Arms of Skanderbeg at the Museum of Kruja

Skanderbeg was a prominent figure in the history of Albania. His weapons have been subjects of mythical adoration. According to legends his sword was so heavy that only his arm could wield. Reportedly, it was also so sharp that it could slice a man vertically from head to waist with little effort and cut a huge boulder in half with a single blow. Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Scanderbeg and the people, sculpture by Janaq Paço and Genc Hajdari in the National Museum, Kruje, Albania George Kastrioti (Gjergj Kastrioti) (1405 - January 17, 1468), better known as Skanderbeg, is the most prominent figure in the history of Albania. ...

From all of Skanderbeg's belongings we are left with only four objects: two swords, one helmet and a prayer book. Currently the weapons (helmet and sword) are on display at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna after having passed though the hands of countless noblemen since the 15th century when they were first brought over to Italy from Albania by Skanderbeg’s wife, Donika Kastrioti. The prayer book is archived at the Publishing ShelleyHouse in Chelsea, London. Pickelhaube of a Swedish Royal Guard soldier For the band, see Helmet A helmet (a 15th century loan from Middle French, a diminutive of Frankish helm, from Proto-Germanic *khelmaz, PIE *kelmo- a cover) is a form of protective clothing worn on the head and usually made of metal or... Swiss longsword, 15th or 16th century Sword (from Old English sweord, cognate to Old High German Schwert, literally wounding tool from a Proto-Indo-European root *swer- to wound, to hurt) is a term for a long edged weapon, fundamentally consisting of a blade, usually with two edges for striking... Kunsthistorisches Museum at Maria-Theresien-Platz, Vienna. ... Vienna (German: Wien ; Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian: Beč, Czech: Vídeň, Hungarian: Bécs, Romanian: Viena, Romani: Bech or Vidnya, Russian: Вена, Slovak: Viedeň, Slovenian: Dunaj) is the capital of Austria, and also one of the nine States of Austria. ... Chelsea can refer to: Locations in the United Kingdom: A neighbourhood in London, see: Chelsea, London A now defunct, but still famous, porcelain factory, see Chelsea porcelain factory A borough in London, see: Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea A bridge in London, see: Chelsea Bridge Locations in the United... London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England and is the most populous city in the European Union. ...

The Swords

The Curved Sword

According to Dhimiter Frengu, an official and friend-in-arms of Skanderbeg, the first sword was curved (In the original Italian: una schimitarra storta), with a sharp edge and elegantly made of Damascened steel. There are also accounts which relate that at one point he kept two swords sheathed in the same scabbard. Frengu then adds, rather colourfully, that Skanderbeg brought a master sword-maker over from Italy, who produced three better swords for him. One of them, "that could cut through steel," he sent it as a present to the Ottoman Sultan of Turkey. It is also known that in Skanderbeg's last visit to the Holy See, Pope Paul II presented the Albanian hero with a sword and a cap (It: una spada ed un capello). A scabbard is a sheath for holding a sword. ... Imperial motto (Ottoman Turkish) دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power (1683) Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital Söğüt (1299-1326), Bursa (1326-1365), Edirne (1365-1453), İstanbul (1453-1922) Imperial anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Sovereigns Padishah of the Osmanl... A sultan (Arabic: سلطان) is an Islamic title, with several historical meanings. ... Paul II, né Pietro Barbo (February 23, 1417 – July 26, 1471), was Pope from 1464 until his death. ...

The straight sword, which lay at the Museum of Ambras along with the helmet, is double-edged. The blade is dressed in gold. It is 85.5 centimeters long, 5.7 cm wide, and weighs 1.3 kilograms. Its scabbard is made of leather. According to Faik Konica, who viewed the sword at the beginning of the 20th century, there were still stains of blood on the blade. This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... The international prototype, made of platinum-iridium, which is kept at the BIPM under conditions specified by the 1st CGPM in 1889. ... Faik Konica (1875-1942) was one of the great figures of Albanian intellectual culture in the early decades of the twentieth century. ...

On the other hand, the curved sword, including the hilt, measures 121 cm in length and weighs 3.2 kg. This sword is fashioned after Ottoman styles of the time, and just as Dhimiter Frengu reported five centuries earlier, is a damascene steel, highly ornamented. There is an inscription in Turkish, which according to Faik Konica is not correct. The inscription reads: (Libehadur Allah Iskander beg – Champion of God, Skanderbeg). Still, according to Fraik Konica, only the blade belongs to the original sword held by Skanderbeg. The hilt, dressed in silver, and the velvet scabbard belong to a subsequent time. Both swords were reproduced in Vienna, for exclusive display in Tirana. See also: Hilt (band) and Peter Hilt Hilt of Szczerbiec The hilt of a sword is its handle, consisting of a guard, grip and pommel. ... General Name, Symbol, Number silver, Ag, 47 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 5, d Appearance lustrous white metal Atomic mass 107. ... Velvet is a type of tufted fabric in which the cut threads are very evenly distributed, with a short dense pile, giving it its distinct feel. ... A scabbard is a sheath for holding a sword. ...

