of Holy Roman Emperor Otto IV, who reigned from 1209 to 1215. The lower edge of the pommel is inscribed with BENEDICTVS · DO[minv]S DE[v]S QVI DOCET MANV[s]+ viz (Blessed be the Lord my God, who teaches the hand [to wield]). This is an abbreviated form of Psalm 144:1, Benedictus Dominus Deus meus, qui docet manus meas ad prælium, et digitos meos ad bellum (Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands to fight, and my fingers to war). Scabbard The scabbard of the sword is adorned with 14 gold plates engraved with depictions of monarchs. These pictures date to the eleventh century, and are thus about a century older than the sword itself. The figures have been identified as depicting the consecutive German monarchs from Charlemagne to Henry III, who was crowned in 1046. Gallery References Citations Bibliography External links Kunsthistorisches Museum 1198 works Imperial Regalia of the Holy Roman Empire Medieval European swords Medieval European metalwork objects Individual weapons Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor