European medieval sword inscriptions

Fromhold K. · 19th May 2005, 10:38 PM

Hello,
I write my bachelor's project on topic "The Meaning and Symbolism of the Sword in Medieval Society" and I would appreciate some help from you.

If anybody knows some other writings from sword (or where I could find some), please post it here or send me an email (ikelder@ut.ee). And if possible, with references, the period of the sword, the type of the sword etc. I am particularly interested in swords from approximately 1150-1500.

Here is what I already have.

Lots of letters and letter combinations (NED, INED (Nomine Domini, In Nomine Domini) etc.). Lots of different signs, drawings, symbols.

Also some texts, but only from most famous swords: Sword of Comté de Dreux, Sword of St. Maurice, executioner's swords (FIAT JUSTICIA; VIM VI PEPELLEPE LICET etc.), and the usual texts (like Gicelien me fecit, Gladius Rotgieri).

I have collected all the texts I found from www.myarmoury.com, www.netsword.com, http://forums.swordforum.com and www.vikingsword.com articles and from Oakeshott's Archaeology of Weapons.

Also, I have some texts from Estonian archeological artifacts, but that is pretty much it. And it's definitely not enough

.

Thanks in advance.

wolviex · 20th May 2005, 06:34 AM

Hello and welcome!

you've touched so wide historical problem, that it can make brains storm here soon. Just to start, while I'm during morning hurry:

about executioner's swords: there is a book about them, quite good I think, unfortunately in Polish. If my time will let me, I will find it for you and I will quote some passages.

Nomine Domini, In Nomine Domini : maybe it is a luck, but I was just reading article by Mr. Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer "From Medieval Sword to Renaissance Rapier" (Gladius, Tome II, Granada 1963). There he has mentioned this inscription. I think you'll find there some other references too.

It's only for start, while as I mentioned it, it is very very wide historical aspect of armee blanche in general. If you started to dig in it, you won't get out of this soon

.

Sorry for casual references, but I'm just awake, in hurry and intrigued by your thread, and I just couldn't ignore it

regards!

wolviex · 20th May 2005, 05:37 PM

I decided to dig in some of the magazines on my bookshelf and I found some interesting articles that should be important for you. Of course there are also some basic books, which I hope you know very well like "Hieb- und Stich Waffen" by Miller or, of the same title, by E. Wagner; Herbert Seitz, Blankwaffen, Bibliothek für Kunst- und Antiquitätenfreunde, Band IV, 1965, etc.
Of course I bring only those which seems to be most interesting. Closer look to this magazines and more researches will bring you more for sure:

Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für historische Waffen- und Kostümkunde

- 1926, Band 2, heft 2, s. 39-40: E. A. Gessler, Ein Schwert mit Invocationsinschrift aus dem Anfgang des 13. Jahrhunderts (inscriptions NNOMINEDOMI, INIOMIINDII, and other)

- 1926, Band 2, heft 9, s.220-221: Ein Inschriftenschwert des 13. Jahrhunderts aus den Stedinger Kämpfen(the meaning of inscription: +NEDRC NEDRU SDRC NEDRU I+)

- 1935/1936 s. 145-148: Holger Arman, Zwei Ingelri-Schwerter Aus Schweden (+INGELRIIMEFECIT+)

- 1966, Heft2, s. 111-125: A. Anteins, Im Ostbaltikum gefunde Schwerter mit damaszierten Klingen(inscriptions on early medieval swords: VLFBERHT, +EEEBRHT+, SINIXIXINIS, +X+, GICELNI ME FECIT, INNOMINEDOMINO+, O+O, +O+, +|||||||||||||O||||||||||||+, +LEU RIT, +NINI ININ+, +ED:NINI NI+, +DCSCRVOM EIAUSO, + S +, +NIISOSF ISOSF, AOBR+, +NIC’’DIOAGSDICNIEROHDI, NNNNN, and other)

- 1970, heft2, s. 89-126, Ulrich Kühm, Das Richtsxhwert in Bayern (catalogue with many many inscriptions on knights’ and executioners’ swords with description, most of them are German and very long and complex like: ALLES WAS DV DVEST…., DIE OBRIGKEIT STUERET UNHEIL…, DOMINVS BENEDICTICAT ME ET IVFAT…, FIRCH GOT VND LIEB…., IVNCKHFRAV LIEB VND LERCHENGESANG…, and many others. There you can find also meaning of symbols like: wheel, skull, Justitia, Crucifix, Mary and the Child etc...)

