One of the most, perhaps, mysterious swords in history. Sword in stone. Sword of the great King Arthur.
The name of the sword is "Excalibur", lat. - Caliburnus, Welsh. - Caledvwich (Kaledfolh). Most likely, the origin of the word is Celtic. Also referred to in chivalric romances as Mirandoisa and Chastefol.
The magical sword of King Arthur first appears under the name Caliburn in the earliest text of the greatest Western European Kegenda, the Historia Regum Britanniae, written around 1135 in Latin by Geoffroy de Monmouth and translated into Old French in 1155 by the Norman Robert Weiss under the title "Roman de Brut" .
In a passage dedicated to the historical battle of Badon (Bat), I think, around the year 500, during which Arthur repulsed the Saxon invasion, it is said: “Arthur signed himself with his precious sword, which was made on the island of Avalon (the sacred island of the Celts).”
The story continues as the battle unfolds: “With a quick movement, unsheathing his sword Caliburn, (Arthur) rushed into the close ranks of the enemy. All whom he chopped, the Lord is my witness, died from the first blow of the sword. He did not stop his attack until he had killed four hundred and seventy soldiers with a single weapon - Caliburn.
This sword has extraordinary properties: Excalibur easily cuts the blades of other swords, it is invulnerable and, accordingly, makes its owner so (the legend, however, specifies: if the knight has a pure heart).
About the origin of Excalibur and how it got to King Arthur, there are two versions that contradict each other. The first of them says that the sword was made by the wizard Merlin:
“Merlin made the great sword Excalibur and enclosed it by the power of his magic inside a large stone, on which was inscribed: “Whoever draws this sword from the stone, he is by right of birth king over all Britain.”
And here is the corresponding legend about how Arthur got it:
“Legends take us back to the distant fifth century, when the famous King Arthur lived in Britain, in the ancient county of Somerset. He, like all of us, had a father. Arthur's father's name was King Uther Pendragon. This ancient surname in translation means "the winner of the dragon", "the man who defeated the dragon." Uther was the last of this ancient, ancient aristocratic family. He was distinguished by the fact that he possessed an amazing quality - the quality of justice.
This was one of those kings who embodied in his kingdom of Britain the idea of \u200b\u200bjust government, trying to express the will of the gods on earth. Being a man, unable to directly know the will of the gods, Uther had with him an adviser, a famous sage, a man who knew the secrets of nature, who had the opportunity to communicate with the Spirits of nature - Merlin.
Merlin did not rule the state, but was with the king and by his existence guaranteed the possibility of manifestation of the forces of light. The appearance of Merlin remained a mystery to everyone. It was said that he came once (no one remembered exactly when), from the mysterious island of Avalon, where he was born. But no one could tell where this island was. Merlin was not always in the palace, from time to time he went somewhere and appeared in the kingdom at the moment when something important happened in the kingdom.
That is, when his presence was needed. This happened on the day, or rather the night, when Arthur was born. There was a thunderstorm, the darkness of the night was illuminated by flashes of lightning. As soon as Arthur was born, Merlin asked Uther to give him his son. He didn't explain why. The only thing Merlin said was that it would be better for the kingdom. Since the good for the kingdom was sacred to Uther, he gave up Arthur without hesitation. In the kingdom, no one knew that an heir was born.
Legends speak about the further fate of Arthur in different ways. Some legends say that he was brought up by the knight Ector under the close supervision of Merlin. Some legends say that for 17 years Arthur lived with Merlin himself on the island of Avalon, where the sage personally supervised his upbringing.
Time passed, Uther grew old. He felt that the time was approaching when he would need to leave this world and transfer power, rule to the heir. There was no heir. Uther dies without ever seeing him. Before his death, he bequeaths to decide the fate of Britain to Merlin, the sage, the only person whom Uther trusted completely and completely. Merlin, as a true sage, offers to give the decision to the will of the gods. Just government must continue in Britain, and man cannot choose and decide who is just and who is not. Merlin is waiting for a sign. A sign from above that would indicate who would truly be able to rule the kingdom.
Thanks to the magic power of Merlin, a stone with a sword inserted into it appears in the center of the kingdom. On the stone is an inscription that the one who draws the sword from the stone can become the king of Britain. The news of the appearance of the stone and the sword spreads throughout the kingdom, the most powerful knights come from all sides, capable, as it seems to them, of getting this sword.
