Mayan Civilization History could be Rewritten. Researchers have learned important details on discovery of a Giant Jade Pendant.

G. Braswell/UC San Diego

Researchers have just published a paper on one of the most fascinating and mysterious Maya discoveries in recent years - a huge jade pendant that has a detailed story about the king it was made for etched into its back.

First uncovered back in 2015, researchers have now tentatively translated the inscriptions, and it turns out it's even more unusual than originally thought, and could rewrite our current understanding of Maya history.

This type of T-shaped jade plate was worn on a king's chest during Maya religious ceremonies. At 19 cm (7.4 inches) wide, 10 cm (4.1 inches) high, and 0.8 cm (0.3 inches) thick, this is the second largest Maya jade ever found in Belize.

But it's also the first known to be inscribed with historical text - on the pendant's back, around 30 carved hieroglyphs reveal details about its first owner.

That's odd in itself, but the fact that such a huge and important pendant was discovered where it was is also unusual - the artefact was found in Nim Li Punit in southern Belize, a relatively isolated region at the time.

"It was like finding the Hope Diamond in Peoria instead of New York," said lead researcher Geoffrey Braswell from the University of California, San Diego.

"We would expect something like it in one of the big cities of the Maya world. Instead, here it was, far from the centre."

Nim Li Punit is a small site that sits near the modern-day town of Indian Creek, on a ridge in the Maya Mountains at the southeastern edge of the ancient Maya zone - it's more than 402 km (250 miles) south of Chichen Itza in Mexico, where similar but smaller breast pieces have been found.

It's believed that the village was inhabited by the Maya civilisation between 150 and 850 CE, and researchers have found several important remains in the site since it was rediscovered in the 1970s.

This pendant was discovered in the remains of a palace built around 400 CE, buried inside a collapsed tomb.

The tomb dates back to around 800 CE - towards the end of Maya civilisation in the village - and was surrounded by other artefacts, such as pottery vessels and a large stone that had been carved into the shape of a deity.

UC San Diego

 You can see the full inscription of 30 glyphs below:

UC San Diego

So what does the pendant tell us? The text is still in the process of being translated - something that's complicated by the fact that Mayan script hasn't been fully deciphered or agreed upon.

But according to the team's tentative translation so far, the artefact was made for the king Janaab' Ohl K'inich, and was first used in 672 CE as part of an incense-scattering ceremony.


The text then goes on to describe the king's parentage and accession rites - and ends with a passage that links the king to the powerful and immense Maya city of Caracol, which is located to the northeast of Nim Li Punit in modern-day Belize.

Google Maps

Even today, it's more than a 5-hour drive between the two sites, which are separated by a mountain range and dense forest, so past research hadn't considered a link between the sites.

"We didn't think we'd find royal, political connections to the north and the west of Nim Li Punit," said Braswell. "We thought if there were any at all that they'd be to the south and east."

Braswell thinks the pendant indicates that royalty arrived at Nim Li Punit around the time the pendant was used, founding a new dynasty.

This hypothesis is backed up by the fact that it's only after the pendant's arrival in the region that other hieroglyphs and images of royalty begin to show up around the site.

Still, this one pendant is far from conclusive evidence, and it's something Braswell and his team will now be investigating further.


There's a lot of research to be done to understand how this jade pendant fits in with Maya history, and what it can tell us about the final years before the fall of Nim Li Punit, but it's a fascinating mystery to explore further.

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• The Mysterious Manuscript: Book of Soyga Translated by Archangel Uriel on March 10, 1582

• Deciphering the past - 8 writings still unknown

• Mysterious inscriptions reveals a Dark Egypt during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses I

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The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Sciencealert . Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Love and marriage in medieval England

A medieval couple being married by a clergyman. Central miniature, folio 102v. Book IV by Henricus von Assia (13th century). Chapter Archive of Tarazona, Spain. (Photo by PHAS/UIG via Getty Images)

Getting married in the medieval period was incredibly simple for Christians living in western Europe – all they had to do was say their “I do’s” to each other. But, as Sally Dixon-Smith reveals, proving that you were actually married and had not tripped up on the many potential ‘impediments’ to marriage might be another thing altogether

Medieval marriage practice continues to influence ceremonies today – from banns the reading three times of your intention to marry to declaring vows in the present tense. Indeed, the word ‘wedding’ itself even dates from the period.  However, some things were very different…


In the Middle Ages, getting married was easy for Christians living in western Europe. According to the church, which created and enforced marriage law, couples didn’t need the permission of their families or a priest to officiate. However, while tying the knot could take a matter of moments, proving that you were wed often proved difficult. 

