Swords of renown are the seeds of legend. Fueled by tales of bloodshed and conquest, there have been mysterious swords throughout history that have grown to mythical proportions, blending fact and fiction until the two are almost inseparable. We’ve tracked down blades that might actually be living legends, and others whose stories are so bizarre we have to question their truth.
What Makes Mysterious Swords So Fascinating?
12 The Sword In The Stone
While the Arthurian saga is largely folklore, there is a very real stone‑embedded blade in a Tuscan chapel that could be the seed of the famous tale. The sword belongs to Saint Galgano, a 12th‑century knight who, according to legend, was commanded by Archangel Michael to abandon his sinful ways. To prove his resolve, Galgano tried to break his sword against a nearby rock; the blade supposedly sliced the stone as if it were butter. The sword still rests in the stone where Galgano left it.
After Galgano’s canonisation, word of his holy blade spread rapidly. The Excalibur legend predates Galgano, but the “sword in the stone” motif appears shortly after his time, suggesting his blade may have inspired the later story. Carbon dating by Luigi Garlaschelli of the University of Pavia places the sword in the 12th century—right on schedule for Galgano’s lifetime—though absolute proof of the legend’s authenticity remains elusive.
11 The Kusanagi
Legend says the “sword in the snake” Kusanagi was extracted from the corpse of an eight‑headed serpent slain by the storm‑god. It forms part of Japan’s Imperial Regalia, symbols of the imperial family’s divine descent from the sun goddess.
The blade is said to reside in the Atsuta Shrine in Nagano, though it never appears in public. It is only brought out for imperial coronations and always remains wrapped, keeping the world guessing. The only official mention after World War II records Emperor Hirohito ordering the regalia’s keepers to defend the treasures at all costs.
10 Durandal
For centuries a mysterious blade has been lodged in the cliffs above the Notre Dame chapel at Rocamadour, France. Monks claim it is Durandal, the sword of the paladin Roland, who allegedly hurled the holy blade into the cliff to keep it from enemy hands. In 2011 the sword was removed and sent to the Cluny Museum in Paris for exhibition.
The first literary mention of Durandal appears in “The Song of Roland,” composed long after the historic battle. The monks likely linked their cliff‑side blade to Roland because Rocamadour was the starting point of his campaign, even though his final battle occurred far away in the Roncesvaux valley. Without a clear historical link, the Durandal in the cliff is probably a later invention, leaving its true origin shrouded in mystery.
9 The Cursed Muramasas
Muramasa was a famed Japanese swordsmith who, according to legend, prayed that his blades become “great destroyers.” The gods supposedly granted his request, imbuing the swords with a blood‑thirsty spirit that would drive their wielders to murder or suicide if not satisfied by battle. Countless stories recount cursed owners, and the swords were eventually banned by imperial edict.
The edict came from Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu after the blades allegedly killed nearly all of his family—his grandfather fell to a Muramasa, Ieyasu and his father were wounded, and later his wife and adopted son met fatal ends. In reality, Muramasa was not a single individual but the head of a school whose high‑quality blades were popular among samurai. The apparent curse likely stems from the swords’ widespread use rather than any supernatural quality.
8 The Honjo Masamune
Masamune, the legendary Japanese swordsmith, is celebrated for his flawless blades, while his rival Muramasa is remembered for cursed steel. Legend tells of a competition where both smiths placed their swords in a stream: Muramasa’s blade cut everything, whereas Masamune’s only cut what deserved it, even sparing the air.
One of Masamune’s prized swords, the Honjo Masamune, vanished after World II. It was reportedly given to an American soldier, Sgt. Coldy Bimore, who likely kept it as a war souvenir. The sword’s whereabouts remain unknown, and despite its immense historical and monetary value, collectors have made no progress in locating the lost masterpiece.
7 Joyeuse
Joyeuse, the legendary sword of Charlemagne, was said to change colors thirty times a day and shine brighter than the sun. Since 1271, two swords called Joyeuse have been part of French coronation ceremonies, but both cannot be the original, leaving scholars to debate which blade truly belonged to the Holy Roman Emperor.