- 1977, Heft2, s. 117-128: Marian Glosek, Leszek Kajzer, Zu den mittelalterlichen Schwerten der Benedictus-Gruppe (inscriptions like: BENEDICTUS DEUS MEUS, IFDNSDSN, SGS…SQUIDO, +SESBENEDIG+ AS, +INOMEDOMINI+, BENEDICTUS DOMINUS, SCSTPETRVNS, +BENEDICATINIUSDICI RA ICNIUIOMUENIE+, +NIUSUSDICNIUSDIC RADIXNIEITRAION NE, …)

[B]Gladius[/B]
- 1963, tome II, s. 5-66: Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer, From Medieval Sword to Renaissance Rapier (overall view with mention of some inscriptions and St. Maurice sword as well)

- 1968, tomo VII: Anatolij Kirpicnikow, Die Russischen Waffen des 9.-13. Jahrhundertw und Orientalische und Westeuropäische einflüsse auf ihre Entwicklung (ULFGERHT inscriptions of many kinds and other like GEROLT, ULEN, INGELRII)

Uff...

Regards

Fromhold K. · 20th May 2005, 10:32 PM

Thanks, wolviex!!

Much, much help! At least half of them unknown to me and Ulrich Kühm's catalogues seems to be exactly what I need. It's just that I am not sure if it is in our libraries available...

Rick · 20th May 2005, 10:38 PM

It would help to know where you are located so that potential resources in your area may be found .

Fromhold K. · 21st May 2005, 10:29 AM

I live in Estonia - small country under Finland.

Jan · 21st May 2005, 04:12 PM

Hello Fromhold,
although I am way off my usual area of interest (Indonesia, that is) here, I might add a few comments on some of the German inscriptions quoted by wolviex above. Looking up the meanings of some of these inscriptions might be rather hard for a non-native speaker of German due to the old-fashioned spellings and maybe also to a few misreadings of some letters. And I suppose you will also need the meanings of these inscriptions for your project, not just their pure letters.

ALLES WAS DV DVEST…. = "ALLES WAS DU DUEST..."
modernized German: Alles was Du tust...
meaning: Everything you do...

DIE OBRIGKEIT STUERET UNHEIL… = I can´t really make out what "STUERET" is, the other words are basically ok. But sorry, I can´t really translate that one without the missing verb here.

FIRCH GOT VND LIEB…. = "FIRCH(T) GOT(T) UND LIEB..."
mG: Fürchte Gott und lieb...
meaning: Fear God and love...

IVNCKHFRAV LIEB VND LERCHENGESANG… = "IUNCKHFRAU LIEB UND LERCHENGESANG..."
mG: Jungfrau lieb und Lerchengesang...
meaning: Maiden/virgin dear and lark´s song...

Don´t take these as formal transcriptions or translations, just as my two-cents-worth here. If you have any questions regarding other German inscriptions, feel free to ask.
Jan

Oh, btw: The most important word in the Kühm title above "Das Richtsxhwert in Bayern" should probably be "RICHTSCHWERT".
I know, I know, German is a strange language - but not THAT strange (= "..sxh.." is not a usual combination)

Jan · 21st May 2005, 04:34 PM

And already back again.
Checking up on the Ulrich "Kühm" title mentioned above, I found this library entry here in the online catalogue of the University of Hamburg:
"Inschriften und Verzierungen auf Richtschwertern; ihre Deutung aus der Person des Scharfrichters" by Ulrich Kühn, 1969.

https://hhas21.rrz.uni-hamburg.de/DB...ichtschwertern

a.) The last name of the author is KÜHN, not Kühm.
b.) Apparently he wrote his doctoral thesis (158 pages) about this topic before publishing the catalogue mentioned above - might be easier to locate for you.

And if you understand German - yes, one of the two editions in our libraries here is basically available, but currently someone else has made a reservation for it... and yes, that´s me

I will get it on Monday.
Maybe contact me privately via my adress in my profile.

wolviex · 21st May 2005, 04:58 PM

Jan: thank you for explanations and correction - of course these are my mistakes I've made being in hurry, trying to gather so many informations as it was possible during two hours of free time. Of course there are no "sxh" in German - it's just literal mistake while "C" and "X" are close neighbours on my keyboard

I hope my little mistakes didn't mislead too much our Estonian friend.

