European medieval sword inscriptions

wolviex · 20th May 2005, 06:34 AM

Hello and welcome!

you've touched so wide historical problem, that it can make brains storm here soon. Just to start, while I'm during morning hurry:

about executioner's swords: there is a book about them, quite good I think, unfortunately in Polish. If my time will let me, I will find it for you and I will quote some passages.

Nomine Domini, In Nomine Domini : maybe it is a luck, but I was just reading article by Mr. Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer "From Medieval Sword to Renaissance Rapier" (Gladius, Tome II, Granada 1963). There he has mentioned this inscription. I think you'll find there some other references too.

It's only for start, while as I mentioned it, it is very very wide historical aspect of armee blanche in general. If you started to dig in it, you won't get out of this soon

.

Sorry for casual references, but I'm just awake, in hurry and intrigued by your thread, and I just couldn't ignore it

regards!

wolviex · 20th May 2005, 05:37 PM

I decided to dig in some of the magazines on my bookshelf and I found some interesting articles that should be important for you. Of course there are also some basic books, which I hope you know very well like "Hieb- und Stich Waffen" by Miller or, of the same title, by E. Wagner; Herbert Seitz, Blankwaffen, Bibliothek für Kunst- und Antiquitätenfreunde, Band IV, 1965, etc.
Of course I bring only those which seems to be most interesting. Closer look to this magazines and more researches will bring you more for sure:

Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für historische Waffen- und Kostümkunde

- 1926, Band 2, heft 2, s. 39-40: E. A. Gessler, Ein Schwert mit Invocationsinschrift aus dem Anfgang des 13. Jahrhunderts (inscriptions NNOMINEDOMI, INIOMIINDII, and other)

- 1926, Band 2, heft 9, s.220-221: Ein Inschriftenschwert des 13. Jahrhunderts aus den Stedinger Kämpfen(the meaning of inscription: +NEDRC NEDRU SDRC NEDRU I+)

- 1935/1936 s. 145-148: Holger Arman, Zwei Ingelri-Schwerter Aus Schweden (+INGELRIIMEFECIT+)

- 1966, Heft2, s. 111-125: A. Anteins, Im Ostbaltikum gefunde Schwerter mit damaszierten Klingen(inscriptions on early medieval swords: VLFBERHT, +EEEBRHT+, SINIXIXINIS, +X+, GICELNI ME FECIT, INNOMINEDOMINO+, O+O, +O+, +|||||||||||||O||||||||||||+, +LEU RIT, +NINI ININ+, +ED:NINI NI+, +DCSCRVOM EIAUSO, + S +, +NIISOSF ISOSF, AOBR+, +NIC’’DIOAGSDICNIEROHDI, NNNNN, and other)

- 1970, heft2, s. 89-126, Ulrich Kühm, Das Richtsxhwert in Bayern (catalogue with many many inscriptions on knights’ and executioners’ swords with description, most of them are German and very long and complex like: ALLES WAS DV DVEST…., DIE OBRIGKEIT STUERET UNHEIL…, DOMINVS BENEDICTICAT ME ET IVFAT…, FIRCH GOT VND LIEB…., IVNCKHFRAV LIEB VND LERCHENGESANG…, and many others. There you can find also meaning of symbols like: wheel, skull, Justitia, Crucifix, Mary and the Child etc...)

- 1977, Heft2, s. 117-128: Marian Glosek, Leszek Kajzer, Zu den mittelalterlichen Schwerten der Benedictus-Gruppe (inscriptions like: BENEDICTUS DEUS MEUS, IFDNSDSN, SGS…SQUIDO, +SESBENEDIG+ AS, +INOMEDOMINI+, BENEDICTUS DOMINUS, SCSTPETRVNS, +BENEDICATINIUSDICI RA ICNIUIOMUENIE+, +NIUSUSDICNIUSDIC RADIXNIEITRAION NE, …)

[B]Gladius[/B]
- 1963, tome II, s. 5-66: Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer, From Medieval Sword to Renaissance Rapier (overall view with mention of some inscriptions and St. Maurice sword as well)

- 1968, tomo VII: Anatolij Kirpicnikow, Die Russischen Waffen des 9.-13. Jahrhundertw und Orientalische und Westeuropäische einflüsse auf ihre Entwicklung (ULFGERHT inscriptions of many kinds and other like GEROLT, ULEN, INGELRII)

Uff...