Although the church controlled – or tried to control – marriage, couples did not need to marry in a church. Legal records show people getting married on the road, down the pub, round at friends’ houses or even in bed. All that was required for a valid, binding marriage was the consent of the two people involved. In England some people did marry near churches to give greater spiritual weight to proceedings, often at the church door (leading to some rather fabulous church porches being added to earlier buildings), but this still did not necessarily involve a priest.  

Marriage was the only acceptable place for sex and as a result Christians were allowed to marry from puberty onwards, generally seen at the time as age 12 for women and 14 for men. Parental consent was not required. When this law finally changed in England in the 18th century, the old rules still applied in Scotland, making towns just over the border, such as Gretna Green, a destination for English couples defying their families. 


Although the medieval church upheld freely given consent as the foundation of marriage, in practice families and social networks usually had a great deal of influence over the choice and approval of marriage partners. It was also normal at all levels of society to make some ‘pre-nup’ arrangements to provide for widow- and widowerhood and for any children. It was also expected that everyone would seek the permission of their lord, and kings consulted over their own and their children’s marriages. Marriage between people of different classes was particularly frowned on. 

The wedding of saints Joachim and Anne, considered to be the parents of Mary, the mother of God. Codex of Predis (1476). (Photo by Prisma/UIG/Getty Images)

There were various ways in which a medieval couple could use words or actions to create a marriage. Consent to marry could be given verbally by ‘words of present consent’ – no specific phrase or formula was required. A ‘present consent’ marriage did not have to be consummated in order to count. However, if the couple had agreed to get married at some point in the future and then had sex, this was seen as a physical expression of present consent. 

So, for engaged couples, having sex created a legally binding marriage. Consent could also be shown by giving and receiving an item referred to English as a ‘wed’. A ‘wed’ could be any gift understood by those involved to mean consent to marry but was often a ring.  A ‘wedding’ where a man gave a woman a ring and she accepted it created the marriage. 

It is clear that there were misunderstandings. It could be difficult to know if a couple was married and they might even not agree themselves. The statutes issued by the English church in 1217–19 include a warning that no man should “place a ring of reeds or another material, vile or precious, on a young woman's hands in jest, so that he might more easily fornicate with them, lest, while he thinks himself to be joking, he pledge himself to the burdens of matrimony”. The vast majority of marriage cases that came up before the courts were to enforce or prove that a marriage had taken place.

Marriage mix-ups bothered the clergy since, after much debate, theologians had decided in the 12th century that marriage was a holy sacrament. The union of a man and a woman in marriage and sex represented the union of Christ and the church, and this was hardly symbolism to be taken lightly. 

As God was the ultimate witness, it was not necessary to have a marriage witnessed by other people – though it was highly recommended to avoid any uncertainty. There was also a church service available, but it was not mandatory and the evidence suggests that only a minority married in church. Many of those couples were already legally married by word or deed before they took their vows in front of a priest.  


Divorce as we understand it today did not exist. The only way to end a marriage was to prove it had not legally existed in the first place. Christians could only be married to one person at a time and it was also bigamy if someone bound to the church by a religious vow got married. As well as being single and vow-free, you also had to be marrying a fellow Christian. Breaking these rules automatically invalidated the marriage.

The marriage feast at Cana, early 14th century. Below, in an initial letter 'S', the throwing overboard and casting up of Jonah. From the Queen Mary Psalter, produced in England. Illustration from School of Illumination, reproductions from manuscripts in the British Museum, Part III, English 1300 to 1350, (British Museum, Longmans, Green and Co, London, 1921). (Photo by The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images)

There were also a number of other ‘impediments’ that should prevent a marriage going ahead, but might be waived in certain circumstances if the marriage had already taken place. Couples who were already related were not to marry. The definition of ‘family’ was very broad. Before 1215, anyone with a great-great-great-great-great-grandparent in common was too closely related to get married. As this rule was hard to enforce and subject to abuse – the sudden discovery of a long-lost relative might conveniently end a marriage – the definitions of incest were changed by the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215, reduced to having a great-great-grandparent in common. 

