The legend of King Arthur centers on the future King in the mythical kingdom of Camelot located in southern England, a knight and a sword in a stone.
However, in the beautiful Tuscan countryside of Italy is the small village of Montesiepi where a mystery exists, not dissimilar to this legend.
In a small chapel on a hilltop exists a sword plunged into a rock by a feudal knight.
The knight is not King Arthur and the sword is not Excalibur but the sword of a real medieval knight, Sir Galgano Chuidotti born in Chiusdino in 1148, the only son of Guido and Dionisia. A knight in the army of a local medieval warlord in Sienna. Galgano waged battle and led a ruthless life fighting and destroying enemies on his Lords behalf, inflicting much pain, not just to his opponents but also upon himself.
Displeased with the life he led and the ongoing wars he must fight, he leaves the army to lead the life of a recluse.
The legend follows that he leaves his family and travels to visit his fiance before becoming a hermit. Along the way his horse is startled and rears, Galgano is tossed to the ground, lying unhurt he has a vision of the Archangel Michael who confirms to him to live the life of a hermit here at Montsiepi.
Upon arrival at the hilltop and with the anger and frustration of his life he plunges his sword into the stone on the ground. The sword enters without resistance. Galgano believing this is a sign from God remains living out the rest of his days as a hermit receiving pilgrims who ask him to perform miracles. He is murdered mysteriously around 1181AD.
The Roman Catholic Church canonizes him around 1190 and the legend of Saint Galgano prospers. A monastery was constructed near the site by Cistercian monks after this date, known as the Abbey of Saint Galgano. A round chapel is constructed over the site of the sword in the stone and it is alleged that Galgano is buried within the walls.
Galgano's message was for peace and an end to war, however, at the time the church was instructing Christians to go to the Holy lands to retake Jerusalem, his story becomes hidden for hundred of years in the church records. A similar legend speaks of a secret chamber underground that houses 'The Holy Grail' the chalice at Christ's last supper
The real story of the sword in the stone has not ended here, recent research has been done on the composition of the metal of the sword by Luigi Garlaschelli of the University of Pavia and shows that the composition of the metal and the style of the sword are consistent with the era of Galgano, the sword in the stone is not a fake.
One of the most interesting stories to come out of the legend of Sir Galgano Guidotti is the story of 'Merlini' the sorcerer. This name is recorded as a resident of the town of Chiusdoni, the birth place of Galgano. He lived at the same time as Galgano in the same town.
Now read as Sir Galgano Chuidotti speaks through Sussan a well known psychic and channeler. We also listen to 'Osiris' a non-physical entity as he speaks about Merlini (Merlin the magician) the knights friend and mentor.
