A Turkish family that has kept his cloak since the time of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Sword of Armageddon? Series “Legendary Blades” (32 photos) Palace where the cloak and sword of the Prophet Muhammad are kept

The legend of King Arthur's sword is over a thousand years old. She is believed to have been born either in Cornwall in England or in Brittany, but a similar story about the sword in the stone is told in Italy. According to Italian researchers, the poetic stories about King Arthur were based on the adventures of the knight Galgano. Tradition says that in 1180, the young noble knight Galgano Guidotti, who was distinguished by arrogance, rudeness and voluptuousness, appeared in a dream the Archangel Michael, who showed him the way to the salvation of his soul. After the vision, the knight broke with his former life and became a hermit. He drove his sword into the rock so that the hilt and part of the blade protruded from the stone, forming a cross in front of which one could pray. They say that three people, at the instigation of the devil, split the rock into three parts, but Galgano prayed, and the rock came together again, and the sword remained in place. A year later, Galgano died, and in 1185 Pope Lucius III canonized him. A chapel was erected around the stone with the sword. It was the first structure in the abbey, which was built in 1218. This sword can still be seen today near the Abbey of San Galgano, the largest Gothic structure, southeast of the city of Siena. In the 20th century the sword barely survived - someone again tried to pull it out of the rock, but only broke the weapon. The craftsmen managed to restore it and is now kept under more vigilant supervision.

Abbey. This is the name of a large monastery with all the buildings in which monks or nuns live and pray. The monks are led by the abbot, and the nuns by the abbess.

Where is the real Hogwarts Castle?

“For the Japanese, a sword is not just a piece of iron, it is a shrine.”
Fujiwara-san, a hereditary Japanese swordsmith.

A curious incident prompted me to write this brief classification of Japanese swords.

Entering a souvenir shop with a large number of Japanese swords, I asked to see a large ceremonial sword: “Please show me this tachi.” The saleswoman just didn't understand me. When I pointed my finger at this sword, she said: “But this is a samurai sword, the so-called katana. Didn't you know? Yes, damn it... Having written a book about Japanese swords, I just didn’t know what was on display...

I don’t know how I got out of this delicate situation, right or wrong, I’ll tell you at the end of the article.

Let's get back to the topic. First a few notes.

A Japanese sword is not necessarily a samurai sword. Even medieval, not to mention our time. Samurai is a servant. The Emperor couldn't be a samurai, that didn't mean he couldn't carry a sword. The samurai was also one of the highest classes in medieval Japan. Yes, in peacetime only samurai were allowed to carry them (with the Tokugawa shogun coming to power in 1603), and before that, it seemed that everyone and anyone was carrying short swords, except for those of the peasant class.. And in war, when there were not enough professional soldiers , armed everyone who could hold a weapon, even untrained peasants... Ninjas, Japanese spies, were not samurai either. And they carried a sword.

This is true, by the way. So, let's begin.

What is a Japanese sword? Among us, the Slavic peoples, a sword is a double-edged strip of iron, tapering from the handle to the tip. Everything else is called differently. For the Japanese, everything that has a handle, a guard (hand protection) and a cutting blade is a sword. According to samurai canons, you cannot finish off a helpless enemy with a sword; for this, samurai carried special aikuti knives, the same small sword, only without a guard. Well, a concealed weapon hidden in a cane or staff also didn’t seem to be considered a sword. But naginata, a curved cutting strip of steel sharpened on one side on a long shaft, is written in two hieroglyphs: “sword” and long handle. And also...

Ostap got carried away... Let's get down to business.

Katana.

Wakizashi (stuck in the side).

Tati or tachi.

O-dati.

The longest Japanese sword with a blade over one meter. In one of the temples in Echigo province there is a sword 2.25 meters long with a 50 cm shank. Most likely the name comes from “no-tachi” (field sword). The proportions of these monsters follow the shape of the tati, despite their size they look very proportionate. With such a weapon it was possible to cut the enemy with one blow or stop a mounted warrior with a blow to the horse.

Tanto.

The shortest sword. The length of the blade is equal to or less than one cubit (30.3 cm). Has all the signs of a sword. Worn with Tati. The scabbard is simple. A women's self-defense knife in the shape of a tanto was called a kaiken.

Uchi-gatana.

Shinobi-gatana or ninja.

Shirasaya or shikomi-zue.

A concealed weapon, the blade is hidden either in a cane or in a staff.

