Tizona

Tizona is the sword carried by El Cid which was used to fight the Moors in Spain. It is now one of Spain's most cherished relics and can be found at the Museo de Burgos in Burgos.

One of El Cid's swords (another is named Colada), Tizona was taken in battle from a Moorish chief named Malik Bucar. The sword was given to his daughter's husband as marriage gift, but some time later, due to his daughter's poor treatment at the hands of her husband, Tizona was taken back and given to his nephew Pedro Bermudez. The sword isFact|date=May 2007 103 cm long and weighs 1.1 kg. Tizona was supposedly forged in Cordoba, though considerable amounts of Damascus steel can be found in its bladeFact|date=May 2007.

There are two inscriptions on the sword::IO SOI TISONA FUE FECHA EN LA ERA DE MILE QUARENTAIn medieval Castilian (Spanish): "I am "Tizona", made in the year 1040", but in Spanish medieval sources, "era" implies "Hispanic Era", by which the History of Spain starts in 38 BC, so the date of the sword has to be 1002.:AVE MARIA ~ GRATIA PLENA ~ DOMINUS TECUMIn Latin: "Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with you" (from the Catholic prayer Ave Maria, "Hail Mary")

On the sword the "U" characters appear similar to the modern "X."

Popular culture

*"Tizona del Cid" is the name of a weapon in the game "Freelancer".
*Tizona is also a weapon in "". I
*Tizona is the name of a roller coaster located at the Terra Mítica amusement park in Benidorm, Spain.
*El Cid Sword is a weapon in "Final Fantasy Tactics Advance".
*"Tizona d'El Cid" is the name of a song in "beatmania IIDX 12th HAPPY SKY".
*The metal band Metalium have a song on the album "Hero Nation" named "Revenge of Tizona" about the blade.
*The inscription "Yo Soy La Tizona" is visible briefly in "Highlander: The Series" season two, episode two, "Studies in Light" on the sword wielded by immortal Greg Powers.
*Tizona is also a weapon in "Final Fantasy XI".

External links

*language icon|es|Spanish [http://www.ejercito.mde.es/ihycm/museo/madrid/index.html Spanish military museum]
*language icon|es|Spanish " [http://www.20minutos.es/noticia/239077/0/tizona/es/falsa/ 'Tizona' es falsa] ", 20 Minutos, 25 May 2007. The Spanish Ministry of Defence has declined to buy the sword since analyses date it on the 15th-16th century with 19th-century modifications. It has however been bought by the Junta de Castilla y León for its exhibition at Burgos.