Swords: Broad or Dainty

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 45698

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Melody" <Malady579 at h...> wrote:
> As I was watching to previews of the upcoming Potter event 
that must
> not be named, I began to wonder...
> 
> What kind of sword would an 11th century knight carry and 
generally
> have in his possession?
> 

A sword made of silver and ornamented with rubies would be a 
ceremonial sword, made to be worn or carried in procession  as 
a symbol of authority. Since they weren't meant to be used in 
battle, they can be either much lighter or much heavier than a 
common sword of the same design. 

There are many examples of these in the treasure houses of 
Europe, some of them as fanciful as anything a prop designer or 
a novelist could dream up. The Hapsburg emperors had one 
with a hilt  and scabbard of narwhal tusk (unicorn horn.) Rowling 
may have been thinking of the silver gilt Scottish sword of state, 
which dates from 1507 and is on display in Edinburgh Castle. 
It's about 4 and a half feet long. No rubies, but you could imagine 
them easily at the pommel and on the ends of the curved guard. 
Here's a picture

http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page451.asp

Pippin
not a sword expert, but studied them as an art student