The coronation sword of the kings of France entered the Louvre during the French Revolution along with the other ceremonial instruments, previously kept in the treasury of the Abbey of Saint-Denis.
The sword is composed of very diverse elements. Both sides of the pommel are adorned with a repoussé decoration representing birds confronting each other, similar to the Scandinavian ornaments of the 10th and 11th centuries. The two quillons represent stylized winged dragons that can be dated to the 12th century. The gold rocket, covered with a network of lozenges, seems to date from the 13th or 14th century. The scabbard is composed of a long case, embroidered with fleur-de-lis, which was added for the coronation of Charles X in 1825. The oldest elements of this scabbard are, on the one hand, the large plate decorated with stones mounted in filigree battens, characteristic of the second half of the 13th century and, on the other hand, the buckle and its buckle-plate.
Very modified, the sword nevertheless remains a testimony to the sumptuousness of the instruments of the coronation of the kings of France.
(Translated from French through Google Translate)
Date: 1000-1100
Provenance: France
Materials: Gold, steel, lapis lazuli
Dimensions: Height: 100.5 cm; Width: 22.6 cm; Weight: 1150 g