As well as blood kinship, other ties could also prohibit marriage. For instance, godparents and godchildren were not allowed to marry as they were spiritually related, and close ‘in-laws’ were also a ‘no-no’.

Reading the ‘banns’ was introduced as part of the 1215 changes to try to flush out any impediments before a marriage took place. Nevertheless, until the Reformation there was no ‘speak now or forever hold your peace’. 


It is difficult to know how many medieval people married for love or found love in their marriage. There was certainly a distinction between free consent to marry and having a completely free choice. What is clear is that the vast majority of medieval people did marry and usually remarried after they were widowed, suggesting that marriage was desirable, if only as the social norm.

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The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Historyextra . Note: Materials may be edited for content and lengt

Henry VIII: One of the most controversial figures in European history (Explosive anger, headaches, insomnia, memory problems, inability to control impulses, and even impotence)

Henry, c. 1531 photo: wikipedia

Updated 12/05/2020

He is one of the most controversial figures in European history, best remembered for executing two of his six wives and for breaking away from the Catholic Church in what became known as the Reformation. Now, a new study concluding that Henry VIII suffered brain damage caused by a jousting injury offers the strongest explanation of his erratic behaviour “short of miraculously finding his preserved brain in jar,” its lead author has claimed.

Henry VIII (1491-1547) - HistoryExtra

According to a team of US researchers led by Dr Arash Salardini, behavioural neurologist and co-director of the Yale Memory Clinic, the Tudor monarch may have suffered repeated traumatic brain injuries similar to those experienced by American Football players. This, researchers claim, would explain Henry’s explosive anger, headaches, insomnia, memory problems, inability to control impulses, and even impotence.

Published by Yale Memory Clinic, a memory and cognitive clinic at Yale School of Medicine, the study claims that “Henry suffered from many symptoms which can unambiguously be attributed to traumatic brain injury”.

Arash Salardini Yale School of Medicine - Yale University

In an interview with History Extra, Dr Salardini said: “I thought [Henry] was a man with personality disorder, possibly narcissistic with sociopathic tendencies who had some form of mood disorder later on his life and took it out on his subjects. That is not what I ended up finding.”

Dr Salardini said the researchers went into the study with an open mind, originally writing it as a case report exploring the probability of the various diseases that Henry might have suffered. However, Salardini and his team were surprised to find that “the picture was so consistent with the sequel of chronic concussion, intellectual honesty would dictate writing about traumatic brain injury in Henry.”

Taking a neurological, rather than a historical, approach, the researchers “gathered data about the patient and localised most of the symptoms to the frontosubcortical circuitry neural pathways that affect memory, organisation and behavioural control]and the pituitary the gland that controls hormones”.


From this “an anatomical and pathologically consistent medical timeline emerged which I think should be the strongest evidence in support of the concussion, short of miraculously finding [Henry VIII’s] preserved brain in a jar”, said Salardini.

King Henry VIII in a procession on his way to a tournament clad in armour and riding a horse, 1511. He is accompanied by courtiers who are holding the flaps of a tent so that the king can be seen. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

In the paper, researchers dismissed a number of theories that have been previously been put forward to explain Henry’s changed behaviour from 1536, after which time it is argued that Henry “became cruel, petty and tyrannical”. These include diabetes, hypothyroidism and psychosis – none of which, researchers claim, “can account for the whole picture”.

Instead the paper argues that “traumatic brain injury could have caused diffuse axonal injury a common brain injury in which the wires that connect the cells in the brain become damaged which led to a change in the psychological makeup of Henry, and traumatic brain injury may have contributed to his other medical issues by causing pituitary dysfunction and endocrinopathies (hormone problems).”

Did the "Dogs Lick Henry's Blood" After His Funeral?

The paper explains: “We know of at least three major head injuries in Henry’s life. He may have had headaches and more subtle changes to his personality after his first head injury [in March 1524, when the king was unseated after a jousting lance entered his open visor], but there is a marked stepwise change in him after 1536. It is entirely plausible, though perhaps not provable, that repeated traumatic brain injury lead to changes in Henry’s personality.”