Bokken or boken.

Wooden training sword. A little history. Traditionally in Japan, the term "ken" is used to describe straight swords. Curved swords are called "to". In theory, the bokken should be called bokuto, which is what the Japanese often call their training swords. In Japan, bokken are treated with great respect, as if they were real weapons. In experienced hands, this is the real weapon. For example, when transporting a bokken on an airplane, the passenger is required to check it in as baggage.

Sinai.

Gong-to.

Nippon-to (nihon-to).

Tsurugi.

Well, now the end of the story that began at the beginning (that's a pun). I called a senior manager and wrote out instructions for salespeople (like this one) on swords, knives and other bladed weapons sold in this department. With drawings and sizes.

I think I did the right thing.

In Christianity, there are many relics associated with Jesus: the nails with which the Savior was nailed to the cross, fragments of the cross itself, a tablet with the inscription “King of the Jews,” a shroud (funeral shroud), a spearhead with which a Roman legionary pierced Christ’s side, a crown of thorns. .. Muslim shrines associated with the name of Muhammad are mainly weapons. And the most important of them is the sword Zulfiqar.

Christian relics associated with Jesus relate mainly not to the life, but to the death of the Savior: the cross and nails are instruments of execution; a mocking tablet that was nailed over the head of the executed; the shroud in which he was wrapped. Even the tip of the spear is not the weapon of Jesus, but evidence of the end of the earthly life of the Son of God. The path of the early Christians was often to suffer in the name of Christ and be martyred with the hope of then entering the Kingdom of Heaven. The main goal of the Muslims was completely different - to win in the name of Allah.

Sacred Arsenal

Even the death of a Muslim was different - the death of a martyr, death in battle. It is not surprising that the relics of the founder of Islam were somewhat different from Christian ones. After all, Muhammad was not only a preacher and prophet. He had to defend his faith and introduce his compatriots to it in a far from peaceful way. The realities of the 7th century were such that one had to fight to the death for faith. And Muhammad was a warrior. And the main asset of every warrior is his weapon.

So it is quite logical that what was left of the prophet was not nails and splinters, but his swords, numbering nine. Most of them are kept in the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, where the residence of the sultans of the Ottoman Empire was located. Although, of course, it is unlikely that this weapon actually belonged to Muhammad. But Muslims believe that this is so. In Arabic, weapons and armor have many names. Each blade is different from the other. And each sword of a noble warrior had its own name, in addition to belonging to any type. So it was with the swords of Muhammad.

The earliest sword of the prophet is Al-Ma'atur ("striking"). It belonged to Muhammad back in the days when he was not considered a prophet and did not communicate with his heavenly mentor Allah. He received this sword from his father, and with it Muhammad went into exile from Mecca to Medina. The sword is very simple, without any frills, with a blade almost a meter long and with a golden hilt decorated with gems. It is actually very old - rust has eaten away in places.

The second sword - Al-Battar (that is, “the bully”) - was given to Muhammad after a battle with the Jewish army that opposed him. The names of nine prophets are engraved on this sword: David, Solomon, Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Zechariah, John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, Muhammad. That is why it is often called the “Sword of the Prophets.” There is also a drawing on the blade: David cuts off the head of Goliath. It is believed that the sword previously belonged to Goliath. It is almost the same length as Al-Ma'atur, but twice as wide and heavier. “Sword of Justice” and “Retribution” are inscribed on the blade.

The third sword is Hatf (“bringer of death”), which Muhammad also obtained in battle. Muslims believe that the Hatf was forged by King David himself after defeating Goliath and is similar in appearance to the Al-Battar sword. Indeed, the swords are similar, but Hatf is even larger and wider than Al-Battar.

The fourth sword of the prophet, Al-Mikdam (“arched”), is also long, but narrower and curved in the center. It once belonged to Muhammad, and then passed to his successor Ali and his descendants.

The fifth sword is Al-Rasub (“overwhelming”), 140 centimeters long, wide and heavy. Its scabbard is decorated with gold circles, and the blade at the hilt is covered with gold.

Muhammad's sixth sword Al-Adb ("sharp") served the prophet well in the battles of Badr and Uhud. Later on it, the followers of Muhammad swore an oath of allegiance to Islam. Today this is the only sword that is not kept in. It can be seen in the Imam Hussein Mosque in Cairo.

