Blessed sword and hat

The blessed sword (Latin: ensis benedictus, Italian: stocco benedetto[1] or stocco pontificio[2]) and the blessed hat (also: ducal hat,[3] Latin: pileus or capellus,[4] Italian: berrettone pontificio[5] or berrettone ducale[6]) were a gift offered by popes to Catholic monarchs or other secular recipients in recognition of their defence of Christendom. Each pair was blessed by a pope on Christmas Eve in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The sword was an ornate ceremonial weapon, usually large, up to 2 metres long, with the hilt embellished with the pope's coat of arms, and the blade with the pope's name. A similarly ornate scabbard and belt were added to the sword. The hat was a cylinder made of red velvet with two lappets hanging down from its top. The right-hand side of the hat was decorated with a dove representing the Holy Spirit embroidered in pearls, while a shining sun symbolising Christ was embroidered in goldwork on the top.[7]

Blessed sword
A blessed sword with a belt and a blessed hat received by Manuel Pinto da Fonseca in 1747, with the Keys of Heaven in the foreground
TypeCeremonial sword
Place of origin Papal States
Service history
In service14th–19th centuries
The blessed sword given by Pope Eugene IV to King John II of Castile in 1446

The earliest preserved blessed sword, now located at the Royal Armory in Madrid, was given by Pope Eugene IV to King John II of Castile in 1446. The latest preserved of the blessed swords, now at the National Museum of the Middle Ages in Paris, was blessed in 1772 by Pope Clement XIV and presented to Francisco Ximenes de Texada, grand master of the Knights Hospitaller.[7] Not all recipients are known; among those whose names have been preserved, there were at least twelve emperors of the Holy Roman Empire, ten kings of France, seven kings of Poland, and six kings of Spain. Additionally, three or four blessed swords and hats were given to kings of England, two or three to kings of Scots, and three each to the kings of Hungary and Portugal. Recipients also included various princes, including heirs-apparent, archdukes, dukes, noblemen, military commanders, as well as cities and states.[8]

History

Allegory of the civil power receiving a blessed sword and hat from putti, as painted by Gregorio Lazzarini, c. 1720

The tradition of distributing blessed swords and hats by the popes is not as old as that of another papal gift, the golden rose, but it does date back at least as far back as the 14th century. The earliest recipient of a pontifical sword and hat who is known for certain was Fortiguerra Fortiguerri, a gonfaloniere of the Republic of Lucca, who received it from Pope Urban VI in 1386. However, papal account books record payments for the manufacture of such gifts as early as 1357, and even then it seems to have been a long-established practice.[9] Some historians push the origin of the tradition even further back. According to Gaetano Moroni, Pope Innocent III presented a sword and hat to King William the Lion of the Scots in 1202.[10] Lord Twining dismissed this proposition as legendary, but accepted that the tradition originated with Pope Paul I's gift of a sword to King Pepin the Short of the Franks in 758.[11]

Starting with the pontificate of Pope Martin V (reigned 1417–1431), detailed payment records exist for the manufacture of swords and hats for every year, although the recipients are not always known. During the 15th century, popes gradually moved from the practice of presenting the swords and hats to noblemen or princes visiting Rome at Christmas time towards sending them to distant monarchs as either reward or encouragement to defend Christendom and the interests of the Catholic Church. The practice accelerated under Pope Nicholas V (r. 1447–1455), who used the gifts to promote a military alliance against the Ottoman Empire.[12]

Description

Approximate cost of one pair of blessed sword and hat
in the 15th century (in Italian gold florins)[13]
ItemCost
Blessed sword with scabbard and belt
Blade (ready-made)3.00 ƒ
Wooden frame of the scabbard0.50 ƒ
Silver for the grip, pommel and the filigree work on the scabbard90.00 ƒ
Gilding of the sword and scabbard20.00 ƒ
Crimson lining of the scabbard2.00 ƒ
Cloth of gold for the belt15.00 ƒ
Silver for the clasp and buckle of the belt15.00 ƒ
Manufacture of the sword, scabbard and belt30.00 ƒ
Blessed hat
Pearls35.00 ƒ
Ermines6.00 ƒ
Embroidery5.00 ƒ
Gold band5.00 ƒ
Manufacture of the hat4.00 ƒ
Total230.50 ƒ