Merlin knows that the future king of Britain must have non-physical virtues in the first place. The legend speaks of this in symbolic language.
Sword - symbolizes the inner core of the knight, thanks to which the knight can protect the sacred for himself. What was sacred, dearest, what lived in the heart and was the greatest treasure for Arthur and many other knights? Which one of them is able to pull the sword out of the stone? The one who puts the interests of the state above his own, or vice versa? The one who dreams of his own happiness, or the one who dreams of other people's happiness? The one who grazes in front of problems or the one who is not afraid of difficulties and his own limitations, is he ready to overcome them?
Arthur was also there, but not as a knight. A seventeen-year-old youth, not a knight, not a squire, but just a page, helped his named brother Kay, who came to the annual competition. Kay turned out to be a big slob. He had forgotten or lost his personal sword somewhere. And, in order to restore the loss, he asked Arthur to quickly find him another sword.
Arthur, like a true page, rushed to search: to the tent, but did not find a sword there, to another place - unsuccessfully. While searching, Arthur accidentally ran to the stone with a sword. I saw the sword, thought that it did not belong to anyone, quickly grabbed it and brought it to Kay. Kei realized what kind of sword was in his hands, because this sword was unrecognizable. And he realized what a chance fate gives him. He immediately came to the sage and showed the sword, and also that he was the man who pulled the sword out of the stone, that he was the one who should be the king of Britain.
But Merlin was not easily fooled. He suggested that Kay insert the sword back into the stone and demonstrate in front of all the people how he pulls out the sword. Can you guess what happened next? Kay had to repent, to reveal the truth. And Arthur, an unknown page, who did not expect anything and did not want anything (by the way, this is a very important point), becomes the King in one minute. He passes the public test, draws the sword from the stone. It was the sword Excalibur, through which the strength and power of the kings of Britain was transmitted (according to other legends, Arthur received it from the fairy of the lake). Together with this sword, Arthur receives a blessing for a just rule, a blessing from Merlin himself.
Arthur continued the tradition started by his father Uther. And Britain acquired a wise and just ruler. The first thing Arthur did was to pass several laws, decrees, aimed at protecting the humiliated, insulted, the poor and those who have no protection in the kingdom. From the very beginning, he begins to take care not of those who already live well, but of those who need protection. And by his action, by his work, it succeeds in re-establishing in Britain the sacred government that was under Uther…”
The second version claims that everything was completely different:
“According to legend, the sword that made Arthur the king of England was not yet the one with which the great warrior king won all battles, at any tournaments and fights. The real magic sword, called Excalibur, was given to Arthur by the Lady of the Lake. And this is how it happened. Arthur was passing by a forest lake, which was located not far from the cave of a certain hermit. The lake is wide and clear. And in the middle of the lake, a hand rises right out of the water in a sleeve of white rich silk.
That hand squeezes a wonderful sword that shines brighter than thirty torches lit in the black night. Arthur stopped in surprise. Suddenly he sees how a beautiful maiden is walking towards him, stepping on the lake water. She was the Lady of the Lake, and her magnificent palace, hidden from the eyes of mortals, hid in the shadow of the coastal cliff. The Lady of the Lake approached Arthur, and he boldly spoke to her:
Oh beautiful maiden! Tell me, what kind of sword is raised above the surface of the lake?
“This is the magical sword Excalibur,” replied the Lady of the Lake. And he is waiting for a worthy knight.
How I wish I could wield such a sword! exclaimed Arthur.
Well, - the maiden smiled, - get into the barge and sail.
Arthur sees that a light barge is rocking near the shore. He sat down in it and swam to the middle of the lake. Leveling with the sword, he took it from his hand raised above the water. The hand disappeared under the water, and the Lady of the Lake said:
Own, knight, Excalibur, take it out of its scabbard only in the right battle. But do not forget about the scabbard, always keep them with you, because they are also magical. As long as they are with you, you will not be afraid of any wounds. And we will meet again, and then I will demand payment for the magic sword Excalibur.
The Lady of the Lake said so and disappeared. And the ancient bards about the glorious magic sword put together such mysterious words:
What were the ships looking for in the storm?
Salvation!
You can find it in Excalibur
In the middle of a fight!
