The Sword of Saint Maurice, an Italian 13th Century sword, is one of Albions Museum Line Collection Swords – These are exacting recreations of specific, fine historical swords in the worlds museums. These recreations are founded on Albions sword expert Peter Johnssons hands-on research and analyzation.
The Turin Sword of Saint Maurice is one of the best preserved 13th century swords. It is a massive sword, surely intended for use from horseback. Unlike the other sword attributed to St. Maurice that resides in Vienna, the Turin St. Maurice was kept together with relics of the saint. The sword was believed to have been the one used to behead St. Maurice, though it is clearly a 13th century sword. It is in a very fine state of preservation – looking almost as if it was forged yesterday. The sword is believed to have been made in the first half of the 13th century. Unlike its namesake in Vienna, this is very much a no-frills fighting sword without any embellishments. The iron pommel is a so-called Brazil nut pommel. The original swords grip was made of wood covered with thin, brown leather, parchment or possibly even linen, some of which has dried and peeled away during the centuries. There are some marks engraved on both sides of the blade.
Peter Johnsson offered this analysis of this unusually large sword: It is big, bold, sturdy and very powerful. It will take a strong arm to wield it efficiently. It was forged for someone that was very full grown, perhaps going to the holy land. It is the sword of a knight, who would fight fully clad in mail using a large shield, sitting on a powerful charger. This sword is made to strike fear into the heart of any man who would oppose this knight. This is the reason this sword was chosen to represent the sword of the ancient saint. You can tell just by looking at the sword: the man who owned it must have been a powerful and fearsome fighter.
It is not one of the quickest swords you will find (quickness in a fight is after all not just about absolute speed but equally important to be in the right place at the right time). Johnsson does not believe it is clunky or cumbersome or badly designed by its original maker(or makers). Holding this statically in your hand you might be impressed with the sheer mass of it. Once you start to wield it in earnest it will begin to sing. It is meant for movement and it will move like the big charger of the knight: near unstoppable. It will make an impression on targets that are not easily affected by lighter and quicker weapons. It is meant for big deliberate blows, when timing and distance is paramount. One great cut that really will count that is delivered as you pass, sitting in your saddle, or moving on foot behind your great long shield.
Albions recreation of this sword has a blade that has been hand ground to shape and tempered for the right mix of flexibility and edge retention and finished to a satin polish. The blade fuller is etched on both sides of the blade. The crossguard and pommel are of cast steel and the grip is stabilized wood wound three times with linen cloth (like the original) and covered with leather treated with bees wax.
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