Third Crusade-era sword discovered

A diver in Israel has discovered a 900-year-old sword used in the Third Crusade.

On Monday, the Department of Archeology of Israelsaid in a statement That this discovery was made on the coast of Carmel in the north of the country.

A man named Shlomi Katzen, who found the sword in the sea, has handed over the sword to the Department of Archaeology.

The department said in a statement, ‘This sword is preserved in immaculate condition. This is a beautiful and rare find and appears to be the sword of a knight who took part in the Crusades.’

“This sword takes you back 900 years to a time of swords, armor and swords,” said Inspector Nir Distillfeld of the department.

Kobe Sharot, director of the archeology department’s maritime division, said Carmel’s coastline has many natural inlets and small bays where ships sheltered from storms. That is why commercial ships have been coming here since ages, due to which this area is rich in archeology.

This sword is four feet long and weighs around two kilograms. It is completely covered with seaweed. According to the Department of Archaeology, it will be cleaned and put on display.

The Crusades

In the late 11th century AD, Christian armies from all over Europe, led by Pope Urban II, gathered and began to attack present-day Israel. This was because these areas were called the Holy Land. Muslims were ruling here and Christians wanted to liberate it.

The First Crusade began in 1095, in which warriors from various Western European countries managed to capture Jerusalem three years later and establish their own state in Palestine.

The territories occupied by the crusaders soon fell from their hands and were recaptured by Imad al-Din Zangi.

In response, Pope Eugene III launched the Second Crusade at Emmaus in 1147, led by the kings of France and Germany. However, both of them were defeated by the Seljuqs in separate battles. Thus this war was a complete failure.

Jerusalem was still in Christian possession. It was re-conquered by the famous Muslim general Saladin Ayyubi in 1187 after 91 years of Christian occupation.

A scene of the Battle of Anba during the Second Crusade, painted in the 14th century (Public Domain)

Since Jerusalem is the most sacred place for Christians, after its loss, a wave of grief spread across Europe and once again the Pope began to incite the people to a new war.

The Third Crusade began in 1192, in which soldiers from Germany, France, England and many other countries participated.

Before them, however, was a respected general like Saladin Ayyubi, who successfully defended Jerusalem after some initial setbacks, and the Crusaders turned back, having failed in their mission.

According to experts, the sword discovered in Israel belongs to the Third Crusade. It cannot be said exactly, but it can be assumed that a European warrior may have taken this sword from a country in Western Europe and started a journey under religious zeal to liberate his holy city from the Muslims.

But probably due to some sea accident or storm, his ship sank near the shore. The warrior’s body has long since rotted away, but his sword remains intact nine centuries later and tells the story of its owner’s life.