Sword of State

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A sword of state is a sword, used as part of the regalia, symbolizing the power of a monarch (or his constitutional government) to use the might of the state against its enemies, and his duty to preserve thus right and peace.

It is known to be used in following monarchies (list probably incomplete) :

In Monarchies of the Christian tradition:

• Reichsschwert of the Holy Roman Empire
• Kingdom of Denmark, see Danish crown regalia
• Habsburg Kingdom of Hungary
• Kingdom of England, later Great Britain
• Kingdom of the Netherlands, see Dutch Royal Regalia (made in 1840 for intronisations)
• Kingdom of Scotland, see Honours of Scotland
• Kingdom of Sweden, where it is the oldest of the Vasa regalia
• The former Kingdom of the Isle of Man (now a crown dependency), bearing the triskelion symbol, annually used on Tynwald Day
• The Transcaucasian Kingdom of Georgia

In Islamic and other Oriental traditions:

• In the former sultanate of the Maldives, being invested on the Monarch in a traditional gong ceremony
• Also in the Malay world, notably in
  • the sultanate of Perak, where it gave the name to a 'national' order of knighthood [1]
  • Sarawak (on Borneo)

By analogy, it can even be used in republics, as in the Senate of the state of South Carolina in the United States of America.

[edit] See also

• Sword of Justice - similar part of regalia
• Ceremonial weapons - several types can be part of regalia
• Sword of the State - a title