The blessed sword was always a two-handed one,[14] sometimes more than 2 metres (7 ft) long.[7] The hilt was made of silver and covered with elaborate repoussage in gold.[14] The pommel was decorated with the pope's coat of arms surrounded with images of the papal tiara and pallium. The blade was embellished with intricate engravings. They included an inscription running along the length of the blade, indicating the pope's name and in which year of his pontificate the sword was blessed. The accompanying scabbard and belt were similarly sumptuous and ornate, covered in velvet and studded with precious stones,[3] and also bore the papal coat of arms. The identity of the recipient, on the other hand, was never indicated on the sword in any way. This practice stemmed from the Church's stance that the pope himself was the true defender of the faith, while the prince bestowed with the sword was merely the pontiff's armed arm.[7] The symbolic significance of the sword was connected to the papal claim to both supreme spiritual and temporal power, derived from the Biblical story of Saint Peter using a sword to protect Jesus during his arrest in the Garden of Olives.[15]

Heralds of Pope Julius II holding papal banners, as well as a blessed sword (left) and an oversized blessed hat

The hat had the form of a stiff high cylinder surrounded by a deep brim, which curved upwards to a point at the front. In the back hanged two lappets, similar to those in a bishop's mitre.[16] The hat was made of beaver pelt[3] or velvet, typically dark crimson in color, although grey and black are also mentioned in some accounts. It was sometimes lined with ermine. A haloed dove, symbolizing the Holy Spirit, was embroidered in goldwork and adorned with pearls on the right hand side of the cylinder. On top of the hat, a shining sun with alternatively straight and wavy rays that descended towards the brim, was likewise picked out in gold thread.[16] The image of a dove symbolized the Holy Spirit protecting and guiding whomever was wearing the hat.[3][15] The Holy Spirit together with Christ the Sun God may also be interpreted as symbolic references to God's incarnation, a mystery celebrated on Christmas, on the eve of which the hat and the sword were blessed by a pope.[7]

Ten blessed swords from the 15th century have survived to present times, and about a dozen from the 16th century, although in some cases only the blade remains, while the more valuable hilt and scabbard have been lost. The hats, made of less durable materials, have been preserved in still smaller numbers, the earliest being from the second half of the 16th century. It is even impossible to ascertain whether the hat had always accompanied the sword from the beginning of the tradition or if it was a later addition.[14]

Ceremony

A doge of Venice receiving a sword from a pope, as painted by Francesco Bassano in 1592

Popes used to bless the sword and the hat on every Christmas Eve. The blessing took place just before the matins in a simple ceremony conducted by the pope either in one of the private chapels of the papal palace or in the sacristy of St. Peter's Basilica. The pope, vested in an alb, amice, cincture and white stole, blessed both items held before him by a kneeling chamberlain by reciting a short prayer, the earliest form of which is attributed to Sixtus IV (r. 1471–1481). Then, the pope sprinkled the sword and hat with holy water and incensed them thrice before putting on a cappa, a long train of crimson silk, and proceeding to the basilica.[17]

If the person whom the pope intended to award with the blessed sword and hat was present, he was invested with them immediately. Dressed in a surplice over his secular robes, the recipient was brought before the pope, who addressed him with Sixtus IV's brief Solent Romani pontifices, explaining the symbolism of the gift.[18][19] It ended with the following words:

"[...] we appoint you, holy prince, as another sword of the Holy See, which has, we declare by this fine gift, a most devout son in you, and also by this hat we declare that you are a fortification and bulwark to protect the holy Roman Church against the enemies of the Faith. Therefore, may your hand remain firm against the enemies of the Holy See and of the name of Christ, and may your right hand be lifted up, intrepid warrior, as you remove them from the earth, and may your head be protected against them by the Holy Spirit, symbolized by the pearly dove, in those things deemed worthy by the Son of God, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen."[20]
Engravings of 15th-century blessed swords with their scabbards, awarded (left to right) to: Francesco Foscari, Ludovico Bentivoglio, Cristoforo Moro, Bogislaw X, and William III of Hesse

