Steel, wood
European, before 1419

The Arabic inscription engraved on the blade of this sword indicates that it was part of the large group of European arms and armor once stored in the Mamluk arsenal in Alexandria, Egypt. Many of these pieces were taken as booty in the battles between Muslim and Christian armies in the near East and Aegean regians; others were sent to the sultan as tribute, possibly by the king of Cyprus.

The inscription reads in translation, "Donation of al-Malik al-Mu'ayyad Abu al-Nasr Shaykh to the armory in the frontier city of Alexandria [in the] year 822 [A.D. 1419]."