The team examined Henry’s memory problems, headaches, insomnia and lack of impulse control. Of his memory problems, researchers said: “In July 1536, Henry’s son and possible heir Henry FitzRoy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset, died of tuberculosis. He was buried in near-secret in the presence of his father-in-law the Duke of Norfolk, and two other personages, by the king’s own instructions. Yet in a few days Henry appears to have forgotten his own role in the funeral and was accusing the Duke of Norfolk of inappropriate behaviour towards FitzRoy.

Was Henry FitzRoy, the illegitimate son of Henry VIII, murdered? Spartacus Educational

“There is another illustrative episode which occurred in 1546: the king loved religious debates and during one acrimonious argument between Catherine Parr and [bishop and statesman] Stephen Gardiner he unreasonably ordered the transportation of the queen to the Tower of London. The next day Henry appears to have forgotten about the incident and was consoling his distraught wife. When the soldiers arrived to take her away, he could not remember the original orders he had given and had to be prompted to remember the episode. When he remembered he flew into another fit of rage.”

Armour for field and tournament of King Henry VIII, 1540 (metal), possibly intended for the May Day tournament, 15 May 1540. Decorated by Giovanni di Maiano or Francis Quelblaunce; based on designs by Hans Holbein the Younger. (Royal Armouries, Leeds, UK / Bridgeman Images)

Turning to Henry’s behaviour, the researchers claim: “The irascibility and changeability of Henry was a source of constant anxiety for Tudor courtiers. Several ambassadors noted the unpredictability of Henry, who was often furious for reasons not immediately obvious to his ministers and advisers.” Henry was also “known to suffer from bouts of ‘mal d’esprit’ or depression with ‘self-pity and more than traces of gloom’”, the paper says.

Discussing Henry’s possible impotence, the researchers cite “rumours which apparently originated with Anne Boleyn and her brother according to Chapuys, the imperial ambassador for the Holy Roman Empire. Anne and George Boleyn were accused of ridiculing the king. Anne appears to have told her sister-in-law that Henry ‘was not adept in the matter of coupling with a woman and that he had neither vertu (skill) nor puissance (vigour)’”.

Anne Boleyn - Wikipedia

A Death Warrant from King Henry VIII Stephen Liddell

The paper also draws on “the inability of Henry to consummate his marriage to Anne of Cleves in 1540. Various excuses were made from ‘misliking of her body for the hanging of her breast and the looseness of her flesh’, to the charge that the king was duped by an unnecessarily complimentary portrait of Anne.” Impotence and weight gain, Dr Salardini told History Extra, “also fit with a growth hormone and sex hormone deficiency which is a known, but less common, manifestation of traumatic brain injury.”

In our interview with Salardini we asked how Henry VIII’s brain injury would be treated were he alive today. “The best treatment for traumatic brain injury is prevention, so wearing helmets was as important then as it is now,” he said. “It was advisable for the king, who seemed particularly accident-prone, to choose a more gentle sport.  

“Secondly, early management of mood regulation appears to be a useful intervention. If St John's wort was available in Henry's time then I would put him on a gram per day. He would also need to take up the Mediterranean diet of his enemies and have complex carbohydrates, monounsaturates and low-fat diet.

“Our knowledge has come a long way since the 16th century, but much of the therapeutics that we have today could have probably be reproduced back then.”


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The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Historyextra. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

The highest monument in the world will be built on an artificial island in India

The 192-metre-tall statue of the warrior king mounted on a war horse wielding a sword photo: indianexpress.com

The construction of the tallest monument in the world started in India. The gigantic statue will represent the Indian national hero Shivaji, who lived and reigned in the eighteenth century.

According to international media, the monument will have a height of 192 meters. It will exceed 76 meters statue of Buddha from Myanmar, considered the highest in the world and will be taller than the Statue of Liberty. The cost of construction was estimated at 530 million dollars.

Portrait of Maratha prince Shivaji with a detailed Dutch caption on the decorated frame image wikipedia

The monument will be built on an artificial island a few kilometers from Mumbai. Even if the statue will be worthy of the Guinness Book of Records, many people have criticized the project. They believe that their country so poor, does not require such expenditures.

