French leader Napoleon Bonaparte commissioned this magnificently decorated sword in 1802 and presented it to his close friend shortly before his historic defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
GiquelloThe hilt of Napoleon's sword is decorated with intricate elements such as a golden dog's head.
The handle depicts a relief with the head of Medusa carrying the head of the Nemean lion, two crossbars with rams' heads and a handle with a golden dog holding a snake in its mouth.
The centre of the sword depicts Napoleon on horseback leading an army under a cloudy sky. In the background, a winged god holds a civic crown. Above him, a winged goddess holds a second civic crown along with a globe, military trophies and floral decorations. The blade also bears the inscriptions “N BONAPARTE” and “PMIER CONSUL”, as well as additional decorative elements such as Mars, the god of war, and Hercules holding a club.
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