Title: Sword, with the Name and Blazon of the Mamluk Sultan Baybars
Date: circa 1270 AD (blade); circa 1520 (additional decoration)
Location: Egypt (blade) and Turkey (additional decoration)
Materials: watered-steel blade, with gold-inlaid and damascened decoration
Dimensions: 93cm (length)
Accession Number: MTW 1491
Other Notes:
The decoration of the blade is of two different periods, in two different colours of gold: the original Mamluk inscription is inlaid with gold wire, while the rich Ottoman cloud-scroll decoration is damascened. The blade bears two inscriptions, both including the name of the Mamluk Sultan al-Malik al-Zahir Baybars (r 658–676 AH/ 1260–1277 AD). That written along its edge between two heraldic lions, reads, ‘Glory to our Lord, the Sultan, the Prince, the Just, the Learned, the Defender of the Faith, the Warrior at the Frontiers, …, al-Zahir Baybars, the equal Associate of the Commander of the Faithful, may God make his victories glorious!’. The is the earliest securely datable curved Islamic sword.
Bibliography:
J.M. Rogers, The Arts of Islam. Masterpieces from the Khalili Collection, London 2010, cat.409, p.346.
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