Miecz zawłaszczony przez Karola IV Luksemburga
The Sword Appropriated by Charles IV of Luxembourg

Summary/Abstract: The so-called sword of Charles IV of Luxembourg, preserved in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Weltliche Schatzkammer in Vienna, has long been the subject of debate concerning its origin and date. The discussion focuses primarily on the pommel, which, according to researchers, was made specifically for Charles IV. The sword itself is believed to have been produced in Sicily for Henry VI Hohenstaufen or his son Frederick II. An analysis of the coats of arms on the pommel reveals that they were executed by two different craftsmen. The eagle coat of arms is engraved with fine lines on the same plane as the pommel, whereas the lion coat of arms is carved into the surface, extending below its level. In my view, a third coat of arms was originally present, created using the same technique as the eagle. This emblem was associated with the Sicilian branch of the Hohenstaufen dynasty and may have represented either the coat of arms of Sicily or that of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

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