It is said that the sword was such that it could draw blood from the wind and strike faster than a drop of heavy June dew falls from the stalk to the ground. That's why he was called Excalibur, which means "Smashing"
Yes, and in the future there is no agreement ... According to some legends, the sword was stolen from King Arthur and subsequently Excalibur and killed him .. According to others, Arthur had the sword until the end of his days and he, dying, returned it to the Lady of the Lake:
“When Arthur suffered his first and last defeat in battle with his illegitimate son Mordred, the king asked the squire to throw the sword back into the waters of the lake, and the same woman's hand grabbed the sword in flight and disappeared under the water. The very dying king was taken by the Lady of the Lake to Avallon (Avallon is a mythical island, which is the other world). According to legend, on the magical Avallon, Arthur waits for the hour of his return to Britain.
The sword, in fact, changed the life of King Arthur. He can change yours too. But are you ready for it? Will you be strong enough to extract your Excalibur from the stone? Are you ready to take on this responsibility? Are you pure in heart and mind? Are your deeds good?
The typical sword of the Middle Ages is derived from the Germanic spatha, a long one-handed sword. Subsequently, this type of bladed weapon was borrowed and modernized accordingly by many peoples. So the Franks had a widespread sword, named after the dynasty of the Merovingian kings, who ruled in the early Middle Ages.
The Franks began the conquest of Gaul from the 3rd century, and by the 6th century the Frankish state was finally formed. The name of the Merovingian dynasty was given by Merovei, the successor of the second king of the Franks. Although the founder of the new dynasty only ruled for about ten years, he gave rise to a new branch of kings, now known as the miracle-working kings. They are associated with many secrets and mysteries, fascinating research and magical possibilities. These were not just successful military leaders, the Merovingian kings were descended from the ancestral Frankish nobility, and their family embodied the unity of the entire people of the Franks. The Merovingian dynasty lasted from the 5th century until the middle of the 8th century, the last representative of this powerful family, Childeric III, was overthrown in 754.
The legendary King Arthur lived in the era of Merovingian swords and owned the best sword. The most luxurious sword known to us was found in Sutton Hoo (Sutton Hoo). It was discovered in Edith Mary Pretty in May 1939 in a barrow necropolis east of Woodbridge in the English county of Suffolk, where in 1938-1939. perhaps the most significant archaeological finds in British history have been made, including the intact burial ship of an Anglo-Saxon king from the turn of the 6th and 7th centuries.
The person buried at Sutton Hoo has not been identified. Most likely, the tomb belongs to the East Anglian king Redwald (circa 599-624). According to legend, the legendary king Arthur (English and Wall. Arthur, Irish Art?r from the Celtic “bear”), the great sovereign of the kingdom of Logres, the legendary leader of the Britons of the 5th-6th centuries, who defeated the Saxon conquerors, lived around the same time. Until now, historians have not found evidence of the historical existence of Arthur, although many admit the existence of his historical prototype. And certainly King Arthur wielded the same sword as found in the barrow.
The sword of the Merovingian type, like the ancient German spata, originally did not have a point. The end of his blade is flat (not faceted) or slightly rounded. Unlike the spatha, the Merovingian sword was forged from different grades of steel and at first resembled a diamond shape in cross section, and later a dol appeared. The hilt of the sword is short and flat, with a massive pommel. The flat blade, 5-6 cm wide, had a double-sided sharpening and practically did not taper from the handle to the end. A wide and shallow fuller runs on both sides and along the entire length of the sword, ending about 2-3 cm from the point. Despite the apparent massiveness due to the presence of dols, the weight of the sword usually did not exceed 2 kg. From the 5th to the 8th century, the blade of the Merovingian sword lengthens from 60 to 85 centimeters. The crosspiece was short, sometimes slightly curved towards the tip. The pommel could be mushroom-shaped, disc-shaped or "Brazil walnut".
The discovered sword has a pattern of steel called "smoke Sutton Hoo". First, the blacksmith took several iron rods and burned carbon out of them. Then he folded them together with other rods containing a lot of carbon and forged them together. As a result, a long uneven plate came out from under his hammer, which he twisted with a screw, and flattened again. This plate became the core of the blade. On it, with the help of forge welding, worse metal was welded. Then the blade was cleaned and polished. This blacksmithing technique lasted in Europe until the end of the 10th century, when it was replaced by more revolutionary technologies. The cost of a good sword could reach up to a thousand gold denarii.
