COLUMBIAN HISTORICAL EXPOSITION AT MADRID. 85 



century, viz, rounded shoulders ending, on either side of the blade, in a narrow 

 limb running parallel with it, the outer edge of the limb curving inward to the end 

 where it suddenly turns outward in a hook, the hollow formed by this curving of 

 the limb being filled up in this case with a plate of metal pierced with circular 

 holes. The faces of the guard are quite flat, and engraved with conjoined circles, 

 like those on the grip, the spaces between them being rilled with engraved floral 

 designs. The bands forming the circles are in all cases gilt. The blade is straight 

 and two-edged, and has upon one face the stamp of the armorer, a circle containing 

 badly written characters which have not yet been read, but they are conjectured to 

 be Hebrew from the fact of the Jews in Spain devoting themselves to the manufac 

 ture of arms. This sword came from the Church of San Marcelo, the warrior saint, 

 at Leon, and was there long connected with him. It is believed that it may have 

 been a gift by the King Ferdinand the Catholic on the translation of the body of 

 the martyr from Africa. 



The Boabdil sword of the Marques Campotejar is of the same general type, but is 

 infinitely more sumptuous in execution, and, in addition, it retains its scabbard 

 complete. The mounts both of the sword and scabbard are of silver gilt, embossed 

 and richly chased with formal floral designs of the same style as those of the ivory 

 casket of the Cathedral of Palencia (supra p. 81), though of course the sword is of 

 a much later date. The mounts are further enriched with bauds and medallions of 

 translucent cloisonne&quot; enamel, a feature which this sword has in common with that 

 of the Marques deViane. An interesting and to some extent peculiar circumstance 

 connected with this sword is, that notwithstanding the pure Moorish character of 

 its ornament, yet it would seem to have been the work of a Christian artificer, work 

 ing for the Moors at Granada. The bonds of amity which existed between Boabdil 

 and Ferdinand for some years, before the final stand made by the Moors for the pos 

 session of Granada, would account for the presence in the Court of Boabdil of Chris 

 tian workmen, who doubtless succeeded in serving two masters in different capac 

 ities. Upon the plain backs of one of the two tabs to which the sword belt was 

 attached is stamped, in characters of the period, the name &quot; Ivan Abad&quot; * * *, 

 with the pomegranate of Granada as well as another stamp, not easy to interpret. 

 This Christian stamp illustrates a remark of Sefior Riaiio (in his introduction to the 

 Catalogue of Spanish Works of Art in the South Kensington Museum). &quot;The 

 continued contact of the Christian and Mohammedan races, notwithstanding the 

 barbarism of the time and the difference of creed did not oblige them to live per 

 petually as enemies. * * * This contact could not fail to influence works of art 

 and industry, and for this reason many archaeological objects of the Spanish Middle 

 Ages possess a peculiar character.&quot; 



The third sword of this type and, like the last one, once the property of Boabdil, is 

 that belonging to the Marques de Viane, who exhibits also the velvet jacket, another 

 sword and a dagger, stated to have been taken from the Moorish king at his defeat 

 (m 1492) and given by Ferdinand the Catholic to one of the ancestors of the present 

 owner. One of these is the most perfect example in the exhibition of the refinement 

 and richness of effect of which Arab art is capable. It combines the highest efforts 

 of the enameler, the carver, and the goldsmith, and, doubtless, the blade is of corre 

 sponding quality, and in every part it is well preserved. The actual grip is of ivory, 

 the rest of the hilt is of gold, entirely covered with granular work and filagree, in 

 which are set at intervals eight-pointed and cruciform panels of translucent cloisonne&quot; 

 enamel. 



The ivory grip is deeply carved with geometrical designs forming panels of various 

 shapes, filled with Arabic inscriptions alluding to the weapon, and ornamental leaves 

 and other devices, and where the ivory joins the metal are two broad bands of 

 cloisonne&quot; enamel (the cloisons being here, as upon other parts of the mounting, of 

 gold) composed of scroll work of the greatest beauty interrupted by shaped panels 

 containing Arabic inscriptions, among which might be expected the name of the 



