Napoleon’s Famous Sword

Napoleon Bonaparte, the famous French military and political leader, used several swords during his lifetime. The most famous of these swords is the one he carried during his campaigns in Italy and Egypt, known as the “sword of Marengo.”

The sword of Marengo is a curved, single-edged saber with a gilt brass hilt and a blade made of steel. It is approximately 120 cm long, with a blade measuring 95 cm. The sword was made by Nicolas-Noël Boutet, a renowned French swordsmith and gunmaker of the time, and bears his signature on the blade.

After Napoleon’s death in 1821, the sword was passed down through several hands and eventually came into the possession of Napoleon III, his nephew and successor as Emperor of the French. Today, the sword of Marengo is on display at the Musée de l’Armée in Paris, France.