The weight of 1000 denarii is approximately 4.25 kg of gold. This means that the royal sword costs about ten million rubles, although the status sword from Zlatoust, all gilded, rarely costs more than half a million. On average, a well-made sword now costs from 1500 to 4000 Euros, but there are swords (remakes) that are simply sky-high prices.
By the 8th century, the Merovingian sword was already widespread in Europe and was becoming the main weapon of the medieval feudal lord. But the time has come and metal armor is replacing leather armor. The role of the cavalry increases even more, battles are often fought in the cramped city narrow streets, behind the walls of castles and houses. Knightly tournaments and duels are also gradually becoming popular. And in this regard, bladed weapons are being modified again: a chopping sword evolves into a piercing-cutting one. Such a bladed weapon as a sword, even undergoing the necessary changes, will be used by warriors for a long time and will finally be replaced by other types of weapons only in the 17th century.
Most of the swords of Europe and Britain in the 6th to 8th centuries looked like the sword from Sutton Hoo. The original dates from around 630. Length - 89 cm, weight 1020 grams.
It is believed that the swords with rings belonged to the leaders who took an oath of allegiance on them. The ring, a symbol of infinity, was also considered a cult item. Indirectly in favor of this version speaks a small number of swords with rings. And since their oldest specimens are found on the territory of modern England, it can be assumed that they were invented there. A leather strap was attached to the ring, making it difficult to draw the sword from its scabbard. It was called the "strap of good intentions", and was used during various kinds of negotiations at the highest level. Although not a single strap has survived to our time, having decayed over the centuries, it is often remembered in the sagas:
He wore a hat from Gardariki and a gray cloak with a gold brooch on his shoulder, and he held a sword in his hand. Two boys approached him. The elder said, “What kind of noble-looking man is sitting here? I have never seen a more handsome or more worthy husband." Thorkel replied: "You are right, my name is Thorkel." Then the boy said: “The sword in your hand must be very expensive; can I have a look at it?" Thorkel replied, "It's an unusual request, but I'll let you do it." The boy took the sword, turned it around, untied the thong of good intentions, and drew it. When Thorkel saw this, he remarked, "I didn't say you could draw a sword." “But I didn’t ask permission,” the boy replied; then he swung his sword, hit Thorkel on the neck and cut off his head.
They carried swords, of course, in sheaths. The design is classic - a wooden frame covered with leather. Sometimes the scabbard was lined with fur from the inside. The sagas and the swords themselves tell about this. The villi were simply baked in the rust that covered the blades after so many years of rest. Swords were worn on the belt, and over the shoulder under the arm, and not behind the back, as they are sure in Hollywood. It depended on the occasion - the weapon on the belt is comfortable on foot, over the shoulder under the arm - on horseback. They were hung from the belt with the help of a special loop, like a trench coat. The option seems to be quite convenient. At least the ancient Chinese, Sarmatians and Celts were happy to use similar devices. The sheaths were also decorated with metal overlays at the tip and near the mouth. Interestingly, all swords of the fourth type were distinguished by very simple overlays. Such spartanism only emphasized the brilliant beauty of their handles.
In addition to rich decorations, swords could be supplied with rings and "stones of life". One of the main characters in the saga of King Hrolf Kraki was a sword called Skofnung. “He was the best of all the swords that were ever found in the northern lands,” says the saga about him. When Hrolf Kraki was buried, his sword was also placed in the mound with him. But the history of the sword did not end there. Approximately two hundred years passed, and in the 9th century, a certain Skeggi ruined the tomb of the king. He "went ashore, broke into the tomb of Hrolf Kraki and took Skofnung, the king's sword." Skofnung occurs to us in several sagas and we see that he often shows character. Once in the hands of an ignoramus, he dooms him to defeat, and in the hands of an attentive and sensitive to magic warrior, he brings victory. As befits a sword of this level, it was endowed with magical properties.
So, for example, the wound inflicted by Skofnung could be healed in only one way - to rub it with the "stone of life". This stone was always with the sword, so that its owner became a very significant figure. He could kill and heal as he saw fit. In general, the “stone of life” is often mentioned in the sagas, but, apparently, this was a common concept for people of that time. Therefore, it has not yet been possible to find a description of how exactly it looked and how it was attached to the sword.