The sword was then girded over the recipient's surplice and he was dressed in a white cope. The morsel of the cope was fastened on his right shoulder so as to free his arm for drawing the sword later in the ceremony. The prince kissed the pope's hand and slipper as a sign of obeisance and, with his sword and hat, joined the procession to the basilica.[21] During the matins, the recipient sang the fifth lesson,[22] beginning with the words In quo conflictu pro nobis inito, taken from the homily of Saint Leo.[23] An exception was made for emperors, who sang the seventh lesson,[19] which begins with a quote from the Biblical account of the Census of Quirinius, Exiit edictum a Caesare Augusto ut describeretur universus orbis ("In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered"; Luke 2, Luke 2:1), deemed more appropriate because of the imperial connection.[24] Before singing the lesson, the prince removed his hat and handed it to his servant, then unsheathed the sword, struck it against the ground three times, then brandished it in the air, again three times, and replaced it in the scabbard. As the matins ended, the recipient took leave of the pope and returned to his residence in Rome, preceded by a man-at-arms carrying the blessed sword and hat, and followed by cardinals, prelates, papal chamberlains, ambassadors to the Holy See, friends and retinue.[25]

If the prospective honoree was absent at the ceremony, the sword and hat, after being blessed, were carried by the chamberlain before the cross in the procession and placed on the epistle side of the altar in the basilica.[8] The gifts were then dispatched by the pope by a special emissary to present them to their intended recipient in a ceremony extra curiam. The protocol was modelled on that prescribed for bestowing the golden rose outside Rome.[25] The emissary, entrusted with the sword and hat, instructed about the proper protocol, equipped with the pope's letter to the honoree, as well as a safe conduct pass, set out with a small retinue, usually in the spring following the blessing ceremony. When the emissary was within a day's journey from his destination, the recipient was expected to send forth a delegation to escort the emissary to his lodgings. The papal brief was delivered to the prince who then had to choose the venue and date of the ceremony. Typically, the ceremony took place on a Sunday or a major feast day in a cathedral or the major church of the town. A solemn mass was celebrated either by the emissary or by a local bishop or abbot indicated by the pope. The pope's letter was solemnly read during the mass, following which the prince received the blessed sword and hat from the hands of the celebrant. When the ceremony was over, the recipient returned to his residence in a procession, as it would happen in Rome.[26]

