Sword of State

A sword of state is a sword, used as part of the regalia, symbolizing the power of a monarch (or his constitutional government)to use the might of the state (even war, as its commander in chief, and the death penalty) against its enemies, and his duty to preserve thus right and peace.

Related Topics:
Sword - Regalia - Monarch - Constitutional government

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It is known to be used in following monarchies (list probably incomplete) :

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• kingdom of Denmark, see Danish crown regalia
• Habsburg kingdom ? of Hungary
• kingdom of England, later Britain
• kingdom of the Netherlands (made in 1840 for coronations)
• kingdom of Scotland, see Honours of Scotland
• kingdom of Sweden, where it is the oldest of the (Vasa) regalia
• the former kingdom of the Isle of Man (now a crown dependency), bearing the triskelion symbol, annually used on Tynwald day
• the Transcaucasian kingdom of Georgia
• 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 thye name to a 'national' order of knighthood
• Sarawak

Also imitated by fictitious 'monarchies' such as the kingdom of Caid

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

By analogy, it can even be used in republics, as is known :

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• in the Senate of the US state of South Carolina