Of these two swords, the one which Skanderbeg used in times of war could have been the curved one. The straight sword was rather short for his tall frame, whereas the other one afforded the flexibility required for cavalry charges and the fighting style of the day. In addition, having been trained in Turkey, and having learned there his skills in martial arts, it is more likely that he would have been more comfortable with that sword.

The Helmet

Skanderbeg’s helmet is made of white metal, adorned with a strip dressed in gold. On its top lies the head of a horned goat made of bronze, also dressed in gold. The bottom part bears a copper strip adorned with a monogram separated by rosettes * IN * PE * RA * TO * RE * BT *, which means: Jhezus Nazarenus * Principi Emathie * Regi Albaniae * Terrori Osmanorum * Regi Epirotarum * Benedictat Te (Jesus Nazarene Blesses Thee (Skanderbeg), Prince of Mat, King of Albania, Terror of the Ottomans, King of Epirus). It is thought that the copper strip with the monogram is the work of the descendants of Skanderbeg and was placed there by them, as Skanderbeg never held any other title but “Lord of Albania”. General Name, Symbol, Number gold, Au, 79 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 6, d Appearance metallic yellow Atomic mass 196. ... For other types of horns, see horn (disambiguation). ... Species See Species and subspecies The goat is a mammal in the genus Capra, which consists of nine species: the Ibex, the West Caucasian Tur, the East Caucasian Tur, the Markhor, and the Wild Goat. ... General Name, Symbol, Number copper, Cu, 29 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 4, d Appearance metallic brown Atomic mass 63. ... The Chi-Rho, a monogram of the first two letters in the Greek word for Christ Haddot Ardalone lili The New York Yankees team monogram Ecstacy commonly appears in a tablet form, usually imprinted with a monogram. ... Jesus (8-2 BC/BCE — 29-36 AD/CE),[1] also known as Jesus of Nazareth, is the central figure of Christianity. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... The term prince (the female form is princess), from the Latin root princeps, when used for a member of the highest aristocracy, has several fundamentally different meanings - one generic, and several types of titles. ... The District of Mat (Albanian: Rrethi i Matit) is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania. ... Terror is a pronounced state of fear, an overwhelming sense of imminent danger. ... Imperial motto (Ottoman Turkish) دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power (1683) Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital Söğüt (1299-1326), Bursa (1326-1365), Edirne (1365-1453), Ä°stanbul (1453-1922) Imperial anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Sovereigns Padishah of the Osmanl... Look up monarch in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Epirus (Greek Ήπειρος, Ípiros) is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in south-eastern Europe. ...

The first element which commands attention is the meaning and symbolism of the horned goat on the helmet. It is difficult to assess with certainty what the horned goat might signify. It might be explained by the cult of the wild goat, the symbol of the “zana” minor deities akin to Valkyrie in the Norse mythology, which live in mountain forests and pastures. There are signs indicating that the cult of the wild goat is very ancient. The Roman writer and historian of the I-II century A.D., S. Suetom Tanquilli (De Vita Caesarum, L.II, 12, 94.) writes that the Roman Emperor Augustus, after putting down the Illyrian revolt of Bato, cut a coin bearing the head of a horned goat to celebrate the victory. A statue from 1908 by Stephan Sinding located in Copenhagen, presents an active image of a valkyrie. ... Norse or Scandinavian mythology comprises the pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian people, including those who settled on Iceland, where the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. ... The Roman Forum was the central area around which ancient Rome developed. ... Roman Emperor is the term historians use to refer to rulers of the Roman Empire, after the epoch conventionally named the Roman Republic. ... Augustus (Latin: IMPERATOR CAESAR DIVI FILIVS AVGVSTVS[1]; September 23, 63 BC – August 19, AD 14), known to modern English speaking historians as Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus for the period of his life prior to 27 BC, was the first and among the most important of the Roman Emperors, though... Bato is the name of three places in the Philippines: Bato is a Illyrian (Albanian) male name. ...

