Sword of state

A sword of state is a sword, used as part of the regalia, symbolising the authority and power of a monarch, other high official or, sometimes, an institution. It is sometimes borne in front of the monarch or official.

It is known to be used in following monarchies:

Reichsschwert of the Holy Roman Empire, see Imperial Sword
Kingdom of Denmark, see Danish crown regalia
United Kingdom, see Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom
Joyeuse, used for the sacre of the king of France. Reputed to be the sword of Charlemagne.
Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Bohemia (Czech Republic) – Sword of Saint Wenceslas
Kingdom of England, later Great Britain, then United Kingdom; see British crown jewels#Swords
Kingdom of the Netherlands, see Dutch Royal Regalia (made in 1840 for enthronements)
Kingdom of Norway, see Regalia of Norway
Kingdom of Scotland, see Honours of Scotland
Kingdom of Sweden, see Swedish Royal Regalia, where it is the oldest of the Vasa regalia
Kingdom of Poland – Szczerbiec, Grunwald Swords, Sigismundus Iustus
Kingdom of Mysore – Chikka Devaraja Wodeyar, ending with the Krishnaraja Wodeyar II
Kingdom of Thailand or Siam- the Sword of Victory, one of the five Regalia of Thailand.
The former Kingdom of the Isle of Man (now a British Crown dependency), bearing the triskelion symbol, annually used on Tynwald Day
Empire of Russia, see Regalia of the Russian tsars
The Kingdom of Georgia
Shangfang Baojian (simplified Chinese: 尚方宝剑; traditional Chinese: 尚方寶劍) of Chinese dynasties from Han dynasty to Qing dynasty
The Eodo of Taejo of Joseon Dynasty, Korea
The Sword of Osman, given to Sultans of the Ottoman Empire;
Kusanagi, kept by the Emperor of Japan;
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 ^{[citation needed]}
- Sarawak (on Borneo)

Swords of state are also used in some republics, as in the Senate of the state of South Carolina in the United States of America.

See also