Regards

19th May 2005, 10:38 PM	#1
Fromhold K. Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Estonia Posts: 6	European medieval sword inscriptions Hello, I write my bachelor's project on topic "The Meaning and Symbolism of the Sword in Medieval Society" and I would appreciate some help from you. If anybody knows some other writings from sword (or where I could find some), please post it here or send me an email (ikelder@ut.ee). And if possible, with references, the period of the sword, the type of the sword etc. I am particularly interested in swords from approximately 1150-1500. Here is what I already have. Lots of letters and letter combinations (NED, INED (Nomine Domini, In Nomine Domini) etc.). Lots of different signs, drawings, symbols. Also some texts, but only from most famous swords: Sword of Comté de Dreux, Sword of St. Maurice, executioner's swords (FIAT JUSTICIA; VIM VI PEPELLEPE LICET etc.), and the usual texts (like Gicelien me fecit, Gladius Rotgieri). I have collected all the texts I found from www.myarmoury.com, www.netsword.com, http://forums.swordforum.com and www.vikingsword.com articles and from Oakeshott's Archaeology of Weapons. Also, I have some texts from Estonian archeological artifacts, but that is pretty much it. And it's definitely not enough . Thanks in advance.

20th May 2005, 05:37 PM	#3
wolviex Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Poland, Krakow Posts: 418	Bibliography I decided to dig in some of the magazines on my bookshelf and I found some interesting articles that should be important for you. Of course there are also some basic books, which I hope you know very well like "Hieb- und Stich Waffen" by Miller or, of the same title, by E. Wagner; Herbert Seitz, Blankwaffen, Bibliothek für Kunst- und Antiquitätenfreunde, Band IV, 1965, etc. Of course I bring only those which seems to be most interesting. Closer look to this magazines and more researches will bring you more for sure: Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für historische Waffen- und Kostümkunde - 1926, Band 2, heft 2, s. 39-40: E. A. Gessler, Ein Schwert mit Invocationsinschrift aus dem Anfgang des 13. Jahrhunderts (inscriptions NNOMINEDOMI, INIOMIINDII, and other) - 1926, Band 2, heft 9, s.220-221: Ein Inschriftenschwert des 13. Jahrhunderts aus den Stedinger Kämpfen(the meaning of inscription: +NEDRC NEDRU SDRC NEDRU I+) - 1935/1936 s. 145-148: Holger Arman, Zwei Ingelri-Schwerter Aus Schweden (+INGELRIIMEFECIT+) - 1966, Heft2, s. 111-125: A. Anteins, Im Ostbaltikum gefunde Schwerter mit damaszierten Klingen(inscriptions on early medieval swords: VLFBERHT, +EEEBRHT+, SINIXIXINIS, +X+, GICELNI ME FECIT, INNOMINEDOMINO+, O+O, +O+, +\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|O\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|+, +LEU RIT, +NINI ININ+, +ED:NINI NI+, +DCSCRVOM EIAUSO, + S +, +NIISOSF ISOSF, AOBR+, +NIC’’DIOAGSDICNIEROHDI, NNNNN, and other) - 1970, heft2, s. 89-126, Ulrich Kühm, Das Richtsxhwert in Bayern (catalogue with many many inscriptions on knights’ and executioners’ swords with description, most of them are German and very long and complex like: ALLES WAS DV DVEST…., DIE OBRIGKEIT STUERET UNHEIL…, DOMINVS BENEDICTICAT ME ET IVFAT…, FIRCH GOT VND LIEB…., IVNCKHFRAV LIEB VND LERCHENGESANG…, and many others. There you can find also meaning of symbols like: wheel, skull, Justitia, Crucifix, Mary and the Child etc...) - 1977, Heft2, s. 117-128: Marian Glosek, Leszek Kajzer, Zu den mittelalterlichen Schwerten der Benedictus-Gruppe (inscriptions like: BENEDICTUS DEUS MEUS, IFDNSDSN, SGS…SQUIDO, +SESBENEDIG+ AS, +INOMEDOMINI+, BENEDICTUS DOMINUS, SCSTPETRVNS, +BENEDICATINIUSDICI RA ICNIUIOMUENIE+, +NIUSUSDICNIUSDIC RADIXNIEITRAION NE, …) [B]Gladius[/B] - 1963, tome II, s. 5-66: Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer, From Medieval Sword to Renaissance Rapier (overall view with mention of some inscriptions and St. Maurice sword as well) - 1968, tomo VII: Anatolij Kirpicnikow, Die Russischen Waffen des 9.-13. Jahrhundertw und Orientalische und Westeuropäische einflüsse auf ihre Entwicklung (ULFGERHT inscriptions of many kinds and other like GEROLT, ULEN, INGELRII) Uff... Regards