Recipients

Year of blessingYear of bestowalPopeRecipientNotesReference
1202Innocent IIIWilliam the Lion, king of ScotsDisputedBurns 1969, pp. 161–162
1204Innocent IIIPeter II, king of AragonDisputedBurns 1969, pp. 151, 162
13471347Clement VICharles IV, emperor of the Holy Roman EmpireUncertainBurns 1969, p. 161
13651365Urban VLouis I, duke of AnjouPresented personallyMüntz 1889, p. 409;
Warmington 2000, p. 109
13661366Urban VJohn I, count of ArmagnacPresented personallyMüntz 1889, p. 409
13711371Gregory XILouis I, duke of Anjou (again)Presented personallyMüntz 1889, pp. 409–410
13861386Urban VIFortiguerra Fortiguerri, gonfaloniere of the Republic of LuccaBurns 1969, p. 160;
Pinti 2001, p. 3
1419Martin VCharles, dauphin of France (future King Charles VII)UncertainWarmington 2000, p. 109
1422Martin VLouis III, king of NaplesWarmington 2000, p. 109
1432Eugene IVWładysław II Jagiełło, king of PolandDisputedLileyko 1987, p. 123
1434Eugene IVRepublic of FlorenceMüntz 1890, p. 281
1443Eugene IVVladislaus III, king of Poland and HungaryProbably lost in the Battle of VarnaWarmington 2000, p. 110;
Lileyko 1987, p. 123
1446Eugene IVJohn II, king of CastileOldest preserved blessed sword, at the Royal Palace of Madrid, SpainWarmington 2000, p. 110;
Lileyko 1987, p. 123
14491450Nicholas VFrancesco Foscari, doge of VeniceBlade preserved at the Doge's Palace in Venice, ItalyWarmington 2000, p. 110;
Pinti 2001, p. 4
14501450Nicholas VAlbert VI, archduke of AustriaWarmington 2000, p. 110;
Pinti 2001, p. 7
1454Nicholas VCount of Sant'Angelo, ambassador of NaplesPresented personallyWarmington 2000, p. 110
14541455Nicholas VLudovico Bentivoglio, ambassador of BolognaSword and scabbard preserved at the Medieval Museum of Bologna, ItalyMüntz 1890, p. 283;
Pinti 2001, pp. 4, 19
14561457Calixtus IIICharles VII, king of FranceWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
14571458Calixtus IIIHenry IV, king of CastileBlade preserved at the Royal Palace of Madrid, SpainWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128;
Müntz 1890, p. 284
14581459Pius IIFrederick III, emperor of the Holy Roman EmpireWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
14591460Pius IIAlbert III Achilles, margrave of Brandenburg-AnsbachPresented personally at the Council of Mantua. The sword later became the Electoral Sword (Kurschwert) of Brandenburg, preserved at the Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, GermanyWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128;
Kühn 1967
14601461Pius IIPhilip the Good, duke of BurgundyWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
14611462Pius IILouis XI, king of FranceWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
14621463Pius IICristoforo Moro, doge of VeniceBlade preserved at the Doge's Palace in Venice, ItalyWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128;
Pinti 2001, p. 4
14661466Pius IISkanderbeg, lord of AlbaniaPresented personallyWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
1467 or 1469Paul IIHenry IV, king of CastileWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
14681468Paul IIFrederick III, emperor of the Holy Roman EmpirePresented personallyWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
14701471Paul IIMatthias Corvinus, king of HungaryWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
1471Paul IIBorso d'Este, duke of FerraraPresented personallyWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
14741475Sixtus IVPhilibert I, duke of SavoyWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
14771477Sixtus IVAlfonso, duke of Calabria (future King Alfonso II of Naples)Presented personallyWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
14801480Sixtus IVFederico da Montefeltro, duke of UrbinoWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
14811482Sixtus IVEdward IV, king of EnglandWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
14821482Sixtus IVAlfonso, duke of Calabria (future King Alfonso II of Naples, again)Presented personallyWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
14841484Innocent VIIIFrancesco of Aragon, ambassador of NaplesPresented personallyWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
Between 1484 and 1492Innocent VIIIFerdinand II, king of AragonWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
14861486Innocent VIIIEnea López de Mendoza, count of Tendilla, ambassador of Castile and AragonPresented personallyWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
14881488Innocent VIIIGiovanni Giacomo Trivulzio, general of the ecclesiastical armyPresented personallyWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
14911491Innocent VIIIWilliam III, landgrave of HessePresented personallyWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
14921492Alexander VIFrederick, crown prince of Naples (future King Frederick IV)Presented personallyWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
14931494Alexander VIMaximilian I, king of the RomansWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
14941494Alexander VIFerdinand, duke of CalabriaPresented personallyWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
14961497Alexander VIPhilip the Fair, archduke of AustriaWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
14971497Alexander VIBogislaw X, duke of PomeraniaPresented personally. Used as part of ducal insignia by subsequent dukes of Pomerania.Warmington 2000, pp. 123–128;

