Tizona facts for kids
Tizona (also called Tizón) is the name of one of the famous swords carried by El Cid, a Spanish hero whose real name was Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar. This sword is mentioned in an old Spanish poem called the Cantar de Mio Cid. El Cid had another famous sword named Colada.
A sword believed to be Tizona was given to Pedro de Peralta around 1470 by King Ferdinand II of Aragon. This sword was kept for a long time at Marcilla Castle. Later, it moved to the Army Museum in Madrid. Since 2007, it has been on display at the Museo de Burgos.
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What's in a Name?
In the old poem Cantar de Mio Cid, the sword is called Tizón. The name Tizona became popular later, around the 14th century. An old writing on the blade of the Marcilla sword, which might be from the 13th or 14th century, uses the name TIZONA.
The older word tizón means "firebrand." A firebrand is a burning piece of wood. Some people think the sword was named this because it was so powerful, like a burning flame.
Long ago, some swords were generally called "tizon" or "brand," just like how we might call a powerful car a "beast" today. Later, Tizona became a special name for El Cid's sword, and sometimes even a poetic way to say "sword" in general.
Stories of Tizona
According to the Cantar de Mio Cid, El Cid won Tizona from King Yucef in Valencia. El Cid later gave the sword to his sons-in-law, the Infantes de Carrión. However, they were not brave enough to use it properly. The sword eventually came back to El Cid.
The poem says that Tizona's power depends on the person holding it. It could even scare away enemies who were not worthy. For example, when Pero Vermúdez, one of El Cid's men, drew Tizona in a fight, his opponent Ferrán González became so scared that he gave up immediately!
| He [Pero Vermúdez] let go the lance and took the sword in hand; when Ferrán González saw that, he recognized Tizona and before the expected blow said, "I am defeated!" |
There is also a legend that after El Cid died in 1099, his body was placed in a monastery church. The story says that a man once tried to pull El Cid's beard. Suddenly, the dead El Cid, still holding Tizona, struck the man down with the sword! The monks helped the man, who then decided to become a Christian.
The Real Sword
Looking at Tizona
The sword known as Tizona was owned by the Marquesses of Falces for a long time. It was kept in their Marcilla Castle. Today, you can see it at the Museo de Burgos.
The sword is about 93.5 centimeters (36.8 inches) long and weighs about 1.15 kilograms (2.5 pounds). The blade is wide, a type common around the 12th century. It has a narrow groove, called a fuller, running along part of its length.
The handle, or hilt, was added later, around the time of the Catholic Monarchs (late 15th century). It has a fancy, curved design that was popular in Spain and influenced by Moorish art.
The blade has words etched into its grooves. On one side, it says:
- I am the Tizona, who was made in the year 1040.
This year, 1040, is thought to be from an old Spanish calendar system, which means the year AD 1002.
On the other side, it says:
- Hail Mary, full of grace; the Lord be with me.
People have debated whether the blade is truly from El Cid's time. If it is, then the handle and the writings were added much later. The name Tizona itself suggests a later date, as the older stories used Tizón.
Some experts believe the entire sword might have been made in the 16th century. However, a study in 2001 by the Complutense University of Madrid suggested that the blade could indeed be from the 11th century.
Tizona's Journey Through Time
A sword called Tizona was listed in the royal treasures of Castile in 1503. The description from that time mentions a sword with gilded lettering and a silver hilt with castles and lions. This description does not perfectly match the sword we see today as Tizona. Some people think the sword listed as Colada in the same inventory might actually be the one now known as Tizona.
According to a history book from 1615, King Ferdinand II of Aragon gave a sword identified as Tizona to Pedro de Peralta around 1469. This was for his help in arranging the king's marriage to Isabel of Castile. This sword stayed with the Marquesses of Falces and was kept in their Marcilla Castle for centuries.
During the Spanish Civil War, Marcilla Castle was raided. But when the Nationalists took Figueres, they found the sword safely stored in a box. A note on the box read: "Comrade, respect this sword, it is the sword of El Cid."
The sword was moved to the Museo del Ejército in Madrid and was on display there from 1944 to 2007. It still belonged to the Marquesses of Falces.
In 1999, the 17th Marqués de Falces wanted to sell the sword. The Spanish government declared it an important cultural item in 2003. They offered to buy it for 1.5 million Euros, and the Marqués accepted.
However, a report in 2007 raised doubts about the sword's authenticity. The government then withdrew its offer, saying the sword was worth much less. The Marqués was very upset, saying the person who wrote the report had never even seen the sword.
Despite this, the sword was eventually sold in 2007 or 2008 for about 1.6 million Euros. It was bought by the region of Castile and León and the Cabinet of Commerce and Industry of Burgos. Since then, it has been displayed at the Museum of Burgos with other items believed to belong to El Cid.
There was a legal case about who truly owned the sword. In 2016, the highest court in Spain, the Tribunal Supremo, decided that the 17th Marqués de Falces was the only owner of the sword.
See also
In Spanish: Tizona para niños
