What does this tell us about the Crusades?
Pierre's pommel catches your eye, appearing at first more like a lavish seal or coin than as part of a battlefield weapon. However, as Pierre was a wealthy and high-status crusader, it was appropriate for his pommel to properly reflect his identity. Pierre and the sword's designers decided to couple his family heraldry with the sign of the cross, projecting Pierre's power and influence as well as his commitment to the crusader cause.
The sword pommel of Pierre de Dreux offers us an individualized window into the crusades. It gives us a remarkable view of the types of people who went on crusade and the their motivations. This pommel connects us to a wealthy French Duke who went on Crusade hundreds of years ago and was captured in Egypt in the Seventh Crusade (1248–1254).
