… in kingdoms and duchies not so far away was a symbol and personal armament of knights, the armoured nobility – mounted warriors who used the sword to submit as well as to protect others. Empires were born and ruined by the sword, it was used to reshape borders and to write the history of the world.

A sword is a symbol that represents certain deep values in every society that has used it. It is a conflicting item, a piece of art, an object of science and high degree of technical skill, an expression of language and a bearer of myths. Today, we see them displayed in museums, we admire them as works of art or products of fine craftsmanship, but we should not forget that they weren’t made to be admired, but as weapons capable of both saving and taking a life.

Ever-present in history, as in the imagination, the sword is a weapon of a knight, the extension of his hand as well as his mind. It’s a subject of legends, stories, and songs. As it was for our ancestors, it’s still an almost unavoidable part of modern epics that we enjoy reading, listening to and watching.

We are presenting a selection of 25 valuable medieval swords dating from the 11th to the beginning of the 16th century. The exhibition and catalogue are largely based on the expert and scientific work on medieval swords from the Arms and Armour Collection that the Croatian History Museum published in 2009 in the catalogue “Swords of the Chivalric Period in Croatia”.

In structuring this catalogue, our aim was to make this subject accessible to a wide audience, to generations from both the 20th and the 21st century. To popularize the Museum’s collection, the swords and general themes of knightly life are presented together with items and forms of media which we encounter in our everyday life, testifying to the fascination with sword and chivalry today.

Swords found on the territory of Croatia do not deviate from the typology, systems, and characteristics of swords of the same period from throughout Europe. The customs and rituals connected with these swords were the same as in other parts of Europe, representing a common culture we have inherited.

They say the pen is mightier than the sword, but who can remember a heroic adventure that ended in a duel with pencils? Peek into the world of medieval knights and witness the impact which that period still has on the imagination of modern Man.

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Klovićevi dvori Gallery, May 18 – July 18, 2021

The exhibition was held in extraordinary circumstances for the Croatian History Museum, which is closed to the public due to the consequences of an earthquake from March 22, 2020. Despite the inability to act in its own space, in the baroque Palace Vojković-Oršić-Kulmer-Rauch, Croatian History Museum through its public exhibition activities primarily seeks to justify its mission and proactively act in the direction of the realization of a permanent display until its renovation.

We express our gratitude to the Klovićevi dvori Gallery for the provided exhibition space and collegial assistance and all those who have contributed to the realization of the exhibition.

EXHIBITION PARTNER
Klovićevi dvori Gallery

EXHIBITION AUTHORS
Leon Bošnjak
Petra Braun
Ana Filep

EXHIBITION DESIGN AND VISUAL IDENTITY
Ana Filep
Ozren Solić

CONSULTANTS
Dora Bošković, museum consultant in retirement
Damir Doračić, Archeological Museum in Zagreb

ILLUSTRATIONS
Milan Trenc

EXPERT ASSOCIATES
Vanja Budišćak, The Department of the History of the Croatian Theatre, Croatian Academy of Science and Arts
Charlotte Frank, Print Collection, National and University Library in Zagreb
Maja Karić, Print Collection, National and University Library in Zagreb
Juraj Kukoč, The Croatian Cinematheque (Croatian State Archives)
Snježana Šute, The Croatian Cinematheque (Croatian State Archives)

INTERACTIVE INSTALLATION “SWORD IN THE STONE”
Goran Kaurić, “Craft Lab”
Mateo Marcelić

DRAWINGS
Ana Filep
Miljenka Galić, Archaeological Museum in Zagreb

PHOTOGRAPHS
Ivana Asić, museum photographer (Croatian History Museum)
Mladen Ban
Maciej Kopciuch “Swordmaker”, ArtofSwordmaking.com (Poland)
Anja Mitrović
Filipa Sršen, Ivan Dadić, smithy “Poema Incudis“, Donji Muć
Marko Štuhec, Association “Ars Gladiatoria“, Zagreb
Deniver Vukelić, Association “Guardians of Zagreb”

MULTIMEDIA
Ivana Asić, Ivan Sertić (projection “Untouched Zagreb“)
Maja Karić (projection “Symbols and markings“)
Zdenka Šinkić

AUDIO DESIGN
Maja Karić
Maciej Kopciuch “Swordmaker”, ArtofSwordmaking.com (Poland)

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME
Jelena Roboz, Croatian History Museum
Liljana Velkovski, Klovićevi dvori Gallery
Ivan Dadić, smithy “Poema Incudis“, Donji Muć
Association “Guardians of Zagreb”

TRANSLATION
Leon Bošnjak
Petra Braun

TECHNICAL SETUP
Croatian History Museum: Tomislav Degmečić, Mirana Jušić, Ivo Margaretić,
Ozren Solić, Ivica Tarle
Nenad Janković, Agritius Cooperative
Klovićevi dvori Gallery

CURATOR COORDINATOR
Ana Medić, Klovićevi dvori Gallery

LOANS AND USE OF MATERIALS
Family Abramović
Martina Agatić
Marko Anić-Hrvoj
Lucas Andres Mora Asić
Domagoj Brezovec
Božidar Domagoj Burić
Ivana Drašner, Croatian Tolkien Fan Society “The Fellowship of Almaren“
Goran Fijan
Ivan Filep
Mislav Gorupec, UMS “Agram“
Tamara Ilić Olujić
Maja Karić
Nino Karić
Family Kraker
Josip Lacković, Athletic Club Varaždin
Ante Livajić
Nino Marasović, UMS “Agram“
Miro Mioč
Anja Mitrović
Adam Muto (United States of America)
Vedran Pavić
Maša Pokupčić
Nikica Porubić
Miroslav Rezić
Jelena Roboz
Milan Trenc
Alen Žeravica
“Adorea – Olomouc“ (Czech Republic)
“Akademia Szermierzy“ (Poland)
“Galatia Films“, Executive Director Daniel McNicoll (United States of America)
The Croatian Cinematheque (Croatian State Archives)
Croatian Radiotelevision
Osijek Cinematography Ltd.
Zagreb City Libraries, City Library
Collective SKROZ, Zagreb
Zagreb City Museum
National and University Library in Zagreb (NSK)
The Department of the History of the Croatian Theatre,
Croatian Academy of Science and Arts
Paradox Interactive – video game development studio (Sweden)
TaleWorlds Entertainment – video game development studio (Turkey)
Triternion Studios – video game development studio (European union and Canada)
Association of miniaturists, modelers and players of strategy board games” Agram”
Croatian Tolkien Fan Society “The Fellowship of Almaren“
Warhorse Studios – video game development studio (Czech Republic)
Zagrebačka pivovara d.o.o.