The seventh sword, Al-Kadib, has such a thin blade that it more closely resembles a long stiletto or rapier. No wonder they called him “Prut”. This is a special sword for protection while traveling. The scabbard of this sword is made not of metal, but of tanned leather. For a long time he was also in.

The eighth sword is Kali (or Kulai). Its origin is associated with a cache near the sacred well of Zamzam.

According to one version, the sword was obtained by Muhammad in battle, according to another, it was found in a hiding place by the prophet’s grandfather. The blade is covered with a wave-like pattern, and the scabbard is decorated with gold circles. Researchers argue about how exactly the name of the sword is translated. According to one opinion, it means "sheet of white metal", perhaps tin. In other words, this is the name of the area in or.

However, the most sacred and famous, of course, is the ninth sword - the legendary Zulfiqar.

Guardian of Islam

Zulfiqar, or Dhu-al-Fakar (that is, “furrowed” or “having vertebrae”), was captured by the prophet at the Battle of Badr. Then Muhammad gave the weapon to his son-in-law Ali, the future righteous caliph. The sword is especially revered by Ali's followers and they say that this sword helped him win the victory at Uhud. Then it was completely, from hilt to tip, covered with the blood of enemies.

Some Muslims believe that Muhammad was given this sword by the Archangel Gabriel (Gabriel) himself when the battle became fierce and dangerous for the prophet's supporters. Then the archangel allegedly descended from heaven with weapons in his hands. And Muhammad gave the resulting blade to Ali, whom he considered an unsurpassed warrior. It was then that Muhammad said that Zulfiqar is the key of heaven and hell. Ali, who had already broken nine swords, rushed into battle. His opponent was the terrifying leader of his enemies, Amra ibn Abdaud, a man of incredible strength. But Ali knew no fear. And with the very first blow he shattered the enemy’s shield and helmet. Muhammad immediately uttered the second epoch-making phrase: “There is no hero except Ali, there is no sword except Zulfiqar!”

The sword is surrounded by many legends. According to one of them, its first owner was Adam himself: when the first people were expelled from paradise, Allah provided Adam with a weapon for protection - Zulfiqar. According to another legend, the sword has magical properties. It can hover in the air and can be reborn even when broken in battle. In order for the sword to resurrect, you need to bury it, collecting all the fragments. Having rested in the ground and gained strength, the fragments will grow together, and the sword will become stronger than before. Zulfiqar could also break if the body of a Muslim was not buried in due time. Then his blade suddenly began to split into two parts. But as soon as the dead man was buried, the sword “grew together” again. According to the third legend, Zulfiqar preserves the integrity of the Muslim world. And as soon as the enemies cross the border, the sword comes to life and rushes into battle.

Secret weapon

Along the entire length of the blade, which is kept in the Topkapi Museum, there are two parallel lines. This is a symbol that the sword can be split in two. But the followers of Ali, in whose family Zulfikar was inherited, think that this is still a different sword. They believe that the original Zulfiqar actually had two blades, that is, it consisted of two parts with space between them. According to legend, Zulfiqar received this form after Ali damaged it in a heavy battle - the metal split. But the split sword acquired new wonderful properties, it became even more striking.

In the Arab world, some swords were made with a split at the top, so that they actually had two blades. Modern researchers think that the slot was made in order to intercept the enemy's sword and knock it out of the attacker's hand. And the real Zulfikar had exactly this feature.

But neither the magical properties of the sword nor its special shape helped Ali’s descendants achieve victory. At the Battle of Karbala in 680, Ali's last son Hussein was killed and all his supporters died. Zulfiqar was “captured”. At one time it belonged to the victorious Umayyad dynasty, then in the hands of the Turkish Janissaries. Moreover, the Janissaries made this sword their emblem. The production of swords with a forked blade was put on stream. All of them were called zulfi-cars. All blades were engraved with the saying: “There is no hero except Ali, there is no sword except Zulfiqar.”

But Ali’s followers believed (and still believe) that the real Zulfiqar mysteriously disappeared and was not captured by the enemies. And that it is kept in some secret place and is waiting in the wings.

A sword is not just a weapon, it is a faithful amulet, the strength and glory of which is forged in battles. History has known many swords, among them legendary swords occupy a special place, raising the morale of entire nations.

Probably everyone has heard about the legendary Excalibur of King Arthur. It could not be broken, and the scabbard gave the owner invulnerability.

