12 most famous swords, which are composed legends

Blades and Magic

Sword has always been a noble weapon. Knights treated their blades, as a comrade, and, having lost his sword in battle, the warrior covered themselves with indelible disgrace. Among the famous representatives of this type of bladed weapons has its own "know" - the famous blades, which, according to legend, have magical properties, for example, put to flight the enemy and protect his master. In these stories there is some truth - artifact sword one of its kind could encourage supporters of its owner. We present to you the 12 most known lethal relics in history.

1. The Sword in the Stone

Many people remember the legend of King Arthur, tells the story of how he plunged his sword in the stone to prove his right to the throne. Despite the absolutely fabulous story, she might have based on real events that took place only much later alleged during the reign of the legendary king of the Britons.

In the Italian chapel Monte Siepi stored lump firmly entrenched with its blade in which, according to some belonged Tuscan knight Galgano Guidotti, who lived in the XII-century.

According to legend, Guidotti distinguished nasty disposition, and led a fairly dissolute lifestyle, so once came to him the archangel Michael, and urged him to take the path of service to the Lord, that is to go to the monks. Laughing, Knight said that to leave the monastery it would be so hard as to cut the stone, and to confirm his words, he slammed the blade lying boulder nearby. Archangel revealed stubborn miracle - the blade is easily entered into the stone, and the affected Galliano and left him there, and then got on the road to reform and was later canonized, and the fame of his sword pierced stone, spread throughout Europe. Exposing lump and the sword of radiocarbon analysis, University of Pavia, Luigi Garlaskelli staff found that some part of the story may well be true: the age of stone and the sword has about eight centuries, that is equal to the lifetime lord Guidotti.

2 Kusanagi

This mythical sword for centuries a symbol of the power of the Japanese emperors. Kusanagi (in translation from Jap -.. "Sword grass being cleared") is also known as Ame-nomurakumo-no Tsurugi - "sword gathering clouds of heaven."

Japanese epic states that the sword was found the wind god Susanoo in the body of the murdered them vosmigolovogo dragon. Susanoo gave blade sister, the goddess of the sun Amaterasu, later, he was at her grandson Ninigi, and after a while went to the demigod Jimmu, who later became the first emperor of Japan.

Interestingly, the Japanese government has never exhibited the sword to the public, but on the contrary, sought to hide it away from prying eyes - even during the coronation sword carried wrapped in a cloth. Presumably it is stored in Atsuta Shinto shrine located in Nagoya, but no evidence of its existence is not.

Sole ruler of Japan, a public text to mention the sword, was Emperor Hirohito (Hirohito): renouncing the throne after the defeat of the country in World War II, he called the church ministers to keep the sword, come what may.

3. Durandal

For centuries, the chapel parishioners Hom Dame, situated in the town of Rocamadour could see stuck in the wall of the sword, which, according to tradition, belonged to Roland - the hero of medieval epics and legends, really existed. According to legend, he threw his magic sword, protecting the chapel from the enemy, and the sword was left in the wall. Attracted by these tales of monks in Rocamadour pulled numerous pilgrims who retold the story of the sword Roland each other, and thus the legend spread throughout Europe.

However, according to scientists, in the chapel of the sword is not the legendary Durandal, Roland which terrified his enemies. The famous knight of Charlemagne died August 15 at the Battle of 778-year Basques in Ronsevalskom Gorge, located hundreds of kilometers from Rocamadour and rumors "Durandal" entrenched in the wall, began to appear only in the middle of the XII-th century, almost simultaneously with the writing "Song of Roland". The monks simply contact name Roland with the sword, to secure a steady stream of worshipers. But rejecting the version of Roland as the owner of the blade, the experts can not offer anything in return - to whom it belonged, probably will remain a mystery.

Incidentally, there is no sword in the chapel - in 2011, he was removed from the wall and was sent to Paris Museum of the Middle Ages. It is also interesting that in French the word "Durandal" is feminine, so that Roland probably had for his sword is not a friendly affection, and a real passion and was unlikely to throw his sweetheart on the wall.

4. The bloodthirsty Muramasa blades

Muramasa - famous Japanese swordsman and blacksmith, who lived in the XVI-th century. According to legend, Muramasa prayed to the gods, so that they gave his blades bloodthirsty and destructive force. Master did a very good sword, and the gods respecting his request by placing every blade demonic spirit of destruction of all living things.

