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Legendary Swords Unveiled: Excalibur vs. Caliburn – The Difference

Legendary Swords Unveiled: Excalibur vs. Caliburn – The Difference

Caliburn or Excalibur is known as a legendary sword from King Arthur, sometimes popular for magic or with Great Britain’s legal sovereignty. There are times when Excalibur and the sword in the stone are considered the same, but most of the time, they aren’t.  

The main difference between both is that the sword at the center of the stone is called Caliburn, while the blade at the lake’s center is called Excalibur. At the lake’s center, the Lady gives Excalibur to King Arthur when the Caliburn breaks during a fight.

Let’s know more about these two!

What Is Excalibur?

Excalibur was the sword given to King Arthur by the Lady of the lake. Besides being powerful, it’s also magical. 

There are lots of stories about King Arthur and his indestructible sword. Many people think Excalibur and Caliburn are the same. Nevertheless, in a few of them, Excalibur refers to the specific sword Arthur got from the Lady of the Lake.

You won’t believe how solid and magical this sword is. Anyone who wields a sword becomes invincible. On top of that, it destroys everything it touches. It doesn’t matter how challenging the material is.

What Is Caliburn?

In the legend, Caliburn is the sword in the stone that proves King Arthur’s right to the throne.

The famous sword in the stone, Caliburn, chooses the King in King Arthur’s legend. It’s one of the three Holy Weapons wielded by King Arthur Pendragon of Camelot, the legendary king of Britain.

An image of the Caliburn.
The Caliburn

Caliburn is the strongest holy sword in existence. A massive amount of Holy aura can be generated by it, surpassing even that of Courechouse and Durandal. This sword is so mighty that it’s known as the Ultimate Holy Sword. 

Difference Between Excalibur And Caliburn

Here is the list of differences between Excalibur and Caliburn.

  • The first and foremost difference between both is that the Excalibur was the sword given by the Lady of the lake to King Arthur. However, Caliburn is known to be the sword retrieved from the stone by King Arthur.
  • Another difference is in the composition of both swords. The Excalibur comprises bot iron obtained from water or wetland. On the other hand, the Caliburn is obtained from the ground iron.
  • Excalibur is stronger than Caliburn as bog iron is much purer than ground iron.
ExcaliburCaliburn
Retrieved FromLakeStone
CompositionBot IronGround Iron
ToughnessIndestructibleNot much stronger
Comparison of Excalibur and Caliburn.

Is Caliburn Considered Stronger Than Excalibur?

Caliburn is not considered stronger than Excalibur.

An image of a legendary Excalibur
An Excalibur drove into a stone.

Caliburn was designed to check the capabilities of the future king. It was put in the stone to measure the strength of the one who could draw it. Although in some tales, it’s considered the strongest sword. However, in some other stories, you can find out that it breaks down in a battle.

Are The Sword In The Stone And Excalibur The Same?

Both these swords can’t be necessarily the same.

The Excalibur is the one retrieved from the lake, so it’s not the same as the sword in the stone.

What Is The Strongest Sword In Fate?

The Sword of Rupture, also known as Ea, is the most powerful sword owned by the Noble Phantasms in Fate.

 Gilgamesh owned it, and it was inside the Gate of Babylon.

Is There An Evil Version Of Excalibur?

Caliburn’s sheath is Excalibur’s evil counterpart. You can’t be killed or bled if you hold the sheath that has the Caliburn blade.

What Are The Four Holy Swords?

The names of the four holy swords are;

  • Durandal
  • Excalibur
  • Caliburn
  • Ascalon

Why Is It Called Excalibur?

Sir Thomas Malory invented the name Excalibur when he wrote Le Morte d’Arthur in the 1470s.

Caliburn is based on an ancient legend about a sword of the same name that is first mentioned, as Caliburn, in the first manuscript of the legend called the Vulgate Cycle.

It’s also assumed that Caliburnus is the Latinization of the Welsh name Calledfwlch and that the tale of Arthur’s sword and Excalibur came from pre-existing Celtic myths.

How Powerful Is An Excalibur?

There’s a legend that Excalibur holds the power of ultimate power that only its true master can wield fully. 

The truth of Excalibur.

Anybody who wields this sword will be near invincible. But if you use it and aren’t destined for it, you’ll become corrupted and destroyed by your lust for power.

Did Merlin Make Excalibur?

Merlin didn’t make Excalibur. It was created by Tom the Blacksmith.

Merlin had Kilgharrah burnish it with his fiery breath so everything, living or dead, could be slain by it.

How Old Is The Excalibur Sword?

The Excalibur sword is approximately 700 years old. It dates back to the fourteenth century.

Where Is The Real Excalibur Sword Now?

A 14th-century sword was found in the Vrbas River near Rakovice in the north of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

The sword became stuck in water for years after being driven into a solid rock 36 feet below the surface. It has now been named Excalibur after the legend of King Arthur.

Is Excalibur A Real Sword?

At first, Excalibur was just a myth. After discovering the sword at the Vrbas river, researchers considered it a truth since the metal is dated to the 12th century.  

Who Put Excalibur In The Stone?

This legendary sword was encased in a stone by the famous wizard Merlin so that only a rightful individual would be able to wield it and rule the Camelot with it. 

What Is Written On Excalibur?

The inscription present on Excalibur translates to, ” Take me up, cast me away.”

Bottom Line

The Caliburn and Excalibur are the swords described in the tales of King Arthur. In some legends, both are considered identical. However, in a few others, they are pretty different from each other.

On the one hand, the Excalibur is the sword given to King Arthur by the Lady of the lake while the Caliburn was a sword driven into the stone.

The Excalibur was made of the most rigid material known as the bot iron, while Caliburn was made up of the ground iron. According to literature, both swords had immense power, but Excalibur is more powerful than Caliburn.

I hope this article will answer most of your questions about Excalibur and Caliburn!

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