Excalibur's name probably comes from the Welsh "Caledwulch", which can be translated as "heavily striking". It is first mentioned in the Welsh epic Mabinogion (11th century). According to one version, the name came from the Latin “chalybs” - steel, and the prefix “exc” meant enhanced properties.

According to one legend, Arthur pulled Excalibur from the stone, thereby proving his right to be king, but in most texts, he received it from the fairy of the lake after he broke his first sword. Before his death, he ordered it to be returned to its rightful owner, throwing it into the water.

There is definitely a historical prototype behind the myth of Excalibur, as well as behind the figure of King Arthur. Only this is not a specific weapon, but a tradition. For example, the custom of drowning weapons in Northern and Western Europe. Strabo describes such a ritual among the Celts in the vicinity of Toulouse, archaeological excavations in Thorsbjerg indicate the presence of such a tradition in Jutland (weapons date back to 60 - 200 AD).

Durendal

The sword of Charlemagne's nephew, who terrified his enemies, repeated the fate of Excalibur. According to the Charlemagne saga, he was thrown into the lake after the death of his master Roland during the Battle of Roncesvalles (778). A later chivalric poem, Roland the Furious, says that part of it is still preserved in the wall of the French sanctuary of Rocamadour.

Its legendary properties were almost the same as those of Excalibur - it was unusually durable, and did not break even when Roland tried to break it against a rock before his death. Its very name comes from the adjective “dur” - hard. Judging by the frequent mentions in sources of sword breakage, the quality of steel was generally the weak point of medieval warriors.

If Excalibur had a scabbard with special properties, then Durendal had a hilt where, according to the saga of Charlemagne, holy relics were kept.

Shcherbets

The coronation sword of the Polish monarchs, Szczerbiec, according to legend, was given to Prince Borislav the Brave (995-1025) by an angel. And Borislav almost immediately managed to put a notch on it, hitting the Golden Gate of Kyiv. This is where the name “Shcherbets” came from. True, this event is unlikely, since Borislav’s campaign against Rus' took place before the actual construction of the Golden Gate in 1037. If only he managed to put a notch, encroaching on the wooden gates of Tsar Grad.

In general, the “Shcherbets” that has survived to this day, according to experts, was made in the 12th-13th centuries. Perhaps the original sword disappeared along with the rest of Poland's treasures - the spear of St. Mauritius and the golden diadem of the German emperor Otto III.

Historical sources claim that the sword was used in coronations from 1320 to 1764, when it was used to crown the last Polish king, Stanisław August Poniatowski. After long wanderings from one collector to another, Szczerbiec returned to Poland in 1959. Today it can be seen in the Krakow Museum.

Sword of Saint Peter

The weapon of the Apostle Peter, with which he cut off the ear of the high priest's servant Malchus in the Garden of Gethsemane, is today another ancient relic of Poland. In 968, Pope John XIII presented it to the Polish Bishop Jordan. Today the legendary blade, or its later version, is kept in the Archdiocese Museum in Poznan.

Naturally, there is no consensus among historians about the dating of the sword. Researchers from the Polish Army Museum in Warsaw argue that the sword could have been made in the 1st century AD, but most scholars consider the blade in Poznań to be a late fake. Experts Martin Glosek and Leszek Kaiser identify it as a copy of the first quarter of the 14th century. This hypothesis coincides with the fact that swords of a similar shape - falchions (a blade that flares towards the bottom with a one-sided sharpening) were common in the 14th century as an additional weapon for English archers.

Dovmont's sword

The relic of Pskov is the sword of the holy Pskov prince Dovmont (? -1299) - “a man of valor and impeccable honor.” It was under him that the city gained virtual independence from its older “brother” Novgorod. The prince waged a successful fight against his original homeland of Lithuania and the Livonian Order, more than once saving Pskov from the raids of the crusaders.

Dovmont's sword, with which he allegedly struck the master of the Livonian Order in the face, hung for a long time in the Pskov Cathedral above the prince's shrine. The inscription “I will not give my honor to anyone” was engraved on it. For the residents of the city, it became a real shrine, with which all new princes who entered the service of Pskov were blessed; Dovmont's sword was minted on Pskov coins.

The sword has reached this day in good condition. Even the wooden scabbard, covered with green velvet and bound one-third with silver, has been preserved. The length of the sword itself is about 0.9 m, the width of the crosshair is 25 cm. In shape, it is a piercing-cutting blade of a triangular shape with a protruding rib in the middle. There is a mark at the top, which indicates that it was made in the German city of Passau. Obviously, it belonged to Dovmont during his life in Lithuania.