There is another possible explanation with serious historical ramifications. According to a report by historian Shefqet Pllana, Sami Frasheri in his Kamus-al-Alam maintains that the wording "Dhu lKarnejn" (owner of the two horns) was an appellative attributed to Alexander the Great of Macedon, the very name which Skanderbeg bore in the Islamic form. This second explanation may be the truer, since the theory of the Macedonian-Albanian and Epirot-Albanian continuance is strong not only among Albanians but among all the peoples of Europe. This opinion agrees with the work of Marin Barleti who writes: “When the people saw all those young and brave men around Skanderbeg, then it was hard to believe that the armies of [Sultan] Murat were so defeated by the Albanians. Indeed, the times when the star of Macedon shone brilliantly had returned, just as they seemed in those long forgotten times of Phyrrus and Alexander." Alexander the Great (Greek: Μέγας Αλέξανδρος Megas Alexandros; July 356 BC — June 11, 323 BC), also known as Alexander III, king of Macedon (336–323 BC), is considered one of the most successful military commanders in world history, conquering most of the world known to the ancient Greeks before his death. ... Macedons regions and towns Macedon or Macedonia (from Greek ; see also List of traditional Greek place names) was the name of an ancient kingdom in the northern-most part of ancient Greece, bordering the kingdom of Epirus on the west and the region of Thrace to the east. ... A page from Historia de vita et gestis Scanderbegi Epirotarum principis Marin Barleti (Latin: Marinus Barletius, Italian: Marino Barlezio; ca 1450, Shkodër - 1512 or 1513, probably Rome) was a humanist of Albanian descent, the first and greatest Albanian historian, and a Catholic priest. ... Murat is a name of: People Joachim Murat Murat I Murat II Murat III Murat IV Murat V Murat Rais Murat Zyazikov Murat Yakin Murat Bayhan Murat Bernard Young Murat Yuce Places Murat is the name or part of the name of several communes in France: Murat, in the Allier... Bust of Alexander the Great in the British Museum. ...

At the request of the pre-WWII Albanian government, an identical copy of the helmet of Skanderbeg lies now in the National Museum of Tirana, Albania. The copy was manufactured by a talented Austrian master in 1937.

The Long Journey of the Weapons

In Kruja

The helmet and swords have a dark and confusing history. After the death of Skanderbeg, they were taken to Italy by Skanderbeg’s wife Donika and his son Gjoni. Who inherited them after their death is unknown. The weapons reappeared in the last decade of the 16th century. In 1590, the helmet and the two swords did not belong to the same owner. The helmet and one sword were under the ownership of Count Eolfang of Sturnbeng. The other sword lay in the inventory of the Arms Museum of the Archduke Karl of Styria, son of the German Holy Roman Emperor in Gratz, Austria (they appear in the inventory of 30 October 1590). The person who brought the weapons together was the son of the Emperor and brother of Karl, archduke Ferdinand of Tyrol, who, acting under the advice of his Chancellor Jacob Schrenk von Gotzing, bought the weapons and brought them under the same roof. Later, this prince erected the Museum of Ambras, near Tyrol, which he filled with all sorts of war-related material, as well as paintings and portraits of celebrities of that age. In 1806 the weapons were transferred to the Imperial Museum in Vienna, still apart from each other. The helmet and the straight sword were placed in the Maximilian Hall (hall XXV, no. 71 & 92 respectively), whereas the curved sword found its way to the Karl V Hall (hall XXVII, no. 345). The weapons were separated by the curators of the museum, who were uncertain whether or not the swords indeed belonged to Skanderbeg. After the Second World War, the doubts evaporated. On the eve of Skanderbeg’s 500th anniversary, the arms were reunited, not only in the same hall, but in the same display window of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Eien. This is a list of decades which have articles with more information about them. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... Look up Count in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Countess redirects here. ... Famous people Carolus Magnus - king of the Franks, the Lombards and Rome (also called Charlemagne, Karl/Charles the Great) Carl XVI Gustaf - King of Sweden Karl XV - King of Sweden-Norway Karl XIV Johan - King of Sweden-Norway Karl XIII - King of Sweden-Norway Karl XII - King of Sweden Karl... Styria (Steiermark in German, Štajerska in Slovenian) can refer to: Styria - a federal state of Austria Styria - an informal province in Slovenia Styria - a duchy of the Holy Roman Empire and crownland of Austria-Hungary This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise... An emperor is a (male) monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. ... Gratz may refer to: Graz -- The second largest city in Austria. ... Look up Archduke in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Ferdinand is a Germanic given name composed of the words for prepared and journey. ... The Tyrol is a historical region in Western Central Europe, which includes the Austrian state of Tyrol (consisting of North Tyrol and East Tyrol) and the Italian regions known as the South Tyrol and Trentino. ... Various governments have a Chancellor who serves as some form of junior or senior minister. ... The term prince (the female form is princess), from the Latin root princeps, when used for a member of the highest aristocracy, has several fundamentally different meanings - one generic, and several types of titles. ... The Tyrol is a historical region in Western Central Europe, which includes the Austrian state of Tyrol (consisting of North Tyrol and East Tyrol) and the Italian regions known as the South Tyrol and Trentino. ... Vienna (German: Wien ; Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian: Beč, Czech: Vídeň, Hungarian: Bécs, Romanian: Viena, Romani: Bech or Vidnya, Russian: Вена, Slovak: Viedeň, Slovenian: Dunaj) is the capital of Austria, and also one of the nine States of Austria. ... Maximilian can refer to: Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I, Duke of Bavaria Maximilian I of Bavaria Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II of Bavaria Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria Prince Maximilian of Baden Maximilian I of Mexico (von Habsburg) Maximillian, the million dollar dog (Max-a... Kunsthistorisches Museum at Maria-Theresien-Platz, Vienna. ...

Sources

Material translated from Albanian. Original author: Kristo Frasheri. http://www.forumishqiptar.com/showpost.php?p=817387&postcount=10