One of the most famous British folk tales is that of King Arthur and the sword in the stone. According to the various versions of the story, the sword could only be pulled out of the stone by the true king of England. A similar, though much less well-known, story can be found in the Italian region of Tuscany. Known as the legend of the San Galgano sword, it has even been suggested by some as the inspiration for the British legend.

Forging a Saint: The Origins of Saint Galgano

San Galgano is reported to be the first saint whose canonization was conducted through a formal process by the Church. Consequently, much of his life is known through the documents of this canonization process, which was carried out in 1185, just a few years after his death. Furthermore, there are also a number of works written by later authors about the saint’s life.

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Galgano Guidotti was born in 1148 in Chiusdino, in the modern Italian province of Siena. His mother is recorded as Dionisia, whilst (in later works) his father’s name is said to be Guido or Guidotti. It is said that Galgano was only concerned with worldly pleasures in his early life. As a noble, he was a knight trained in the art of war and was arrogant as well as violent. All this changed, however, and the knight subsequently became a hermit.

Read more: Ancient Origins