Dovmont's sword dates back to the 13th century. Today this is the only medieval sword in Russia, the “biography” of which is well known and confirmed by chronicle reports.

Kusanagi no Tsurugi

The Japanese katana "Kusanagi no Tsurugi" or "sword that cuts grass", according to legend, helped the first Japanese Emperor Jimmu conquer Japan. Not surprising, since it originally belonged to the wind god Susanno, brother of the sun goddess Amateratsu. He discovered it in the body of the monstrous dragon Yamata no Orochi, whom he had killed, and gave it to his sister. She, in turn, presented it to people as a sacred symbol.

Kusanagi was long a shrine at Isonokami-jingu Temple, where it was moved by Emperor Sujin. Currently, an iron sword is fixed in the temple. In 1878, during excavations, a large sword blade with a total length of 120 cm was found. It is assumed that this is the legendary Kusanagi no Tsurugi.

Seven-pronged sword

Another national treasure of Japan is the seven-pronged sword Nanatsusaya-no-tachi. It differs from the weapons of the land of the rising sun that are familiar to us, first of all, in its shape - it has six branches, and the seventh, obviously, was considered the tip of the blade.

It is not known for certain when it was made, but the main version dates it to the 4th century AD. According to the analysis, the sword was forged in the kingdom of Baekje or Silla (the territory of modern Korea). Judging by the inscriptions on the blade, it came to Japan through China - it was presented as a gift to one of the Chinese emperors. The Japanese epic says that it belonged to the semi-mythical Empress Jingu, who lived approximately 201-269.

Treasures of Topkapi Palace

After the capture of Constantinople by the Turks, the wealth of Sultan Mehmed II was stored for several years in the Yedikule fortress. In 1478 they were moved to the Topkapi Palace - to the building where the Armory Chamber is now located. During the reign of Sultan Selim I, the former summer palace of Sultan Mehmed II was allocated for storing the treasury, where the treasury is still located.

It should be noted that on the territory of the Topkapi Palace there were two treasuries - the state and the sultan's, and this was the law of life of the Ottoman Empire. The Sultan's personal funds were spent on state needs only in the most exceptional cases, and even then in a borrowing manner, formalized as a debt obligation of the Defterdar (Minister of Finance). The personal treasury of the Sultan, unlike the state one, usually did not experience a shortage of funds, as it was constantly replenished in a variety of ways - tribute from vassals, income from some waqf institutions, and many offerings and gifts. A.F. Miller noted in his book that “other, truly masterly methods of replenishing the Sultan’s treasury were also used. Thus, the sultans married their daughters in early childhood, and sometimes even in infancy, to wealthy dignitaries, who had to send large sums to the palace for the maintenance of the “wife.”

The treasures of the Ottoman Empire have various origins: they were gifts from foreign ambassadors; jewelry made in Topkapi especially for the sultans, military trophies from conquered countries and valuable things that went to the treasury after the death of statesmen. The largest fortune belonged to Sultan Selim I, who ruled in the 16th century.

During the Ottoman Empire, the treasury of the sultans was opened and closed in a solemn ceremony, and forty people took part in this ceremony. Currently, the incalculable wealth of the rulers of the Ottoman Empire is exhibited in several halls, and among them is the throne of the Iranian Shah Ismail, captured in 1541 by Sultan Selim I during his campaign in Iran. This throne, made of forged gold, is lined with rubies, emeralds and pearls, which with their radiance create a bizarre mosaic pattern.

The throne of Selim III, made of ebony and sandalwood and inlaid with gold, silver and mother-of-pearl, is also kept in the Sultan's treasury. Above the throne, a massive golden chain supports an irregularly shaped emerald, 10 cm long and 4 cm wide, mounted in a gold frame. Also on display here are a sword and chain mail decorated with diamonds that belonged to Sultan Murad IV, a horse blanket embroidered with real pearls (the size of a pea), as well as a myriad of rubies .

The glass display cases in the center of the first room of the treasury display gold jewelry, weapons, crystal hookahs with carved amber mouthpieces, coffee sets and gold goblets. In one of the display cases you can see the magnificent armor of Sultan Mustafa III, decorated with precious stones (gilded steel chain mail, a shield, a sword and a pair of silver stirrups covered with gilding). Displayed nearby are cases for the Koran embroidered with pearls that belonged to the families of the sultans, expensive water vessels, jugs and golden candlesticks.