Lileyko 1987, p. 124

14981499Alexander VILouis XII, king of FranceWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
1500Alexander VICesare Borgia, duke of Valentinois, pope's sonSword and scabbard preservedBurns 1969, p. 163
15011502Alexander VIAlfonso d'Este, heir to the Duchy of Ferrara, pope's son-in-lawWarmington 2000, pp. 123–128
15061507Julius IIJames IV, king of ScotsThe sword later became the Scottish Sword of State, preserved, together with its scabbard and belt in Edinburgh Castle, ScotlandBurns 1969, pp. 172–173
15081509Julius IIVladislaus II, king of Bohemia and HungarySword preserved at the Hungarian National Museum in Budapest, HungaryLileyko 1987, p. 123;
Burns 1969, p. 174
15101511Julius IISwitzerlandSword preserved at the Swiss National Museum in ZurichBurns 1969, p. 174;
Pinti 2001, p. 4
1513Leo XHenry VIII, king of EnglandBurns 1969, p. 180
1514Leo XManuel I, king of PortugalBurns 1969, p. 180
1515Leo XRepublic of Florence (again)Burns 1969, p. 180
1516Leo XFrancis I, king of FranceUncertainBurns 1969, p. 180
1517Leo XMaximilian I, emperor of the Holy Roman EmpireUncertainBurns 1969, p. 180
1525Clement VIISigismund I, king of PolandLost before 1669Lileyko 1987, p. 124
1529Clement VIICharles V, emperor of the Holy Roman EmpireBlade preserved at the Royal Palace of Madrid, SpainPinti 2001, p. 12
15361537Paul IIIJames V, king of ScotsLost between 1542 and 1556Burns 1969, pp. 181–183
1540Paul IIISigismund II Augustus, king of PolandLost after 1795Lileyko 1987, p. 124
1550Paul IIIPhilip, prince of Asturias (future King Philip II of Spain)Blade preserved at the Royal Palace of Madrid, SpainPinti 2001, p. 12
15551558Paul IVErcole II d'Este, duke of FerraraSword preserved at the Konopiště Castle in Benešov, Czech RepublicPinti 2001, pp. 12, 30
1560Pius IVPhilip II, king of Spain (again)Blade preserved at the Royal Palace of Madrid, SpainPinti 2001, p. 12
1563Pius IVCarlos, prince of AsturiasBlade preserved at the Royal Palace of Madrid, SpainPinti 2001, p. 12
1566Pius VFernando Álvarez de Toledo y Pimentel, 3rd Duke of AlbaBlade preserved at ?Sampedro Escolar 2007, p. 97/8
15671568Pius VFerdinand II, archduke of Further AustriaSword and hat preservedPinti 2001, p. 6;
Burns 1969, p. 163
1580Gregory XIIIStephen Báthory, king of PolandBlade preserved at the Wawel Castle in Kraków, PolandLileyko 1987, p. 124
15811582Gregory XIIIFerdinand II, archduke of Further Austria (again)Sword and hat preserved in Vienna, AustriaPinti 2001, p. 5;
Burns 1969, p. 163
1591Gregory XIVPhilip, prince of Asturias (future King Philip III of Spain)Blade preserved at the Royal Palace of Madrid, SpainPinti 2001, p. 12
1594Clement VIIPhilip II, king of Spain (again)Blade preserved at the Royal Palace of Madrid, SpainPinti 2001, p. 12
1618Paul VPhilip, prince of Asturias (future King Philip IV of Spain)Pinti 2001, p. 12
1625Urban VIIIVladislaus Sigismund, crown prince of Poland (future King Vladislaus IV)Presented personally. Blade preserved at the Skokloster Castle in Sweden.Lileyko 1987, pp. 124–125
1672Clement XMichael Korybut Wiśniowiecki, king of PolandLost after 1673Lileyko 1987, p. 126
16741683Clement XJohn III Sobieski, king of PolandSent by Innocent XI. Sword used by Emperor Nicholas I of Russia for his coronation as king of Poland in 1829. Blade, scabbard and hat preserved at the Wawel Castle in Kraków, PolandLileyko 1987, pp. 126–127
16891690Alexander VIIIFrancesco Morosini, doge of VeniceSword, scabbard and belt preserved in the treasury of St Mark's Basilica in Venice, ItalyPinti 2001, pp. 4, 28
1726Benedict XIIIFrederick Augustus, crown prince of Poland (future King Augustus III)Scabbard, belt and hat preserved at the Dresden Armory in GermanyLileyko 1987, p. 129
1747Benedict XIVManuel Pinto da Fonseca, grand master of the Knights HospitallerPetroschi & Rossi 1747
17721773 or 1775Clement XIVFrancisco Ximenes de Texada, grand master of the Knights HospitallerSent by Pius VI. Latest preserved blessed sword, at the National Museum of the Middle Ages in Paris, FranceLileyko 1987, p. 123;
Pinti 2001, p. 6
1823Leo XIILouis Antoine, duke of AngoulêmePinti 2001, p. 3