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The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Indianexpress . Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Top famous Swords in History vs Modern Extreme Edge Hybrid Swords

Updated 11/05/2020

There are several Tactical Katana available these days. The main issue though is not the design, but availability and proof that they actually can deliver the promise of a modern, almost indestructible blade.

The Hanwei Forge made one of the best ones and it was incredibly popular. But it was only available for a short period of time and then mysteriously discontinued..

SBG Tactical Modern Katana Review

Hot on its heels came a cheaper version that is almost a carbon copy made by United Cutlery under their 'Honshu' sub brand. But in the event of a zombie apocalypse, it would not be the sword I would reach for first - when a Tactical Katana SHOULD be the kind of thing you would reach for in the case of a zombie outbreak.

The basic design of this sword can be summed up with a single word: sturdy.

before

And after profiling and heat treat, looks like this

Unlike the other so called Tactical Katana on the market, there is a minimum of moving parts - no habaki or tsuba that can be jarred loose - it is as solid a construction as is possible - with 100% full tang construction. acording to

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Of all side arms, the sword was undoubtedly the most cherished and honored tool of death. For millennia, the phrase "To die in battle by the sword" was the preferred way of concluding the worldly reckoning for generations of warriors from all over the world because it is considered by far the most honorable and desirable death.

Throughout history, legendary characters, generals and perfect warriors, conquerors of empires and military leaders, all used swords many with their own name and a personality like the one who wielded the battlefield.

Modern Ninja Extreme Edge Hybrid Sword swordsaxe.com

There is a whole section of history specializing in mapping and searching these noble weapons.So we know, some of the most respected, feared and not all sought during the past swords.

Look them with respect and fear, are matchless weapons that have curtailed some of them, thousands of lives, and true rivers of blood.


Let's start with the sword of General Tomoyuki Yamashita

Tomoyuki Yamashita was not a samurai as you might have expected, but one of the most feared generals of the Japanese Imperial Japanese Army during the Second World War. It became really feared during this bloody world wars when he won the British colonies in Malaysia and Singapore, and thus deserving of the title "Tiger of Malaya".

Photo of Yamashita Tomoyuki, Lieutenant-General, Commander of the Japanese 25th Army photo: wikipedia

At the end of the war, General Yamashita was judged for war crimes in connection with the so-called "Massacre of Manila" and other atrocities that took place in the Philippines and Singapore. It was a highly controversial process, which culminated in the conviction of General Tomoyuki Yamashita to death. His case has fundamentally changed American law on the responsibility of military commanders on war crimes, adopting the law known as such term Yamashita Standard.

During his military career, General Yamashita had a personal sword whose blade was forged by the famous master blacksmith, specializing in producing high quality Katane,  the sword being forged between 1640-1689. The sword had changed somewhere handle the early twentieth century. 

photo: A History Of War

General and surrendered his sword, along with his troops, on September 2, 1945. The gun was taken over by US General MacArthur, and subsequently filed Museum Military Academy at West Point, where he remained until today. The sword is just one of the many similar pieces seized by Americans in Japan after the war.




Gen. Jose de San Martin

Jose de San Martin was a famous Argentinian soldier career, who lived from 1778 to 1850. For South American nations, it is today honored as a great hero because he was the most important leader of the South American continent.

One of the most precious treasures of revolutionary general, consist of a cavalry sword with curved blade which he bought in London. The general was attracted mainly by the blade  that greatly enhance the manageability and efficiency of the sword on the battlefield. For this reason, he ordered that cavalry swords to be similar, extremely important in a attack. The sword remained in the possession of General throughout his life.

In his will, General San Martin was referring to the sword as "The sword accompany me along the tumultuous War of Independence of South America". In 1896, the sword was sent to the National History Museum in Buenos Aires, where it can be admired today. In 1960, the sword was stolen twice, which is why museum officials kept in a specially constructed box.



The 7 sword blades


Paek-je dynasty once ruled a small kingdom of the same name, year somewhere southwest of South Korea today. At the height of its power, ie the 4th century AD, the kingdom Paek-je control their own colonies in western China and ruled the Korean Peninsula. Paek-je was one of the three major Korean medieval kingdoms, Koguryo and Silla together. In 372, King of Paek-je Geunchogo paid tribute to Nippon Jin Dynasty, and it is believed that they ordered the building of a 7-blade sword as a token of consideration to the Korean king. The sword has a main blade with a length of 74, 9, to which they are attached other 6 blades. The sword was created with purely ceremonial, not at all practical in a real fight.