Regards

Fromhold K. · 20th May 2005, 10:32 PM

Thanks, wolviex!!

Much, much help! At least half of them unknown to me and Ulrich Kühm's catalogues seems to be exactly what I need. It's just that I am not sure if it is in our libraries available...

Rick · 20th May 2005, 10:38 PM

It would help to know where you are located so that potential resources in your area may be found .

Fromhold K. · 21st May 2005, 10:29 AM

I live in Estonia - small country under Finland.

Radu Transylvanicus · 21st May 2005, 11:25 AM

Rather than try to get all the inscriptions possible in your reach (mission impossible!) maybe you should probably start classifications with relevant examples like these:

Maker's mark: ex: Tho. Kapustran Transylvania fecit

Mottos: In nomine dei / Firch Got und lieb

Owners mark: Carolus, emperor Franciae /

Timeline mark: 1784, MDCCLXXXIV

Poetic marks: ...

And so on ... And most important remember: the Medieval sword inscriptions have not only been part of European continent. Asia has some of the most amazing armorial scryptures from the Mughal Quran versets, to the Arabian prayers, to Ottoman tughras to Japanese swordsmiths marks and the list is open.
I think you have chosed a great project subject and I have the certitude you will end up having a lot of joy doing it !

Wolviex, my dear brother, I hate you for all the acces to knowledge you have !

wolviex · 21st May 2005, 03:23 PM

Fromhold: so we are almost neighbours

. If this resources will be unavailable for you, contact me via email: wolviex@poczta.onet.pl, maybe we will find a way to help you.
Regards

Fromhold K. · 21st May 2005, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radu Transylvanicus

Rather than try to get all the inscriptions possible in your reach (mission impossible!) maybe you should probably start classifications

Sure, there is not much point in just collecting all the inscriptions, right? However, to make some kind of analyse, I prefer to have enough sources. I have about 30 writings. For now I have made a rather casual classification of inscriptions:
1. maker's marks
2. geometrical markings, patterns etc. (for better appearance)
3. magical signs, zodiac signs
4. letters (which actually are the first or last letters of a word, for example NED=NominE Domini)
5. sentences, which are classified:

a. moral sentences, usually including poetic (who lives in lie, destroys his soul, whose talk is false, his honour is also)
b. legitimizing sentences (in the name of law I thrust)
c. evocational sentences (in the name of God; Mary, remember me!)
d. informative sentences (Rotgier's sword, Gicelin made me)

Of course, this is very casual look on the analyse.

And yeah, I already figured these Kühm-Kühn, richtsxhwert things out, but I had hell of a time trying translating duest and firch, and figured out the ivnckhfrav

. So lots of thanks for the translations!

20th May 2005, 05:37 PM	#2
wolviex Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Poland, Krakow Posts: 418	Bibliography I decided to dig in some of the magazines on my bookshelf and I found some interesting articles that should be important for you. Of course there are also some basic books, which I hope you know very well like "Hieb- und Stich Waffen" by Miller or, of the same title, by E. Wagner; Herbert Seitz, Blankwaffen, Bibliothek für Kunst- und Antiquitätenfreunde, Band IV, 1965, etc. Of course I bring only those which seems to be most interesting. Closer look to this magazines and more researches will bring you more for sure: Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für historische Waffen- und Kostümkunde - 1926, Band 2, heft 2, s. 39-40: E. A. Gessler, Ein Schwert mit Invocationsinschrift aus dem Anfgang des 13. Jahrhunderts (inscriptions NNOMINEDOMI, INIOMIINDII, and other) - 1926, Band 2, heft 9, s.220-221: Ein Inschriftenschwert des 13. Jahrhunderts aus den Stedinger Kämpfen(the meaning of inscription: +NEDRC NEDRU SDRC NEDRU I+) - 1935/1936 s. 145-148: Holger Arman, Zwei Ingelri-Schwerter Aus Schweden (+INGELRIIMEFECIT+) - 1966, Heft2, s. 111-125: A. Anteins, Im Ostbaltikum gefunde Schwerter mit damaszierten Klingen(inscriptions on early medieval swords: VLFBERHT, +EEEBRHT+, SINIXIXINIS, +X+, GICELNI ME FECIT, INNOMINEDOMINO+, O+O, +O+, +\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|O\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|+, +LEU RIT, +NINI ININ+, +ED:NINI NI+, +DCSCRVOM EIAUSO, + S +, +NIISOSF ISOSF, AOBR+, +NIC’’DIOAGSDICNIEROHDI, NNNNN, and other) - 1970, heft2, s. 89-126, Ulrich Kühm, Das Richtsxhwert in Bayern (catalogue with many many inscriptions on knights’ and executioners’ swords with description, most of them are German and very long and complex like: ALLES WAS DV DVEST…., DIE OBRIGKEIT STUERET UNHEIL…, DOMINVS BENEDICTICAT ME ET IVFAT…, FIRCH GOT VND LIEB…., IVNCKHFRAV LIEB VND LERCHENGESANG…, and many others. There you can find also meaning of symbols like: wheel, skull, Justitia, Crucifix, Mary and the Child etc...) - 1977, Heft2, s. 117-128: Marian Glosek, Leszek Kajzer, Zu den mittelalterlichen Schwerten der Benedictus-Gruppe (inscriptions like: BENEDICTUS DEUS MEUS, IFDNSDSN, SGS…SQUIDO, +SESBENEDIG+ AS, +INOMEDOMINI+, BENEDICTUS DOMINUS, SCSTPETRVNS, +BENEDICATINIUSDICI RA ICNIUIOMUENIE+, +NIUSUSDICNIUSDIC RADIXNIEITRAION NE, …) [B]Gladius[/B] - 1963, tome II, s. 5-66: Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer, From Medieval Sword to Renaissance Rapier (overall view with mention of some inscriptions and St. Maurice sword as well) - 1968, tomo VII: Anatolij Kirpicnikow, Die Russischen Waffen des 9.-13. Jahrhundertw und Orientalische und Westeuropäische einflüsse auf ihre Entwicklung (ULFGERHT inscriptions of many kinds and other like GEROLT, ULEN, INGELRII) Uff... Regards