See also

References

  1. Müntz (1889), p. 408
  2. Pinti (2001), p. 3
  3. Warmington (2000), p. 109
  4. Müntz (1889), p. 409
  5. Pinti (2001), p. 4
  6. Moroni (1854), p. 39
  7. Lileyko (1987), p. 123.
  8. Burns (1969), p. 165
  9. Burns (1969), p. 160
  10. Burns (1969), p. 161
  11. Burns (1969), p. 162
  12. Warmington (2000), pp. 109–110
  13. Burns (1969), pp. 163–164
  14. Burns (1969), p. 163
  15. Burns (1969), p. 164
  16. Burns (1969), pp. 162–163
  17. Burns (1969), pp. 164–165
  18. Burns (1969), pp. 165–166
  19. Warmington (2000), p. 116
  20. Translated from Latin by Robert Levine, quoted in Warmington (2000, pp. 129–130)
  21. Burns (1969), p. 166
  22. Burns (1969), pp. 166–167
  23. The Dolphin (1902), p. 8
  24. Warmington (2000), p. 100
  25. Burns (1969), p. 167
  26. Burns (1969), p. 159

Sources

  • Burns, Charles (1969). "Papal Gifts to Scottish Monarchs: The Golden Rose and the Blessed Sword". Innes Review. Edinburgh University Press. 20 (2). doi:10.3366/inr.1969.20.2.150. ISSN 0020-157X.
  • Kühn, Margarete (1967). "Das Charlottenburger Schloß" [Charlottenburg Palace]. Die Geschichte Berlins (in German). Verein für die Geschichte Berlins e.V. Retrieved 2013-03-26.
  • Lileyko, Jerzy (1987). Regalia polskie [Polish Regalia] (in Polish). Warsaw: Krajowa Agencja Wydawnicza. ISBN 83-03-02021-8.
  • Moroni, Gaetano (1854). "Stocco e berrettone ducale" [Sword and ducal hat]. Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica (in Italian). LXX. Venice: Tipografia Emiliana. pp. 39–61.
  • Müntz, Eugène (1889). "Les Epées d'honneur distribuées par les papes pendant les XIVe, XVe et XVIe siècles (Premier article)" [Honorary Swords Distributed by the Popes During the 14th, 15th and 16th Centuries (Part 1)]. Revue de l'art chrétien (in French). Société de Saint Jean: 408–411.
  • Müntz, Eugène (1890). "Les Epées d'honneur distribuées par les papes pendant les XIVe, XVe et XVIe siècles (Deuxième article)" [Honorary Swords Distributed by the Popes During the 14th, 15th and 16th Centuries (Part 2)]. Revue de l'art chrétien (in French). Société de Saint Jean: 281–292.
  • Petroschi, Giovanni; Rossi, Antonio (1747). Relazione di quello, che si è praticato in occasione di avere la Santità di nostro signore pp. Benedetto XIV, mandato lo Stocco ed il Pileo benedetti a Sua Altezza Eminentissima il gran maestro fra d. Emmanuele Pinto, felicemente regnante [Report on the Sending by His Holiness Benedict XIV of a Blessed Sword and Hat to His Eminent Highness Grand Master Manuel Pinto] (in Italian). Rome: Stamperia di Antonio de' Rossi.
  • Pinti, Paolo (2001). "Lo stocco pontificio: immagini e storia di un'arma" [The Papal Sword: Images and History of a Weapon] (PDF). Saggi di opologia (in Italian). Circolo culturale armigeri del Piave (12): 3–52.
  • "The Liturgy of the Christmas Cycle". The Dolphin: An Ecclesiastical Review for Educated Catholics. New York, Philadelphia: The Dolphin Press. I. 1902.
  • Warmington, Flynn (2000). "The Ceremony of the Armed Man: The Sword, the Altar, and the L'homme armé Mass". In Higgins, Paula (ed.). Antoine Busnoys: Method, Meaning, and Context in Late Medieval Music. Oxford University Press. pp. 89–130. ISBN 0-19-816406-8.
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