The Sword of State, also referred to as the Papal Sword, is a ceremonial sword that served as part of the Honours of Scotland but ceased being formally used in 2022. It was presented to the King of Scotland by Pope Julius II in 1507 and continued to be used as the sword of state for Scotland until 2022 when it was deemed too fragile to continue to be used and was replaced by the Elizabeth Sword.
The Sword of State was gifted to King James IV of Scotland in 1507 by Pope Julius II alongside a consecrated cap as part of the blessed sword and hat traditionally given to Roman Catholic monarchs. [1] [2] James IV adopted the sword to be used as the sword for Scottish coronations and kept them in Edinburgh. [3] He was formally invested with the sword on Easter Sunday 1507 in the Abbey of Holyrood. [4] It subsequently gained the nickname of the "Papal Sword". [5] In August 1536, James V ordered the goldsmith Adam Leys to repair the sword, using silver from melted-down English groats. [6]
During the Anglo-Scottish Civil War in 1650, the Honours were removed from Edinburgh owing to Oliver Cromwell's English forces laying siege to Edinburgh Castle. [7] The sword was removed to Dunnottar Castle though this was also besieged. Christian Fletcher then smuggled the Honours out in linen baskets though the sword was broken in two to make it easier to hide. [8] They were then buried in Kinneff before the coronation of Charles II in 1660 allowed for the sword to be returned to Edinburgh where Fletcher was awarded 2000 merks for their return. [7] [8] Following the Union of the Crowns of England and Scotland, the sword along with the rest of the Honours were locked away until 1818 when they was rediscovered by Sir Walter Scott. [7]
In 2007, to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the sword being gifted, the First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond held a reception at Edinburgh Castle and stated "Scotland should never hide its treasures again". [2] In 2022, it was deemed that the sword was too fragile to continue to be used in official ceremonies so the Scottish Government commissioned the Elizabeth Sword to replace it. [9] The Scottish Sword of State remained on display at Edinburgh Castle. [7]
The sword is made of steel and was designed by the Italian goldsmith Domenico da Sutri. [10] It contains Christian imagery. The handle was made of oak and based on Julius' Papal coat of arms with oak trees and acorns inlaid to symbolise the resurrection of Jesus and the church. The blade contains representations of Saint Peter and Saint Paul with the Latin text: "JULIUS II PONT MAX" (Julius II Supreme Pontiff) inlaid in gold upon it. The scabbard was covered in red velvet and silver-gilt mounts of acorns, oaks, dolphins and the Papal arms. [7]
The Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom, originally the Crown Jewels of England, are a collection of royal ceremonial objects kept in the Jewel House at the Tower of London, which include the coronation regalia and vestments worn by British monarchs.
The Honours of Scotland, informally known as the Scottish Crown Jewels, are the regalia that were worn by Scottish monarchs at their coronation. Kept in the Crown Room in Edinburgh Castle, they date from the 15th and 16th centuries, and are the oldest surviving set of crown jewels in the British Isles.
Dunnottar Castle is a ruined medieval fortress located upon a rocky headland on the north-eastern coast of Scotland, about 2 miles south of Stonehaven. The surviving buildings are largely of the 15th and 16th centuries, but the site is believed to have been fortified in the Early Middle Ages. Dunnottar has played a prominent role in the history of Scotland through to the 18th-century Jacobite risings because of its strategic location and defensive strength.
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Thomas Foulis was a Scottish goldsmith, mine entrepreneur, and royal financier.
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James Stewart (1566–1625), son of Mary, Queen of Scots (1542–1587) and Lord Darnley (1546–1567), was crowned King of Scotland by Adam Bothwell, Bishop of Orkney, in the Holy Rude Kirk at Stirling on 29 July 1567.
Matthew Auchinleck or Matho Auchlek was a Scottish goldsmith who worked for James IV of Scotland and Margaret Tudor.
The Elizabeth Sword is a ceremonial state sword kept in Edinburgh Castle. It is used on ceremonial occasions in place of the Sword of State, which is part of the Honours of Scotland, that Scottish monarchs used at their coronation. The Elizabeth Sword, along with the Crown of Scotland and the Sceptre, were presented to King Charles III in 2023. The sword, named after Queen Elizabeth II, was commissioned in 2022.
On 5 July 2023, the Honours of Scotland were presented to King Charles III in a ceremony held in St Giles' Cathedral. The ceremony was formally described as a National Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication to mark the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
Adam Leys or Leis was a Scottish goldsmith based in Edinburgh. He worked for James V of Scotland and, in the 1530s, repaired and refashioned the Scottish crown jewels known as the Honours of Scotland.
Mungo Brady or Brydie or Brand was an Edinburgh goldsmith, regarded as a King's man in the civil war, he was appointed goldsmith to James VI of Scotland.