However, often, when excavating graves of the 3rd-5th centuries, archaeologists find large beads made of stone, ceramics, glass or foam next to the sword of the deceased. Sometimes they are set in gold. The beads are drilled through and apparently used to be attached to weapons with a leather cord. The English explorer Ewart Oakeshott believed that these beads could very well be the very “stones of life”.
The Merovingians were gradually supplanted by the Carolingians, who appeared in the 8th century, and by the 10th century they had practically gone out of circulation, remaining in history as the sword of the Great Migration.
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, the Historia Regum Britanniae, written in Latin around 1135 by Geoffroy de Monmouth 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.
Narrating the historical Battle of Badon, during which King Arthur successfully repulsed the Saxon invasion, the author tells how Arthur, having overshadowed himself with a precious sword made on the sacred island of the Celts of Avalon, rushed into the thick of the battle, hitting the enemies with the first blow. The legend testifies that the king killed four hundred and seventy warriors with his only weapon - the sword Caliburn. Magical properties are attributed to this sword to cut 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, imprisoned 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 his birth.
How did Arthur get this sword?
His father, Uther Pendragon, whose last name 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 the adviser Merlin, a 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. It was said that he was born on the mysterious island of Avalon, from where he once came, but no one knew where this island was located.
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 implicitly complied with Merlin's wish, especially since the sage said that it would be better for the kingdom. No one in the whole kingdom knew that the king had an heir. He disappeared with Merlin.
Various legends speak differently about the subsequent fate of young Arthur. One part of the legends claims that Arthur was brought up 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, the only person he trusted. By virtue of his foresight, Merlin leaves the decision on the fate of the future kingdom to the will of the gods, because he believed that fair rule should be restored in the kingdom of Britain and not a single person can decide who is fair and who is not.
Merlin points to the stone in which the sword is hidden and waits for a sign from above, which will indicate who will get this sword. Many knights tried their strength, trying to extract from the stone. But Merlin understood perfectly well that it was not a matter of physical strength, but of the strength of the spirit, the ability to live not for himself, 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 of his named brother Kay, who lost his sword through carelessness and asked Arthur to get him a new one. Without thinking twice, Arthur took out a magic stone and brought it to Kay instead of the lost one.
Kei immediately realized what an opportunity fate was giving him, because this sword was unrecognizable. Without hesitation, he went with him to Merlin. But Merlin could not be deceived, and he ordered Kay to insert 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 unknowing and unaware page in an instant becomes the king of Britain, who ruled justly and wisely, taking care of the humiliated, poor, offended and continuing the traditions of his father Uther.
The second version of the origin of the Excalibur sword tells that King Arthur once received it from the fairy of the forest lake when he passed by it. He saw that from the middle of the lake rose a hand in a sleeve of luxurious silk, clutching a wonderful sword, shining like hundreds of torches in the night. The Lady of the Lake approached Arthur through the water and explained to King Arthur that it was magical, which was waiting for a worthy knight. Arthur expressed a very passionate desire to master this sword and the Lady of the Lake allowed Arthur to take the sword and ordered him to take it out of its scabbard only in the right fight. She also said that the sword and scabbard would always be with Arthur, for the sword and scabbard are magical and able to protect the king from wounds.
Various legends are associated with the sword Excalibur. According to some, this sword was stolen from the king and killed with it. According to others, the sword was always with Arthur and he returned it to the Lady of the Lake before his death, when he suffered his first and only defeat. And allegedly the Lady 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.
“... And so, in the greatest of the churches of London - whether it was St. Paul's, the French Book does not say - long before the dawn of the day, all the estates of the kingdom gathered for prayer. And when matins and early mass departed, people suddenly saw in the temple courtyard opposite the main altar a large stone with four corners, like a marble tombstone, in the middle on it - like a steel anvil a foot high, and under it - a wonderful naked sword and around it golden inscriptions : "Whoever draws this sword from under the anvil, he is by right of birth the king over all the land of England."
people marveled 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 of the Lord, all the barons gathered there in order to once again try, whoever wishes, to draw the sword, and in the face of all of them, only Arthur managed to pull it out. Many lords were angry and said that it would be a great shame to them and to the whole kingdom if they were ruled by a skinny youth. And such a strife flared up here that it was decided to postpone the matter until the Meeting of the Lord, and then all the barons would come together again, until the same time ten knights were sent out day and night to guard the sword, pitched a tent over a stone and a sword, and there were guards five by five ... "Note that in passing, who was Thomas Malory, the author of the book from which the above quote is taken.