This replica of the Chiljido is held at the War Memorial in Seoul, South Korea. The sword is important to both the history of Korea and Japan photo: wikipedia

In 1870, a Shinto priest discovered two inscriptions on the sword blade 7.

One of inscription said: "At noon the sixteenth day of the eighth month of the era Taiwa, this sword was forged from hard steel a hundred times. The sword can kill a hundred enemy soldiers. With honor for the king.

The sword is kept today Isonokami from Japan.



William Wallace Sword


William Wallace was perhaps the most famous historical figure in Scotland. Originally it was a Scotsman noble knight  who lived from 1272 to 1305. It is famous for organizing military resistance to the English kingdom  during the war of Scottish Independence in 13-14 centuries. Throughout the period of his life, Wallace was appointed guardian and protector of Scotland . 

He led numerous bodies of infantry were employed successfully in wrestling with horsemen British troops. The most prized weapon of these warriors was obviously bigger sized sword. In 1305, the hero William Wallace was captured on the orders of King Edward I of England, charged with treason and suffered a horrible death. Today, William Wallace is the most important Scottish hero and patriot. His sword is among the most famous and popular in the world.

The Wallace Sword. photo: wikipedia

Today can be seen inside the National Monument in Stirling, Scotland. Only the sword sheath has a length of 134 centimeters and weighs about 3 kilograms. It is believed that Wallace sword was used in the battles of Stirling Bridge (1297) and Flakirk (1298). Sword handle ends in an iron counterweight form an onion.

After the execution of William Wallace, Sir John de Menteith, governor of Dumbarton Castle, was the one who received the sword. In 1505, King James IV of Scotland has paid the sum of 26 shillings for the sword to be wrapped in expensive silks. It is said that the sword has gone through many changes since the English have not reconciled at all with that sword scabbard and belt ( made of peeled skin of Hugh Cressingham )




Tizona

Cid was the most important Spanish folk hero. It was a real historical figure who was apparently born in the year 1040, near Vivar, a small town near Burgos, capital of the kingdom of Castile. Throughout his life, El Cid had numerous military and diplomatic successes. He was appointed supreme leader of the army by King Alfonso IV, is undoubtedly the ace in the sleeve of the king in his military campaigns against the Moors. It was a skilled military strategist and also a feared swordsman.

photo: abc.es

He used many swords during his life, but the most popular weapons were "baptized" Colada and Tizona. Tizona was Cid's sword favorite in its confrontation with the Moors. The weapon is considered to this day one of the most important historical artefacts held in the Spanish patrimony.

photo: abc.es

Tizona was forged in Cordoba, a Damascus steel with special purity. It has a length of 103 cm and weighs 1.1 kg. It is adorned with two inscriptions, one that refers to the date on which it was made somewhere in 1002 and the other Catholic prayer Ave Maria. Tizona can be admired in the Museo de Burgos, the town of the same name.


Napoleon Bonaparte sword

In 1799,  Napoleon Bonaparte grown into military and political leader "de facto" of France, following a coup. Five years later, the French Senate porclama him king. 

Such a complex and fascinating personality had his favorite sword. Napoleon Bonaparte on the battlefields always carried a pistol and a sword. He was an enthusiast of weapons, his private collection comprising great viarietare weapons, from daggers to artillery. His weapons were pieces of high quality, made from the best materials of the time.


The Sword of Mercy

This tool of Death with bizarre names, is a famous sword that belonged to Edward the Confessor, one of the last kings of Anglo-Saxon England before the Norman Conquest of 1066. King Edward the Confessor reigned between 1042-1066, immediately after his death  Normans arrived here led by William the Conqueror.

The left panel of the Wilton Diptych, where Edward (centre), with Edmund the Martyr (left) and John the Baptist, are depicted presenting Richard II to the heavenly host. photo: wikipedia

Mercy has broken sword blade, in 1236 was named Curtana weapon and was used only during ceremonies at court. In ancient times, it was a privilege for any king to come to wield. The story linked to the sword breaking episode is unknown, but according to myths, medieval sword tip was broken by an angel who wanted to prevent such a crime.