In the second room you can see hanging ornaments made of gold and gems, gold pendants of Sultans Abdul Hamid I and Ahmed I, a turban with precious stones, jewelry with diamonds and rubies that were attached to the Sultan's turban. Other showcases display items made of jade and rock crystal, many of which were made in the palace workshops. One of the most interesting exhibits is a jade vessel in the shape of a ship - a gift from Russian Emperor Nicholas II. To the left of the entrance to the third room, behind glass, is a gilded cradle for newborn princes. According to the tradition that has developed in Topkapi, it was a matter of honor for the mother-sultana to present her grandson with a golden cradle with a bed and a blanket.

The main exhibit in this room is a world-famous dagger. It hangs on a thin chain in a glass case behind the throne of Sultan Ahmed I. The handle of the dagger is decorated with three large emeralds, and a gold watch is built into the hilt, the lid of which is also made of emerald. The gold scabbard is covered with enamel and precious stones. This dagger was made by court craftsmen on the orders of Sultan Mahmud I for the Persian Shah Nadir and, among other gifts, was sent to Persia. However, on the way there, the Sultan's envoys learned that the Shah had died, and they returned to the palace with all the gifts. Since then, this most expensive dagger in the world has been kept in the treasury of the Topkapi Palace.

The third room contains the Spooner's Diamond. It weighs 86 carats, is set in silver and surrounded by 49 smaller diamonds. There are two versions about the origin of this diamond. According to one, a poor fisherman found the diamond while unloading garbage, and then exchanged his find at the bazaar. The cunning jeweler gave him three spoons for the treasure, which is where the name of the diamond comes from; moreover, its shape resembles a spoon. But the second version is considered more reliable: the French officer Pigo purchased the diamond from the Maharaja of Madras and brought it to France. After numerous changes of owners, the diamond was purchased at auction by Napoleon's mother, but later she had to sell the diamond in order to rescue her son from exile. Over time, the diamond was acquired by the Grand Vizier Tepedelenli Ali Pasha, who bought it for 150,000 gold coins and placed it in his personal treasury. Having accused the vizier of treason, Sultan Mahmud II placed the diamond in the Sultan's treasury forever. Proof of the authenticity of this story is the portrait of Ali Pasha with a very similar diamond on his turban.

In the same room are displayed two golden candlesticks, each of which weighs 48 kg and is decorated with 6666 diamonds - one for each verse of the Koran. The candlesticks were made in the 19th century. by order of Sultan Abdulmecid I to be sent to Mecca to the sacred stone of the Kaaba and decorated with its monograms.

To the left of the candlesticks, behind the glass, there is a golden throne “Bayram” (“Festive”), weighing 250 kg and decorated with tourmalines. This throne was installed in front of the “Gate of the White Eunuchs” upon the accession of the Sultan to the throne and during other festive ceremonies.

Collection of sacred relics The Ottoman Empire is kept in a building that, thanks to its interior decoration, is considered the most beautiful in Topkapi. Most of these relics were brought in 1517 by Sultan Selim I from the Egyptian campaign. Before this they belonged to the Caliph El Mutavekkil; other relics were transferred to Sultan Selim I by the Emir of Mecca, Seyid Berekat, after he was proclaimed caliph.

The precious relic of the Sultan's Treasury is the “Banner of the Prophet” ( Sanjak Sheriff). During the holy wars, the Prophet Muhammad spoke under two banners - black and white. The black banner “Ukap” (“Eagle”) was brought from Egypt and has since been kept in a golden ark. Since the canvas had suffered greatly from time to time, it was later hemmed to the sacred banner of green woolen material. It was deployed and exhibited at the most critical time for the Ottoman Empire.

The “Banner of the Prophet” was already used by the first caliphs, from whom it passed to Damascus to the Umayyad dynasty (661-705), and then to the Abbasids in Baghdad and Cairo. When Sultan Selim I conquered Egypt and crushed the caliphate in 1607, the “Banner of the Prophet” passed to the Ottoman house. At first it was kept by the Pasha of Damascus, who annually accompanied this shrine with a caravan of pilgrims heading to Mecca.

During the reign of Sultan Murad III, at the request of the Grand Vizier Sinan Pasha, the “Banner of the Prophet” was brought to Europe for the first time - to the Turkish army then located in Hungary to inspire the troops and restore fallen discipline. Sultan Mohammed III (1596-1603) assigned a guard of 300 people to the Banner under the command of the chief emir Nakibol-Etraf. Subsequently, 40 standard bearers were appointed from among the Seraglio servants; Besides them, all military men and horsemen were obliged to defend the shrine.