It was a 16th-century knight who was imprisoned for robbery in New Gate Prison in London. He, fortunately, was given the happy 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 could 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 - mainly, by the way, poetic - is five times the volume of the book he wrote himself.
His sources almost certainly included Chretien de Troyes, a twelfth-century French poet, and Geoffrey of Monmouth, author of the History of the Britons and the Life of Merlin, also dated to the twelfth century. Note: Galfrid 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 Troy has it. This can be quite significant, from a geographical point of view. Be that as it may, the idea of the Celtic origin of the legend of the sword stuck in the stone (or, according to Malory, under the anvil standing on the stone) prevailed until now.
The legendary sword in the stone, which is often associated with the legend of King Arthur, exists. He is not in some Avalon, of course, but in Italy. It can be seen in the Montesiepi Chapel, near Saint Galgano Abbey in Chiusdino, Tuscany. The story is like this. Thirty kilometers southeast of Siena stands the dilapidated abbey of San Galgano, once belonging to the Cistercian order (an order adjacent to the Benedictines). This abbey was built just in the XII century, in honor of the memory of the saint, who in the world bore the name of Galgano Guidotti. This Guidotti led a very dissolute life, was arrogant, voluptuous and much in favor of all sorts of violent atrocities. But once he had a vision of the Archangel Michael, and Guidotti, leaving everything, became a hermit, and after his death - in 1181 - he was canonized as a saint.
It is said of him that, as a sign of his renunciation of the world - and war - Guidotti plunged his sword into a stone, which "fell like butter." As a result, only the hilt sticks out of the stone, and three or four centimeters of the blade, forming a cross. According to legend, after the death of Galgano, countless people tried to steal the sword. The chapel also houses the mummified hands of one of the thieves who were left behind after he was attacked by a pack of wolves who were also said to have guarded the sword. Medievalist historian Mario Moiraghi believes that it was this tradition that formed the basis of the Arthurian cycle. This is indirectly supported by the estimated time of the appearance of the works that formed the basis of the 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 was created (also an obligatory attribute of the Arthurian cycles). And its author, Wolfram von Eschenbach, also focused his attention on Perceval (Parzival). As further evidence, Moiragi presents the testimony of Dioniza, the mother of Saint Galgano (or Galganius), before the council of cardinals who decided on the canonization of the deceased in 1190. According to Moiragi, Dionysus outlined “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 (although in Galgano’s vision, it was not the cup from which Christ drank at the Last Supper, but some text whose meaning he could not understand); and in the center of everything is the sword. "Knightly" stories brought by merchants from Persia were very popular in Italy at that time, and especially in Tuscany. Moiragi also found an explanation of where the image of the “Round Table” came from, at which the knights of Arthur sat. Round was the chapel built around the sword in stone. A characteristic detail, by the way: at Malory a tent was erected around the stone, where ten selected knights guarded day and night.
According to Moiragi, later authors could change the name of Galgano to Galvano - so, in the end, Gawain, the son of Morgause and Lot of Orkney, Arthur's nephew and one of his best knights, was born. In one of the stories, Gawain even acted as an envoy of the King of Britain to Rome. Galgano's sword was studied by specialists. Although the sword was thought to be a fake for many years, recent studies have proven that the metal composition and style of the sword is consistent with the period from 1100 to the early 1200s. This is indeed a metal sword, forged, apparently, just at the time when the legendary saint lived. Therefore, he appeared before the Arthurian stories in the retelling of Chrétien de Troyes and others. But this does not mean that the Celts could not have similar plots. And finally: during the study of the Tuscan sword in stone, it turned out that there was some kind of emptiness under it. The church authorities, however, have not yet given permission to move the stone, so scientists do not know what hides the sword in the stone underneath. Nowadays, it is stored 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 found another one:
"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 bowls for the health of His Majesty and the final victory over evil."
Most likely, the origin of the word is Celtic. Also referred to in chivalric romances under the titles Mirandoisa and Chastefol. Probably original name Caliburn, and the particle "Ex-" was added later. Archaeological finds of a large number of swords of the Dark Ages in European bodies of water suggest the existence of a custom of flooding weapons after the death of a warrior.
King Arthur obtained this sword with the assistance of the wizard Merlin - he was held above the waters by a mysterious hand (the hand of the Lady of the Lake) - after he lost his sword in a duel with Sir Pelinor.
