Thank you so much I.P. for the kind words! actually you're pretty good at research as well, and we pretty much learn from each other along with the others who contribute here.
I confess I could NOT figure out what this was either, and had to look at it upside down and sideways........feeling pretty lost I decided to go to my trusty copy of 'Kinman' ("European Makers of Edged Weapons and Their Marks"). Staffan has done a magnificent job of compiling all these markings from the well known compendiums. ......and there it was !
While not well versed in the art forms and these stylings used in the creation of elaborately designed hilts, it does seem there were a great deal of such hilts and swords created for diplomatic occasions between these royal courts.
Excellent notes and links well illustrating this!
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