It is believed that if the sword Muramasa long gathering dust around, it can provoke the owner to murder or suicide as a way "to get drunk" blood. There are countless stories about the Muramasa holders of swords that were crazy and killed many people. After a series of accidents and murders that have occurred in the family of famous shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, that popular rumor associated with the curse of Muramasa, the government announced Blade Master outlaw, and most of them were destroyed. It is fair to say that Muramasa School - it is a whole family of gunsmiths, which lasted about a century, so the story of the "spirit of demonic bloodlust," entrenched in the sword, no more than a legend. Curse blades, made by masters of the school, was, paradoxical as it may sound, their exceptional quality. Many experienced warriors chose their swords and others, apparently because of their skill and sharpness Blade Muramasa, most often wins.

5. The Honjo Masamune

In contrast bloodthirsty Muramasa swords, blades made Masamune master, according to legend, endowed soldiers calmness and wisdom. According to legend, to find out whose blades are better and sharper, Muramasa and Masamune lowered his sword into the river lotus. Flowers reveal the essence of each of the masters: Masamune sword blade did not cause them not a single scratch, because its blades are not to harm the innocent, and the product Muramasa contrary, if itself has sought to cut the flowers into small pieces, justifying its reputation.

Of course, this is pure fiction - Masamune lived almost two centuries earlier gunsmiths Muramasa School. However, Masamune Swords are really unique: the secret of their strength may not disclose until now, even using the latest technologies and methods.

All surviving blades wizard are a national treasure of Japan and is closely guarded, but the best of them, Honjo Masamune, was handed over to American troops conjures Baymoru (Colde Bimor) after Japan's surrender in World War II, and now his whereabouts are unknown. The Government is trying to find a unique blade, but so far, alas, in vain.

6. Zhuayoz

Zhuayoz Blade (in translation from French "joyeuse" -.. "Joyful"), according to legend, belonged to the founder of the Holy Roman Empire of Charlemagne, and for many years served him faithfully. According to legend, he could up to 30 times a day to change the blade color and brightness of its sun eclipsed. Currently, there are two blades that could wield the famous monarch.

One of them, for many years was used as a coronation sword of the French kings, kept in the Louvre, and now hundreds of years of debate continues as to whether the hand of Charlemagne clutched his stick indeed. Radiocarbon analysis shows that it can not be true: Save the old part of the set in the sword Louvre (in the last hundred years it has repeatedly reworked and restored) established between the X-th and XI-th centuries, after the death of Charlemagne (Emperor died in 814 th year). Some believe that the sword was made after the destruction of the Zhuayoza and is an exact copy, or it is present in a part of "the Good".

Another contender for the affiliation to the legendary King is the so-called sword of Charlemagne, which is now in one of Vienna's museums. About the time of its manufacturing specialists' opinions differ, but many admit that she still could belong to Carl, he probably grabbed the weapon as a trophy during one of his trips to Eastern Europe. Of course, this is not the famous Zhuayoz, but, nevertheless, the sword has no value as a historical artifact.

7. Sword of Saint Peter

There is a legend that the blade, which is part of the museum of the Polish city of Poznan - nothing like a sword, which the apostle Peter cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest at the time of the arrest of Jesus in Gethsemane. This sword in 968, the year brought to Poland Bishop Jordan, who all assured that the blade belonged to Peter. Proponents of this myth is believed that the sword is forged at the beginning of the I-st ​​century, somewhere on the eastern fringes of the Roman Empire Most researchers, however, believe that the weapon is made much later than the events described in the Bible, it confirms the analysis of metal from which melted the sword and blade type "falchion" - in the days of the apostles of these swords is simply not done, they appeared only in the XI-th century .

8. The Wallace Sword

According to the legend, Sir William Wallace, commander and leader of the Scots in the fight for independence from England, after the victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge obtyanuli the hilt of his sword, leather treasurer Hugh de Kressingema involved in the collection of taxes for the British. Presumably the unfortunate treasurer had before death through many terrible minutes, because in addition to the hilt Wallace made from the same material as the sheath and sword belt.

According to another version of the legend, Wallace made the leather sword belt only, but to say anything for sure right now is extremely difficult, because at the request of King James IV of Scotland sword has undergone alteration - Old worn sword trim was replaced by a more befitting this great artifact.