One day, Arthur's sister, the fairy Morgana, persuaded her lover Sir Accolon to kill the king. To make it easier for him, she stole Excalibur, as well as his sheath, which was magical and promoted healing of wounds. But Arthur was able to defeat the enemy with conventional weapons.
After the last battle of Arthur, when the king felt that he was dying, he asked the last of the surviving knights of the Round Table, Sir Bedivere (or Griflet), to throw the sword into the nearest body of water - to return it to the Lady of the Lake. Only after making sure that this was done, Arthur died peacefully.
According to one legend, Excalibur was forged by the blacksmith god Velund. According to another, it was forged on Avalon. In some early texts, before falling into the hands of Arthur, it belonged to Gawain.
In Wales, this sword is called Caledfwlch, which is made up of two words called (battle - battle) and bwlch (breach - violate). This variant is found in early Welsh traditions such as Preiddeu Annwfn and Culhwch and Olwen (Kiluch and Olwen). There is also an opinion 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 the Latin word "chalybs" (steel) and the name of the Sarmatian tribe of Khalibs (kalybes), whose main occupation was blacksmithing.
When the legends about King Arthur got into French literature, the Escalibor variant first appeared, then Excalibor and, finally, the familiar Excalibur.
Ser Knowles, in the story of the battle of King Arthur with the knights who rebelled against him, gives the following description of the sword: “... he raised his sword, Excalibur, which he 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 fired 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 on different sides of the sword: “take me” and “throw me away” or “one side to win” and “the other side to protect”.
According to Geoffrey of Monmouth in his History of the Britons, Excalibur was made on the island of Avallon.
Thomas Bulfinch gives the following version of how King Arthur got his hands on Excalibur. According to her, Bishop Bryce on Christmas Eve asked the nobility to make a prayer for the sending down of a sign through which Divine Providence would indicate the future sovereign. After that, a stone was found in front of the church doors, in which a sword was stuck. On the hilt of the sword was written: "Excalibur, I am worthy of the hand of a reliable king."
Bishop Bryce thanked the Almighty and suggested that the one who pulls the sword out of the stone be considered the king of the Britons. The proposal met with universal approval. Many tried their hand, but no one was able to draw the sword. Meanwhile, the Trinity has come and the best knights of the kingdom have gathered for the tournament. Sir Caius was also there, under whom Arthur, his half-brother, served as squire. In one of the fights, Sir Kai broke the sword and sent Arthur to his mother for a new one, but she was not at home. Then Arthur, seeing a 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 himself and take the place of the king. But then, for verification, the sword was re-stuck into the stone and no one except Arthur could pull it out. After that, Arthur was recognized as king and his coronation was arranged.
The story told by Sir Knowles is somewhat different in this regard. According to her, Merlin came to Bryce, Bishop of Canterbury, and advised him to call to London before Christmas all the earls, barons, knights and men with weapons 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 point to the true king. And while they were praying in the churchyard, 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: "He who draws the sword from this stone is born the rightful king of Britain." When the mass was over, everyone went out to look at the stone, and were greatly surprised. Many tried to draw the sword, but no one even managed to move it. When everyone despaired, the archbishop declared that the one who was able to draw the sword was not among those present, and that it was necessary to throw a cry throughout the country in order to find him. Ten knights were chosen to guard the stone, and an announcement was sent around the country that anyone could come and try to draw the sword. Many came, but no one drew a sword by a hair's breadth. A big tournament was held in London on New Year's Eve. His idea belonged to the archbishop, who sought to bring the nobles together so that they would not move away from each other and be united in the face of danger and difficulties. Sir Ector, who had large estates in the vicinity of London, arrived at this tournament among others. With him was his son Sir Caius, recently knighted, and young Arthur. But when it came time for the duels, Kai found 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, for the weight had gone to the tournament. Then, angry, Arthur said: "I will go to the churchyard and take this sword stuck in the stone with me, because my brother should not be without a sword today." He arrived at the church and entered the pavilion built around the stone. There were no knights who were supposed to protect him - everyone was at the tournament. Arthur easily drew his 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 now he must 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 the lie and said that his brother brought him the sword. Then Arthur told his story. Sir Ector, not believing, ordered the sword to be plunged 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 origin 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 commonly believed to be Excalibur. Once, after a battle with a knight blocking his path, King Arthur was left without a sword, which was broken in this duel. After that, 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 full-flowing lake, in the middle of which Arthur noticed a hand in white brocade, clutching a beautiful sword in the palm of his hand. Merlin said that this was the sword and that it belonged to the Lady of the Lake. If she allows, then Arthur will be able to take it, if not, then no forces will be able to take possession of this sword. After that, they got off their horses, got into a boat and rode out into the middle of the lake. Arthur grabbed the hilt and pulled the sword towards him, 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 wished to excommunicate Arthur from the crown met together and went to the feast in honor of the coronation in Caerleon, as if to pay honors to 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 desired, they stood up and scornfully rejected his gifts, 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. The hall was in turmoil, and everyone was ready to fight. But Arthur sprang up as if a flame of fire against them and all his knights and barons drew their swords. A battle began, in which the rebels were driven out 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 against them...
