Replica of the legendary «Joyeuse», currently in the Louvre Museum, but coming from the treasure of the abbey of Saint-Denis. This sword has been used in the consecration of all the kings and emperors of France. The sword of consecration was considered, since the thirteenth century, as Charlemagne’s, the «Joyeuse». Its handle and insert, which bears a plant element in the center of the guard, date back to the Late Middle Ages. Its spike, adorned until 1804 with lis flowers on the diamonds, looks gothic. Its hawks, formed by small winged dragons, date from the second half of the twelfth century.

Charlemagne, Carolus Magnus, Charles the Great, king of the Franks and emperor of the Western Europe, was born in 742, and became an undisputed chief and one of the great centers of power of history, the Holy Roman Empire.

Charlemagne’s reign has been associated with the Carolingian Renaissance, a resurgence of Latin culture and arts through the Carolingian Empire, led by the Catholic Church, which established a common European identity. Through his conquests abroad and his internal reforms, Charlemagne laid the foundationfor what would become Western Europe in the Middle Ages. Today, Charlemagne is regarded, not only as the founder of the French and German monarchy, who named him as Charles I, but also as the father of Europe.

Charlemagne’s empire was founded on the fighting fortress of the Franks, a confederation of fierce barbarian tribes from the Rhine fields in Germany, and filling the void left by the fall of ancient Rome. His broad ambition, often heightened by the claim to extend Christianity, included France, Germany, Italy and many other territories.

An aggressive conqueror, shrewd politician, and statesman, and a very fortunate general, Charlemagne established the scene of his vast empire that, in different forms, has reached the twentieth century.

The Christian religion was a cultural element of integration, stability and social order, which Emperor Charlemagne was responsible for cultivating: he protected the monasteries and sought to extend the Christian faith to the north (forcibly imposing it on the Saxons). The Carolingian dynasty remained at the front of the Empire until the beginning of the 10th century, and on the Throne of France until 987.

Charlemagne wore the traditional attire of the Frankish Nation: He liked to wear a bluish cape, as well as a sword, usually finished on a golden or silver grip. At banquets or receptions of ambassadors he carried imposing alistments.

• Length: 98 cm
• Width: 20.5 cm
• Weight: 1.7 kg

A high quality sword from the exclusive collection «historical, fantastic and legendary Swords» manufactured by MARTo.