As the tale goes, the Excalibur Sword was betrothed to King Arthur by the lady of the lake. King Arthur had fought a hard duel with the tallest knight in the land but was saved by Merlin who enchanted him and put him to deep sleep.
In this state, Merlin took the king to a trained healer who had him recuperate in three days. As they were returning to the city, King Arthur realized that he had lost his sword but Merlin asked of his patience. They came to a lake where they met the lady; she called the sword Excalibur in as to say cut-steel.
King Arthur’s Excalibur Sword
The tale of the Excalibur sword originated from The Wales. In Welsh the sword is also called caledfwich and appeared in several Welsh literally works and most notably the poem Preiddeu Annwfn which was written in 1100. The swords other names are Calesvol in Cornish, Kaledvoulc’h in Breton and Caliburnus in Latin. In Irish Mythology, a sword named called Caladbolg which had magical powers.
However, it has never been established whether the name Caladbolg points specifically to Excalibur or is a generic name for all swords carried by great bearers. In a 15th century Middle Cornish play entitled Beunans Ke, Arthur’s sword is called Calesvol which is an exact cognate of Welsh Caledfwich and hence the general consensus that the name Calesvol was borrowed from the Welsh.
In the myths, there are several magical powers which are attributed to the Excalibur Sword. To cite a few, it was believed that the sword’s scabbard prevented its bearer from bleeding if they were injured in war. In another account, when the sword was first drawn when King Arthur first carried it to a way which was meant to test his sovereignty, it blinded his enemies and by so doing, made them easy prey.
A Collectors Sword
If you are a collector who has a keen interest in swords, the Excalibur is one which should not miss in your repertoire. Some of the attributes most collectors want to see are the phrases which are believed to have been engraved on either side. These were, Take Me Up and Cast Me away. In addition, the scabbard is of great significance too and especially citing its mythical capabilities of preventing the bearer from bleeding while under attack by the enemy. Bottom line, it is a popular sword which is perpetually discussed and as well debated by enthusiasts.
