The Sword of God

In the Schatzkammer section of the Art Museum of Vienna, among many swords on display, there is one that is thought to be Attila's. Actually it is a saber. If one were to make a careful and close examination of the workmanship and the decorative motifs found upon it, there is no doubt that one would arrive at the following conclusion: that saber bears the typical and unmistakable work of a Hungarian goldsmith from the IX-X century. On the handle there are three rings decorated with precious stones; obviously, this saber wasn’t made for use in battle - or for everyday use of any kind. The gold-plated handle shows no wear or tear whatsoever; however, someone may have worn it on special occasions or used it at sacred ceremonies. The mother of King Salamon (1063-1074) gave it to Prince Otto Nordheim, which indicates that this saber was in the possession of the Hungarian kings who inherited it from their earlier rulers.

Exhibit 13: The gold plated handle of the saber of Vienna

Horsemen of the plains dominated the vast area from the Carpathians to the Altai Mountains and beyond for millennia. Their culture and civilization were different from those of the western peoples, and throughout the centuries they fought many wars. Because of their sheltered life, the people of the West had become somewhat soft, while the people of the plains remained rough and at one with nature. They were the greatest warriors the world had ever known. Bravery was instilled in them from childhood onward; bravery was implanted into the depths of their soul. They lived by the sword and they died by the sword. It is no wonder that to them the sword (saber) was a sacred object, which they revered. They were empowered by it.

The Sword of God had a magic power; it was either inherited or specially made for great rulers such as Attila or Álmos. According to some sources, the Scythians used iron from a meteor to make the Sword of God - most special, indeed. After the blacksmith fashioned the sword, it was placed on the top of a mound - standing it up like a lightning rod, waiting for the lightning to strike it. If this happened, it was believed to be the will of God, and this gave the sword a magical power. This power from the sword was transferred to its owner and was given to him by God - he ruled by the will of God.

The saber of Vienna is most likely one of the Swords of God, probably the only one in the Western World that has never been buried in the ground.