After that, the rebels set up a camp near Caerleon. Merlin tried to reason with them by telling them about Arthur's royal lineage. Some listened to him, others did not... Arthur and the archbishop also talked to the rebellious kings, but in vain.
After all, 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. “Out! There is the sword I told you about!” Merlin said. Then they saw a girl floating in the moonlight on the lake. "What is this girl?" Arthur asked. Merlin said that this is the Lady of the Lake, who lives in a beautiful castle on the mountain and in order to take the sword, her permission would be required. In the meantime, 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, then 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 was right. Arthur and Merlin swam up to the sword, Arthur took the sword, and the hand holding it fell under the water. After that, Arthur and Merlin returned to Caerleon....
Later, a maiden in a richly trimmed 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 from, 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 in body and committed heroic deeds, incapable of cunning and betrayal, only he can pull it out of its sheath. Ballin, who was at Arthur's court, turned out to be that knight in the end.
Meanwhile, a richly dressed lady arrived at Arthur's court, greeted Arthur and asked him for a gift, which he promised her in return for Excalibur. Arthur promised to give everything that was enough for his power. Then she asked for the head of Ballin, or the head of the maiden who came with the sword, or the heads of both, 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 stood her ground. And then Ballin appeared in the hall. Upon seeing the Lady of the Lake, Ballin recognized her as the murderer of his mother, whom he had unsuccessfully searched for for three years. And when he was told that the Lady of the Lake wanted his head, Ballin drew his sword and beheaded her. Arthur was angry and demanded an explanation. After all, he owed much 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 sorceress who 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 witch's head to Northumberland, and he himself went in search of King Raynes to die, kill him or bring him prisoner to Arthur and thus earn his forgiveness. Looking ahead, let's say - 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 he saw Sir Lucan dead and Sir Badiver weeping over the body of his brother. And the king said to Sir Badivere: “Stop crying... The Brotherhood of the Round Table is destroyed forever, and my kingdom that I loved so much is devastated by war. My time is running out quickly, take Excalibur, my good sword, go yonder to the other shore and throw it into the water. And give me your word that you will." Badiver did not immediately decide to part with the sword and returned several times to Arthur, for he did not see the benefit of throwing away such a good and richly decorated sword. The sword he hid in the reeds. And each time Arthur asked what he saw. Badiver replied that nothing but wind and waves. And Arthur understood that he was lying, and sent him back. And for the last time Sir Badiver went to the water's edge and threw his sword as far as he could. And then a hand stuck out of the water and caught the sword, waved it three times and disappeared. Badiver returned and told the king everything.
This episode echoes the existing tradition of flooding 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, the legends say that the dying Arthur was taken by boat, accompanied by three queens, to the island of Avallon, where he among the elves hoped to heal his wounds. Moreover, Arthur promised to return.
In this regard, one old Welsh tale is very curious, which speaks of the treasure-filled cave of King Arthur, where knights girded with swords and in armor sat at the table. And at the head of them 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 retrieved from the bottom of European lakes these days.
Excalibur is credited with magical powers and is also associated with the legitimate sovereignty of Britain. Caladbolg, from which it is believed to be descended, 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, blinded the 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 soldiers with the sword Caliburn. Arthur also pierced the helmet with one blow and cut Flollon's head in two.
The scabbard of Excalibur is said to have its own power. So, for example, they protected the owner from death from blood loss. In some legends, wounds stopped bleeding altogether if the scabbard 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 bestowed on him through prayers to the Almighty.
