Sword of Attila
Encyclopedia
The Sword of Attila was the legendary weapon carried by Attila the Hun
. The Roman historian Jordanes
, quoting the work of the historian Priscus
, gave the story of its origin:
The use of "Mars
" here is due to the interpretatio romana of Priscus, however, as the Huns would not have adopted the names of Roman deities; the more likely name used by the Huns would have been the more generic "sword of the war god;" Hungarian legends refer to it simply as "az Isten kardja," the sword of God. Priscus's description is also notable for describing how Attila used it as both a military weapon and a symbol of divine favor, which may have contributed to his reputation as "the Scourge of God," a divinely-appointed punisher. As historian Edward Gibbon
elaborated, "the vigour with which Attila wielded the sword of Mars, convinced the world that it had been reserved alone for his invincible arm." In this way it became somewhat of a sceptre
as well, representing Attila's right to rulership.
In the eleventh century, some five hundred years after the death of Attila, a sword claimed to have belonged to him surfaced, according to Lambert of Hersfeld
, who attributed its provenance to the recently-established Árpád
kings of Hungary, who appropriated the cult of Attila and linked a claimed descent from him with their right to rule. The occasion was the unfortunate death of Leopold de Merspurg, a counsellor to the king, who fell from his horse and was impaled upon his own sword. The sword's history given by Johann Pistorius
, was that it had been given by the queen-mother of King Salomon
to Otho, Duke of Bavaria, who had urged the emperor to reinstate Salomon's possessions. Otho had given it to Dedus, younger son of the margrave Dedus, after whose death it had come to the king, who had given it to Leopold, whose death— it was asserted by partisans of his rival Otho— had been a divine judgment.
There is no evidence to substantiate these medieval claims of its origin with Attila; the sword, in the Kunsthistorisches Museum
, Vienna, as part of the Habsburg Schatzkammer in fact appears to be the work of ninth or tenth century Hungarian goldsmiths.
Attila the Hun
Attila , more frequently referred to as Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 until his death in 453. He was leader of the Hunnic Empire, which stretched from the Ural River to the Rhine River and from the Danube River to the Baltic Sea. During his reign he was one of the most feared...
. The Roman historian Jordanes
Jordanes
Jordanes, also written Jordanis or Jornandes, was a 6th century Roman bureaucrat, who turned his hand to history later in life....
, quoting the work of the historian Priscus
Priscus
Priscus of Panium was a late Roman diplomat, sophist and historian from Rumelifeneri living in the Roman Empire during the 5th century. He accompanied Maximinus, the ambassador of Theodosius II, to the court of Attila in 448...
, gave the story of its origin:
"When a certain shepherd beheld one heifer of his flock limping and could find no cause for this wound, he anxiously followed the trail of blood and at length came to a sword it had unwittingly trampled while nibbling the grass. He dug it up and took it straight to Attila. He rejoiced at this gift and, being ambitious, thought he had been appointed ruler of the whole world, and that through the sword of Mars supremacy in all wars was assured to him."
The use of "Mars
Mars (mythology)
Mars was the Roman god of war and also an agricultural guardian, a combination characteristic of early Rome. He was second in importance only to Jupiter, and he was the most prominent of the military gods worshipped by the Roman legions...
" here is due to the interpretatio romana of Priscus, however, as the Huns would not have adopted the names of Roman deities; the more likely name used by the Huns would have been the more generic "sword of the war god;" Hungarian legends refer to it simply as "az Isten kardja," the sword of God. Priscus's description is also notable for describing how Attila used it as both a military weapon and a symbol of divine favor, which may have contributed to his reputation as "the Scourge of God," a divinely-appointed punisher. As historian Edward Gibbon
Edward Gibbon
Edward Gibbon was an English historian and Member of Parliament...
elaborated, "the vigour with which Attila wielded the sword of Mars, convinced the world that it had been reserved alone for his invincible arm." In this way it became somewhat of a sceptre
Sceptre
A sceptre is a symbolic ornamental rod or wand borne in the hand by a ruling monarch as an item of royal or imperial insignia.-Antiquity:...
as well, representing Attila's right to rulership.
In the eleventh century, some five hundred years after the death of Attila, a sword claimed to have belonged to him surfaced, according to Lambert of Hersfeld
Lambert of Hersfeld
Lambert of Hersfeld was a medieval chronicler, probably a Thuringian by birth. His work represents a major source for the history of Germany and the Holy Roman Empire in the eleventh century....
, who attributed its provenance to the recently-established Árpád
Árpád dynasty
The Árpáds or Arpads was the ruling dynasty of the federation of the Hungarian tribes and of the Kingdom of Hungary . The dynasty was named after Grand Prince Árpád who was the head of the tribal federation when the Magyars occupied the Carpathian Basin, circa 895...
kings of Hungary, who appropriated the cult of Attila and linked a claimed descent from him with their right to rule. The occasion was the unfortunate death of Leopold de Merspurg, a counsellor to the king, who fell from his horse and was impaled upon his own sword. The sword's history given by Johann Pistorius
Johann Pistorius
Johann Pistorius was a German controversialist and historian. He is sometimes called Niddanus from the name of his birthplace, Nidda in Hesse.-Life:...
, was that it had been given by the queen-mother of King Salomon
Solomon of Hungary
Solomon , King of Hungary . He was crowned as a child during his father's lifetime in order to ensure his succession, but his uncle Béla managed to dethrone his father and ascend to the throne...
to Otho, Duke of Bavaria, who had urged the emperor to reinstate Salomon's possessions. Otho had given it to Dedus, younger son of the margrave Dedus, after whose death it had come to the king, who had given it to Leopold, whose death— it was asserted by partisans of his rival Otho— had been a divine judgment.
There is no evidence to substantiate these medieval claims of its origin with Attila; the sword, in the Kunsthistorisches Museum
Kunsthistorisches Museum
The Kunsthistorisches Museum is an art museum in Vienna, Austria. Housed in its festive palatial building on Ringstraße, it is crowned with an octagonal dome...
, Vienna, as part of the Habsburg Schatzkammer in fact appears to be the work of ninth or tenth century Hungarian goldsmiths.