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Originally Posted by David
Jim, of course i'm reading you posts mate. How do you think i find out about all this European stuff? 
I have not had time to locate any specific academic reference, but AFAIK Templars did take a vow of poverty (and silver would be wealth) and were strictly forbidden from placing personal adornments on their weapons or armor. Not sure if that extended to the sign of the cross which most certainly appeared on some shields and vestments. |
My initial thought was that Christian knights of that era must have been festooned with crosses.
Either 'Crusading' or just as a spill over from that 'era', there is an abiding romance image of the Christain knight holding his sword, with its cruciform shape before him and praying, being blessed etc.
The silver cross would be in front of his eyes if he were kneeling and holding the sword in front of him, but if it was a full crucifix on the pommel, it would be upside down when he held the sword aloft, or in opposition to the shape of the sword if it were reversed. Of course the short cross also fits the shape of the circular pommel.
It seems logical to me to have a short cross on the pommel, and silver has been long associated with holyness and purity.
I'm not sure it has to have a secondary association/meaning other than the Christian connection.