21st May 2005, 03:23 PM	#7
wolviex Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Poland, Krakow Posts: 418	Fromhold: so we are almost neighbours . If this resources will be unavailable for you, contact me via email: wolviex@poczta.onet.pl, maybe we will find a way to help you. Regards Last edited by wolviex; 22nd May 2005 at 10:55 AM.

20th May 2005, 06:34 AM	#1
wolviex Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Poland, Krakow Posts: 418	Hello and welcome! you've touched so wide historical problem, that it can make brains storm here soon. Just to start, while I'm during morning hurry: about executioner's swords: there is a book about them, quite good I think, unfortunately in Polish. If my time will let me, I will find it for you and I will quote some passages. Nomine Domini, In Nomine Domini : maybe it is a luck, but I was just reading article by Mr. Ada Bruhn Hoffmeyer "From Medieval Sword to Renaissance Rapier" (Gladius, Tome II, Granada 1963). There he has mentioned this inscription. I think you'll find there some other references too. It's only for start, while as I mentioned it, it is very very wide historical aspect of armee blanche in general. If you started to dig in it, you won't get out of this soon . Sorry for casual references, but I'm just awake, in hurry and intrigued by your thread, and I just couldn't ignore it regards!

20th May 2005, 10:32 PM	#3
Fromhold K. Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Estonia Posts: 6	Thanks, wolviex!! Much, much help! At least half of them unknown to me and Ulrich Kühm's catalogues seems to be exactly what I need. It's just that I am not sure if it is in our libraries available...

20th May 2005, 10:38 PM	#4
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,365	It would help to know where you are located so that potential resources in your area may be found .

21st May 2005, 10:29 AM	#5
Fromhold K. Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Estonia Posts: 6	I live in Estonia - small country under Finland.

21st May 2005, 11:25 AM	#6
Radu Transylvanicus Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: 2008-2010 Bali, 1998-2008 USA Posts: 271	Rather than try to get all the inscriptions possible in your reach (mission impossible!) maybe you should probably start classifications with relevant examples like these: Maker's mark: ex: Tho. Kapustran Transylvania fecit Mottos: In nomine dei / Firch Got und lieb Owners mark: Carolus, emperor Franciae / Timeline mark: 1784, MDCCLXXXIV Poetic marks: ... And so on ... And most important remember: the Medieval sword inscriptions have not only been part of European continent. Asia has some of the most amazing armorial scryptures from the Mughal Quran versets, to the Arabian prayers, to Ottoman tughras to Japanese swordsmiths marks and the list is open. I think you have chosed a great project subject and I have the certitude you will end up having a lot of joy doing it ! Wolviex, my dear brother, I hate you for all the acces to knowledge you have !