Template:Did you know nominations/Blessed sword and hat

Blessed sword and hat

 * ... that popes awarded blessed swords and hats to defenders of Christendom, including at least 12 emperors, 10 kings of France, 7 kings of Poland, 6 kings of Spain, and the nation of Switzerland?
 * Reviewed: Al Jazeera effect

Created/expanded by Kpalion (talk). Self nom at 22:04, 24 October 2012 (UTC)


 * Symbol question.svg The dates of the last blessed sword do not match in the lead and the table. "used to award" should be "awarded". Is Ref 2 the source for the count of lings per nation? -- Redtigerxyz Talk 18:01, 25 October 2012 (UTC)
 * The sword and hat were blessed on Christmas Eve of 1772, but sent to their recipient the next year. I've added a note to the article that explains the discrepancy. "Used to award" changed to "awarded" in the hook. And yes, Burns (1969) is the source of the information in the hook. Here's the relevant quote:
 * "An examination of the far from complete list of those to whom Swords and Hats were sent by the popes over several hundreds of years shows that at least twelve were given to the Holy Roman emperors, ten to the Most Christian kings of France, seven to the kings of Poland, six to their Most Catholic majesties of Spain, three (or possibly four) to Scotland's great rival, the kings of England, three to the Scottish kings (possibly only two), likewise three to the kings of Hungary and Portugal, and one to the kings of Bohemia and Naples. The rest were donated to various princes, including heirs-apparent, archdukes, dukes, noblemen, great captains, as well as to places such as city-states and republics. If the prince, whom the pope wished to honour with the gift of the Sword and Hat, happened to be present at the blessing, then the ceremony of investiture took place immediately." Burns (1969), p. 18.
 * And for Switzerland specifically:
 * "In passing, it is worth noting the similarity, amounting almost to identity, that exists between the Sword preserved at Edinburgh and two other blessed Swords, preserved in Budapest and Zurich. All three are from the workshop of Domenico de Sutri, the other two being presented by Julius II to Ladislaus II, king of Hungary, in 1509, and to the Swiss cantons in 1511." Burns (1969), p. 29.
 * — Kpalion(talk) 18:59, 25 October 2012 (UTC)
 * Pictogram voting keep.svg Everything for DYK is good. Non-binding Suggestions for the article: Put the note in main text. It is very confusing otherwise. Also should 1823 be put in the lead. -- Redtigerxyz Talk 05:43, 26 October 2012 (UTC)
 * Thank you, both for the review and the suggestions! — Kpalion(talk) 06:47, 26 October 2012 (UTC)