20th May 2005, 06:34 AM	#2
wolviex Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Poland, Krakow Posts: 418	Hello and welcome! you've touched so wide historical problem, that it can make brains storm here soon. Just to start, while I'm during morning hurry: about executioner's swords: there is a book about them, quite good I think, unfortunately in Polish. If my time will let me, I will find it for you and I will quote some passages. Nomine Domini, In Nomine Domini : maybe it is a luck, but I was just reading article by Mr. Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer "From Medieval Sword to Renaissance Rapier" (Gladius, Tome II, Granada 1963). There he has mentioned this inscription. I think you'll find there some other references too. It's only for start, while as I mentioned it, it is very very wide historical aspect of armee blanche in general. If you started to dig in it, you won't get out of this soon . Sorry for casual references, but I'm just awake, in hurry and intrigued by your thread, and I just couldn't ignore it regards!

20th May 2005, 10:32 PM	#4
Fromhold K. Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Estonia Posts: 6	Thanks, wolviex!! Much, much help! At least half of them unknown to me and Ulrich Kühm's catalogues seems to be exactly what I need. It's just that I am not sure if it is in our libraries available...

20th May 2005, 10:38 PM	#5
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,291	It would help to know where you are located so that potential resources in your area may be found .

21st May 2005, 10:29 AM	#6
Fromhold K. Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Estonia Posts: 6	I live in Estonia - small country under Finland.

21st May 2005, 04:12 PM	#7
Jan Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Hamburg, Germany Posts: 8	Hello Fromhold, although I am way off my usual area of interest (Indonesia, that is) here, I might add a few comments on some of the German inscriptions quoted by wolviex above. Looking up the meanings of some of these inscriptions might be rather hard for a non-native speaker of German due to the old-fashioned spellings and maybe also to a few misreadings of some letters. And I suppose you will also need the meanings of these inscriptions for your project, not just their pure letters. ALLES WAS DV DVEST…. = "ALLES WAS DU DUEST..." modernized German: Alles was Du tust... meaning: Everything you do... DIE OBRIGKEIT STUERET UNHEIL… = I can´t really make out what "STUERET" is, the other words are basically ok. But sorry, I can´t really translate that one without the missing verb here. FIRCH GOT VND LIEB…. = "FIRCH(T) GOT(T) UND LIEB..." mG: Fürchte Gott und lieb... meaning: Fear God and love... IVNCKHFRAV LIEB VND LERCHENGESANG… = "IUNCKHFRAU LIEB UND LERCHENGESANG..." mG: Jungfrau lieb und Lerchengesang... meaning: Maiden/virgin dear and lark´s song... Don´t take these as formal transcriptions or translations, just as my two-cents-worth here. If you have any questions regarding other German inscriptions, feel free to ask. Jan Oh, btw: The most important word in the Kühm title above "Das Richtsxhwert in Bayern" should probably be "RICHTSCHWERT". I know, I know, German is a strange language - but not THAT strange (= "..sxh.." is not a usual combination)

21st May 2005, 04:34 PM	#8
Jan Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Hamburg, Germany Posts: 8	And already back again. Checking up on the Ulrich "Kühm" title mentioned above, I found this library entry here in the online catalogue of the University of Hamburg: "Inschriften und Verzierungen auf Richtschwertern; ihre Deutung aus der Person des Scharfrichters" by Ulrich Kühn, 1969. https://hhas21.rrz.uni-hamburg.de/DB...ichtschwertern a.) The last name of the author is KÜHN, not Kühm. b.) Apparently he wrote his doctoral thesis (158 pages) about this topic before publishing the catalogue mentioned above - might be easier to locate for you. And if you understand German - yes, one of the two editions in our libraries here is basically available, but currently someone else has made a reservation for it... and yes, that´s me I will get it on Monday. Maybe contact me privately via my adress in my profile.

21st May 2005, 04:58 PM	#9
wolviex Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Poland, Krakow Posts: 418	Jan: thank you for explanations and correction - of course these are my mistakes I've made being in hurry, trying to gather so many informations as it was possible during two hours of free time. Of course there are no "sxh" in German - it's just literal mistake while "C" and "X" are close neighbours on my keyboard I hope my little mistakes didn't mislead too much our Estonian friend. Regards