Probably Sir William really could decorate his weapon skin Treasurer: as a patriot of his country, he hated traitors collaborating with the occupiers. However, there is another opinion - many people believe that the story was invented by the British to create a fighter for the independence of Scotland, the image of a bloodthirsty monster. Truth we will likely never know.

9. King Goujian of Yue Sword

In 1965, in one of the ancient Chinese tombs, archaeologists found a sword, which, despite the dampness surrounding him for many years, there was not a speck of rust - the weapons were in excellent condition, one of the scientists even cut his finger, when I am checking the sharpness of the blade. Having carefully studied the find, experts noted with surprise that she was not less than 2, 5 thousand years. According to the most common version, the sword belonged to King Goujian of Yue - one of the Vanir (rulers) of the kingdom of Yue during Vosen and autumn. Researchers believe that this blade was mentioned in a lost work on the history of the kingdom. According to one legend, King Goujian of Yue believed that sword only worthwhile weapon in his collection, and in another tradition says that the sword is so beautiful that I could only be created by joint efforts of Heaven and Earth.

Sword perfectly preserved exclusively through the art of the ancient Chinese gunsmiths: blade manufactured with stainless alloy invented by them, and the sheath of this weapon so tightly against the blade that air access to it has been virtually blocked.

10. Semizuby sword

This extraordinarily beautiful blade was found in 1945 in a Shinto shrine Isonokami Shrine (Japanese city of Tenri). Sword is very different from the usual for us a cold steel of the shit of the Rising Sun, first and foremost, a complex form of the blade - on it there are six bizarre offshoots, and the seventh is obviously considered the tip of the blade - so found the weapon was named Nanatsusaya-no-tachi (in the lane . with Jap -. "Semizuby sword").

The sword was kept in terrible conditions (which is very unusual for Japanese), so that its condition leaves much to be desired. On the blade there is an inscription, according to which the ruler of Korea has presented this weapon to one of the Chinese emperors.

Description of exactly the same blade found in Nihon Shoki, the oldest work on Japanese history: according to legend, semizuby sword was a gift prepodneson semi-mythical Empress Jingu.

Having carefully studied the sword, experts have concluded that, most likely, this is the legendary artifact, since the estimated time of its creation coincides with the events described in the Nihon Shoki, in addition there is also mentioned the sanctuary Isonokami Shrine, so the relic just lay there is more than 1, 5 thousand years until it was found.

11. Tyson

Weapons that belonged to the legendary Spanish hero Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, better known as El Cid Campeador, today located in the city of Burgos Cathedral and is considered a national treasure of Spain.

After the death of Sid's arms fell to the ancestors of the Spanish King Ferdinand II of Aragon, and was succeeded by his king gave the relic to the Marquis de falces. The descendants of the Marquis of hundreds of years of treasured artifact, and in 1944 with the permission of the sword became a part of the exhibition of the Royal Military Museum in Madrid. In 2007, the year of the sword owner sold it to the authorities of the region of Castile and Leon for $ 2 million, and they handed him over to the cathedral, where he is buried El Cid.

Employees of the Ministry of Culture hurt sales of the sword, and they began to disseminate information that is later forgery, which has no relation to the de Vivar. However, careful analysis confirmed that although worn "native" weapons hilt in the XVI-th century was replaced by another, the blade is made in the XI-th century, that is certainly the sword belonged to the hero.

12. Ulfbert

In our time of such swords almost forgotten, but in the Middle Ages the word "ulfbert" Viking enemies experienced genuine horror. Honor to have such weapons belonged exclusively Scandinavian elite armed forces, because ulfberty were much stronger than the other swords of the time. Most of the medieval cold steel was cast out of the fragile low-carbon steel with an admixture of slag, and the Vikings for their swords bought in Iran and Afghanistan crucible steel, which is much stronger.

Who knows who this Ulfbert, and whether he guessed the first to create such swords, but that it was on the stigma of swords made in Europe from Iranian and Afghan metal. Ulfberty - perhaps the most perfect cold early Middle Ages weapons, far ahead of his time. Comparable strength blades began to mass-produce in Europe until the second half of the XVIII-th century to the beginning of the global industrial revolution.