About
This sword is not awaiting a king to retrieve it. It was planted there by a Saint.
The legendary sword of King Arthur, though likely just a story, is said to exist in Tuscany's Montesiepi Chapel. Galgano Guidotti, born in 1148 near Chiusdino, had been a wealthy knight until 1180 when he heard the words of Jesus and became a hermit. He was soon visited by the Archangel Michael who told him to renounce his earthly wealth — Guidotti found this impossible and thrust his sword into a rock to prove it could not be done. To everyone's surprise, the blade pierced it as if it were water. Further visions led him to Monte Siepi Hill where he planted a cross without any wood available — so instead he drove his sword into the rock where it stayed for eternity. One year later Giudotti passed away, and was declared a saint by Pope Lucius III in 1185; since then the Montesiepi Chapel has been built around it.