Sword of Mercy is today part of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom, and is one of the five swords used in coronation ceremonies of kings of British. The weapon is among the few who escaped the wrath of Oliver Cromwell, famous for his orders to melt all ancient artifacts, looking for any shred of gold and other precious metals.



Zulfiqar The Sword of Ali 

It is the oldest and most treasured sword of Islam. Historically, he belonged to Ali, cousin and bridegroom of the Prophet Muhammad. Ali led the first Islamic Caliphate, between 656-661. Based on historical evidence, Muhammad himself  handed the Zulfiqar to Ali at the end of the battle of Uhud.

Zulfiqar is a symbol of Islam, being admired today by millions of believers.

Zulfiqar (split-bladed sword), a representation of the sword of Ali, Mughal period India. photo: wikipedia

Technically, Zulfiqar is a Scimitar, a typical sword from southwest Asia, this kind of long curved sword blade was very common in the region during the Middle Ages.

It seems that Ali used the Zulfiqar on siege of Mecca. There are few images of the sword, some of them presenting it with a forked blade and two peaks, while others feature in a classical form of Scimitar. According to the 12 Shiite imams, the weapon is now in the possession of Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi. Holy sword of Islam is part of the famous collection Al-Jafr.



Honjo Masamune

Smith Masamune is considered among the best makers of swords in Japan, which immediately turns it into one of the greatest masters of this kind that have ever lived in this world It is not known precisely the historical period in which he lived, but is believed to have worked as a blacksmith imperial sometime between 1288-1328.Weapons created by Masamune have acquired a legendary status over the centuries. In particular type swords katana and wakizashi have emerged from the hands of the master Masamune unrivaled reputation based on the quality and style of these tools of Death. The master sign forged swords rare, so it is very difficult to date and identified weapons that had belonged.

Masamune Portrait photo: wikipedia

The most famous of his sword was called the Honjo Masamune, the Sword  is extremely important for Japan because this object has attained perfection (Represented the Shogunate during the Edo) The sword was handed from shogun to shogun for generations. In 1939, it was declared national treasure of Japan, but remained in the castle  Kii of Tokugawa family. The last owner of Katana Masamune was Tokugawa Hionjo Iemasa.

Hionjo handed it along with 14 other swords of great value to the Mejiro police station somewhere in December of 1945. Shortly thereafter, in January of the following year , the police from Mejiro  handed sword to Coldy Bimore (American sergeant). Honjo Masamune sword then disappeared without a trace, and the location is currently unknown. Honjo Masamune is one of the most important and most precious historical artifacts that disappeared at the end of the Second World War.


Joyeuse

Charlemagne or Charles the Great, was probably the most important French king in history. It was born in 742, is considered one of the most admired military leaders on the Old Continent. He became king of the Franks in 782 and in 800 became king over what was left of the western Roman Empire. During the Holy Roman Empire, it was known under the name of Charles I, being in fact the founder of this empire. During his reign, he has managed unprecedented extension of Frankish kingdom, transforming it into a true empire that encompassed much of central and western Europe. Charlemagne is regarded as the founder of the French and German monarchies and father occientale Europe.

Charles the Great, King of the Franks photo: arthermitage.org 

His personal sword called Joyeuse, is seen as a true object of worship among the majority of medieval chivalric orders. Today there are two swords who claims to be famous Joyeuse. One is kept at Weltliche Schatzkammer in Vienna and the other is the Louvre Museum. Louvre blade of the sword seems to be made part of the original blade of the sword of Charlemagne. This sword forged in separate parts assembled in different centuries. The handle of the sword indicates a production date yet coinciding with the period during which Charlemagne reigned.

Joyeuse has appeared in numerous legends and historical documents. Bulfinch Chronicle claims that the supreme monarch of the Franks would be used Joyeuse to decapitate the Saracen commander Corsuble just like his good friend, Ogier Dane.

After the death of Charlemagne, the sword would have been preserved in the Basilica of Saint Denis, then was taken to the Louvre, where it was used in the coronation ceremonies of French kings.


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