The Louvre’s Joyeuse has undergone extensive modification; its oldest component, the pommel, dates to the 10th‑11th centuries—just after Charlemagne’s death in 813. The other contender, a “saber of Charlemagne” in Vienna’s Imperial Treasury, dates to the early 10th century, still slightly post‑dating the emperor. Some suggest the saber was fashioned by Hungarian smiths, spawning additional myths that it was the sword of Attila, supposedly gifted by the god Mars. Neither claim holds solid historical ground.
6 St. Peter’s Sword
Legends claim Saint Peter used a sword to cut off a servant’s ear in the garden of Gethsemane. English tradition says the blade traveled to England with Joseph of Arimathea and the Holy Grail. In 968, Bishop Jordan brought a sword to Poland, asserting it was the genuine sword of St. Peter. The relic now resides in the Archdiocese Museum in Poznań.
Scholars argue the weapon could be a first‑century falchion— a sword type unlikely to have existed during Peter’s era. Metallurgical analysis dates the blade to a period long after the apostle’s death, casting doubt on its authenticity.
5 The Wallace Sword
Legend says William Wallace, the hero immortalised in Mel Gibson’s Braveheart, fashioned his sword’s scabbard, hilt, and belt from the skin of Hugh de Cressingham, the English treasurer he flayed after the Battle of Stirling Bridge.
Some versions claim only a strip of Cressingham’s skin was used for Wallace’s belt, while others suggest the whole flayed body supplied material for saddle girths. King James IV later ordered the sword’s scabbard, belt, and pommel replaced with more appropriate parts, so the blade on display at the National Wallace Monument bears newer fittings. The story likely originated from English propaganda aiming to portray Wallace as barbaric, though the notion of using a tax collector’s skin for a belt is not entirely implausible.
4 The Sword Of Goujian
In 1965, archaeologists uncovered a stunningly pristine blade in a damp tomb in China. Over two millennia old, the sword showed no rust and even drew blood when a researcher tested its edge. Its intricate etchings were far beyond what was thought possible for the era.
Further study linked the blade to King Goujian of the Yue state, matching the description in the lost text The Lost History of Yue, which praised a single sword forged by heaven and earth. The sword’s remarkable preservation stems from a rust‑proof alloy and a nearly airtight scabbard that prevented oxidation, allowing the blade to survive in near‑perfect condition for 2,000 years.
3 The Seven‑Branched Sword
In 1945 a curious sword was discovered in Japan’s Isonokami Shrine. Its unusual design features six side protrusions, with the tip considered the seventh—hence the name. Though weathered, a faded inscription reveals that the blade was a gift from a Korean king to a Japanese monarch.
The inscription matches a description in the Nihon Shoki, an early Japanese chronicle, which records a seven‑branched sword presented to the semi‑mythical empress Jingu. Dating of the blade aligns with reliable sources from China, Korea, and Japan, and the shrine itself appears in contemporary documents, suggesting the sword has indeed lain there since ancient times.
2 La Tizona
La Tizona is famed as the sword of El Cid, the Spanish hero who fought for both Christian and Muslim forces. A museum in Burgos claims to house the authentic blade. According to tradition, King Ferdinand gifted the sword to the Marquis of Falces in 1516; it stayed in the family until the Madrid Military Museum received it in 1944.
When the Marquis later sold the sword to the Castile and León region for display, the Culture Ministry launched a scholarly attack, arguing the blade was forged centuries after El Cid’s lifetime. The regional authorities countered with a study defending its authenticity, suggesting the ministry’s objections were driven by jealousy over the lost artifact. The poem Lay of El Cid describes La Tizona as terrifying foes at a mere glance, and the ongoing debate keeps the sword’s legend alive.
1 The Ulfberht
Though largely forgotten today, the Ulfberht swords were Viking‑era marvels that far outclassed contemporary European blades. Inscribed with the signature “+ULFBERH+T,” these swords were forged from crucible steel—material comparable to modern steel—making them a thousand years ahead of their time.
Most Viking blades were made of low‑carbon, slag‑laden steel that shattered easily, but Ulfberhts displayed exceptional strength. Scholars believe the secret lay in importing crucible steel from Iran and Afghanistan. While we don’t know whether “Ulfberht” was a single smith or a workshop name, his (or their) mastery gave Viking elites the most advanced weapons of the era.