“Sandjak Sheriff” is stored in 40 taffeta cases and in a green cloth ark. The length of the “Banner of the Prophet” is approximately 3.7 meters. The golden tip of its shaft contains the Koran, personally copied by Sultan Osman, the founder of the Ottoman Empire. In addition to the “Banner of the Prophet”, the same ark contains a small Koran, the hands of Caliph Omar and the silver keys to the Kaaba, which Sultan Selim I received from the ruler of Mecca.

In peacetime, the “Banner of the Prophet” is kept in the Hall of Noble Clothing (the black camelot cloak of the Prophet Muhammad). There were also other state shrines here: a beard, a sacred footprint, the staff and bow of the Prophet and several swords of the first caliphs. During the war, a tent was built for the Banner, in which it was attached with silver rings to a special device made of ebony.”

The infidels cannot see the sacred “Banner of the Prophet,” and whoever decided on such insolence was severely punished. Thus, on March 27, 1769, during the Russian-Turkish War, the Austrian internuncio Brongniart rented a room from a mullah in order to secretly watch the procession of the removal of the “Banner of the Prophet” with his family and some Europeans. Then he found a cheaper room and refused the mullah, for which he betrayed him. The Janissaries burst into the room Brongniar rented, insulted his wife and daughters, and killed several Christians on the streets. Austria urgently recalled Brongniard...

The personal relics of the Prophet Muhammad also include his sacred robe (khirka), which the Prophet gave to the Arab poet Kaab bin Zuher, who converted to Islam. After his death, the Caliph of Moavije purchased the robe for 20,000 dirhams. From him it passed to the Umayyads, then into the possession of the Abbasids, and in the 16th century. came to the Turkish Sultan Selim I. The Holy Robe of the Prophet Muhammad, which is 1400 years old, is a robe 124 cm long, with wide sleeves; it is sewn from black woolen material. Since its appearance in Topkapi (from the 16th century), it was carefully kept in a golden ark, which is now on display on a silver pedestal made in the palace under Sultan Murad IV. Every year on the 15th day of the month of Ramadan, the sacred mantle of the Prophet Muhammad was solemnly visited by the Sultan, viziers and the inhabitants of the harem.

Today, the Topkapi Palace also houses two swords of the Prophet Muhammad. The first of them (the sword Zulfiqar) Muhammad gave to his son-in-law, the fourth caliph Ali, and the second was a family heirloom that he received from his father. Both swords are inlaid with gold and precious stones. Next to them is a bamboo bow of the Prophet Muhammad in a gold case.

The collection of sacred relics also contains a letter from Muhammad, in which the Prophet calls on the ruler of Mukavkas to convert to Islam. This message, accidentally found in Egypt, is written on a piece of dark leather (16-19 cm), consists of twelve lines and is marked with the seal of the Prophet. It is believed that this seal passed from Caliph Abubakar to Caliph Omar, and from him to Caliph Osman, who once dropped it into a fountain. Almost 150 years later, the amber seal was discovered in Baghdad and brought to the Topkapi Palace.

A golden box decorated with precious stones contains a fragment of a tooth of the Prophet Muhammad, broken during the Battle of Uhud. About 60 hairs from the Prophet's beard are kept in Topkapi Palace, but only one is on public display. It also lies in a golden box.

The collection of relics also contains one of the six known footprints of Muhammad. It is believed that the Prophet left a mark on this stone during his ascension to heaven. The stone with the footprint is placed in a gold case with a lid.

Among relics from the Kaaba, which are kept in the Topkapi Palace, it is worth noting the gilded protective frame for the sacred Black Stone, which weighs 14 kg; two gold gutters suspended by chains from the ceiling; fragment of the “Gate of Repentance” and silver gilded keys...

The treasury of the Sultan's palace contains and christian relics, collected in the churches of Constantinople: the right hand of John the Baptist in a gold frame, part of the skull of St. Apostle Peter, a tin pan of Abraham, a silver reliquary with the relics of saints.

Housing: from palace to hut The range of the capital's housing stock is extremely wide. The interior decoration of royal and princely residences, the life of the court, the inner circle, the life of officials and royal servants is inaccessible and unknown to most Parisians. In the 15th century, when the sovereign