Joyeuse: The Legendary Sword of Charlemagne not to be confused with Kid Rock’s sidekick, Joe C



In the book, The Song of Roland which is based on the Battle of Roncevaux in 778 c.e tells about King Charlemagne heading into battle with his sword named Joyeuse by his side.

“Charlemagne was wearing his fine white coat of mail and his helmet with gold-studded stones; by his side hung Joyeuse, and never was there a sword to match it; its color changed thirty times a day.”

Throughout history there have been many of great weapons wheeled by great men. There is Thor’s hammer, King Arthur’s Excalibur, and King Charlemagne Joyeuse to name a few. There were always rumors that these great weapons had magical powers imbued in them. Joyeuse was herald as to protect the man wielding it from being poisoned. The name Joyeuse means joyful in French.

Powerful men realized the significance of this sword and what it represented. Joyeuse has been used in coronations of French Kings for centuries. Napoleon Bonaparte and King Louis the X have used Joyeuse in ceremonies. This sword has been modified over the centuries for several prominent people. It was modified in the 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries. The scabbard was also modified with velvet.



 King Charlemagne sword has been on display in Paris France, at the Louvre Museum since the French Revolution. It was moved there from the Abbey of Saint Denis along with many other artifacts.

 

 

Works Cited

Harrison, R. (2002). The Song of Roland. New York, New York: New American Library, a divison of Penguin Group Inc.
HILL, B. (2015, May 7). Joyeuse: The Legendary Sword of Charlemagne. Retrieved from ancient-origins: www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/joyeuse-legendary-sword-charlemagne-003020
Muriel, B. (n.d.). Coronation sword and scabbard of the Kings of France. Retrieved from Louvre :


2 comments:

  1. I find it curious that Joyeuse was repurposed and continuously used over the centuries instead of buried with Charlemagne or preserved in some other form of storage. At the same time, I love the sense of rich history that it gives the sword for it to have been passed down through the ages instead of left to the taint of time in a tomb of its one and only owner.

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  2. I really like this response! We all learned about Charlemagne, but never about the sword. This was really interesting to learn about how he battled and came out victorious in these battles. Joyeuse looks powerful and I love the visual to back this claim.

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Medieval University

Medieval University

Italy, 1400

Italy, 1400

900s, Jewelled crown

900s, Jewelled crown