King Thanh Thai (10th Nguyen Emperor) Emperor's Heaven's Will Sword - This magnificent piece of Imperial Vietnamese history is a precious sword which belonged to King Thanh Thai (Nguyen Phuoc Buu Lan), the 10th King of the Vietnamese Nguyen Dynasty. These ornate kiem (straight swords) are among the most sought after of the antique Vietnamese arms, and were carried throughout the Nguyen Dynasty and traditionally prescribed to emperors. The emperors were said to have the "mandate of Heaven" to rule their people, who, in turn owed the emperor total allegiance. Although his power was absolute, an emperor was responsible for the prosperity of his people and the maintenance of justice and order. The sword represents a prosperous nation, peace and happiness and is decorated with inset gemstones, incised details and a lotus form handle. The sword also has carved calligraphy markings including "10th Emperor of Nguyen Dynasty," "Maintenance of Justice and Order" and "Mandate of Heaven: Emperor Thanh Thai." This precious family heirloom has survived several wars, multiple dynasties and has survived for over 1000 years. This piece should be in a museum, and the buyer will truly own a piece of Imperial history. This piece has excellent investment potential, as it is thought by experts around the world and avid collectors that due to the rapid modernization of Vietnam, Vietnamese antiques will within the next ten years be more valuable than Chinese antiques. According to some of the most expert collectors in the world, what used to sell for hundreds are now selling for tens of thousands. Measurements: 38" in length.