilt, where, according to the saga of Charlemagne, the holy relics were kept.
Shcherbets
The coronation sword of the Polish monarchs, Szczerbiec, according to legend, was given to Prince Borislav the Brave (995-1025) by an angel. And Borislav almost immediately managed to put a notch on it, hitting the Golden Gate of Kyiv. This is where the name “Shcherbets” came from. True, this event is unlikely, since Borislav’s campaign against Rus' took place before the actual construction of the Golden Gate in 1037. If only he managed to put a notch, encroaching on the wooden gates of Tsar Grad.
In general, the “Shcherbets” that has survived to this day, according to experts, was made in XII-XIII centuries. Perhaps the original sword disappeared along with the rest of Poland's treasures - the spear of St. Mauritius and the golden diadem of the German emperor Otto III.
Historical sources claim that the sword was used in coronations from 1320 to 1764, when the last one was crowned with it Polish king, Stanislaw August Poniatowski. After long wanderings from one collector to another, Szczerbiec returned to Poland in 1959. Today it can be seen in the Krakow Museum.
Sword of Saint Peter
The weapon of the Apostle Peter, with which he Garden of Gethsemane cut off the ear of the high priest's slave - Malchus, today is another ancient relic of Poland. In 968, Pope John XIII presented it to the Polish Bishop Jordan. Today the legendary blade, or its later version, is kept in the Archdiocese Museum in Poznan.
Naturally, there is no consensus among historians about the dating of the sword. Researchers from the Polish Army Museum in Warsaw claim that the sword could have been made in the 1st century AD, but most scholars consider the blade in Poznań to be a late fake. Experts Martin Glosek and Leszek Kaiser identify it as a copy of the first quarter of the 14th century. This hypothesis coincides with the fact that swords of a similar shape - falchions (a blade that flares towards the bottom with a one-sided sharpening) were common in the 14th century as an additional weapon for English archers.
Dovmont's sword
The relic of Pskov is the sword of the holy Pskov prince Dovmont (? -1299) - “a man of valor and impeccable honor.” It was under him that the city gained virtual independence from its older “brother” Novgorod. The prince led successful fight with his original homeland of Lithuania and the Livonian Order, more than once saving Pskov from the raids of the crusaders.
Dovmont's sword, with which he allegedly struck the master in the face Livonian Order, for a long time hung in the Pskov Cathedral over the prince's shrine. The inscription “I will not give my honor to anyone” was engraved on it. For the residents of the city, it became a real shrine, with which all new princes who entered the service of Pskov were blessed; Dovmont's sword was minted on Pskov coins.
To today the sword reached good condition. Even the wooden scabbard, covered with green velvet and bound one-third with silver, has been preserved. The length of the sword itself is about 0.9 m, the width of the crosshair is 25 cm. In shape it is a piercing-cutting blade triangular shape with a protruding rib in the middle. There is a mark at the top, which indicates that it was made in German city Passau. Obviously, it belonged to Dovmont during his life in Lithuania.
Dovmont's sword dates back to the 13th century. Today this is the only medieval sword in Russia, the “biography” of which is well known and confirmed by chronicle reports.
Kusanagi no Tsurugi
The Japanese katana "Kusanagi no Tsurugi" or "sword that cuts grass", according to legend, helped the first Japanese Emperor Jimmu conquer Japan. Not surprising, since it originally belonged to the wind god Susanno, brother of the sun goddess Amateratsu. He discovered it in the body of the monstrous dragon Yamata no Orochi, whom he had killed, and gave it to his sister. She, in turn, presented it to people as a sacred symbol.
Kusanagi was long a shrine at Isonokami-jingu Temple, where it was moved by Emperor Sujin. Currently, an iron sword is fixed in the temple. In 1878, during excavations, the blade of a large sword was found total length 120 cm. It is assumed that this is the legendary Kusanagi no Tsurugi.
Seven-pronged sword
Another national treasure of Japan is the seven-pronged sword Nanatsusaya-no-tachi. It is different from the country’s usual weapons rising sun, first of all, by its shape - it has six branches, and the seventh, obviously, was considered the tip of the blade.
It is not known for certain when it was made, but the main version dates it to the 4th century AD. According to the analysis, the sword was forged in the kingdom of Baekje or Silla (the territory of modern Korea). Judging by the inscriptions on the blade, it came to Japan through China - it was presented as a gift to one of the Chinese emperors. The Japanese epic says that it belonged to the semi-mythical Empress Jingu, who lived approximately 201-269.
