Tizona

Tizona is the name of the sword carried by Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, El Cid, which was used to fight the Moors in Spain according to the Cantar de Mio Cid. The name Tizón translates to burning stick, fireball.

A sword identified with Tizona is on display at the Museo de Burgos, in Burgos

The Tizona, or Tizón, is one of the swords (together with La Colada) attributed to El Cid in Spanish literature. According to the Cantar de Mio Cid, El Cid won the sword from its previous owner, King Yucef in Valencia. Afterward, it was given by El Cid to his sons-in-law, the Infantes de Carrión but eventually returned into the possession of El Cid.

Similar to the other sword attributed to El Cid, La Colada, there exists little historical evidence verifying the existence of a sword named Tizona belonging to Rodrigo Díaz. Later there developed the common opinion that identified the sword of James I of Aragon, named Tisó, with the one attributed to El Cid in the Cantar de gesta, but this is contrasted with the Llibre dels fets (a series of autobiographical chronicles including James I of Aragon) in which the Tisó is described in detail without any mention of El Cid, most likely owing to a simple coincidence of name. Also, the Tisó of the James I was descended from Ramon Berenguer I, who was in possession of the sword until 1020. This makes it unlikely that the sword would have passed from its previous owners to El Cid and that it would then have returned to the House of Aragon. It seems more logical that the Tisó was always in Aragon possession and that the confusion arises from a coincidental similarity in naming.

There exist various Tizonas which have been attributed to El Cid. One of these figured in the treasure stock of the regent house of Castilla that was transferred by Álvaro de Luna, recovered in 1452 and placed in an inventory of the Alcázar of Segovia. In the inventory there remains the description of "a sword called Tizona, that belonged to El Cid; it has a channel in each side, with gilded lettering; it has a hilt, and cross, and a block of silver, and in relief castles and lions and a small golden lion on each part of the cross; and has a scabbard of red leather lined with green velvet." This sword was ceremonial, owing to its adornment (which reflects its Castillian heraldry) and would have belonged to a member of the Castillian royalty or their family. After this mention in the inventory list there are no other historical notices, although the blade currently residing in the Royal Armory of Madrid could be the same one described in 1503.

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