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2026-10-05T05:22:04Z

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[[Image:SwordOfMartin.jpg|65px|right|The Sword of Martin the Warrior]]

{{#SQuote:
|id=7
|text=Always use the sword to stand for good and right, never do a thing you would be ashamed of, but never let your heart rule your mind.
|speaker=[[Luke the Warrior]]
}}

{{#SQuote:
|id=8
|text=You must always remember what a sword is really made for. It has only one purpose, to slay. In the paws of the wrong beast it could become an awful thing, if 'twere used for evil purposes. As the Warrior who is privileged to carry the sword, I am honor bound to uphold two things: the safety of Redwall, and the memory of my father.
|speaker=[[Martin the Warrior]]
}}

The '''Sword of Martin the Warrior''', also known as '''Ratdeath''', was a legendary [[Sword|blade]] used to maintain peace and defend [[Redwall Abbey]] against foes.

First known to be wielded by [[Martin the Elder Warrior|Martin the Elder]], it was originally a weapon that wasn't too special, consisting of a normal steel blade, a red pommel stone, and a leather strap. The sword also had a scabbard.

===Sword of Martin History===
The Sword of Martin was originally owned by Martin the Elder and passed down to his son, [[Luke the Warrior]]. Later, just before sailing after [[Vilu Daskar]], Luke bequeathed the sword to his son, [[Martin the Warrior|Martin]]. When Martin was captured by [[Badrang the Tyrant]], the latter possessed the sword for a short period of time until Martin reclaimed it and traveled south into [[Mossflower Woods]]. The sword, now rusty with age, was broken by [[Tsarmina Greeneyes]] at [[Kotir]]. Martin carried the broken hilt around his neck during his quest to [[Salamandastron (place)|Salamandastron]]. There, it was re-forged by [[Boar the Fighter]] using star metal to become a magnificent weapon that included a red pommel stone and "three-quarter" blood channels, or fullers, each of which ran down three-quarters of the blade on either side. It was re-strapped with black leather, and included a silver crosspiece.

Martin wielded the sword to [[Great Mossflower War|defeat]] Tsarmina, bringing safety and freedom to Mossflower. He then vowed to hang it up, however he used it again after he traveled back to the Northlands.

When Martin's father gave him the sword, he stated that if Martin should have no offspring to whom to bestow it, he should hide the blade where only a brave, true warrior could find it. In compliance with this, Martin again vowed to hang up his sword and instructed [[Krar Woodwatcher]] to hang the weapon from the [[The Roof|weathervane]] of Redwall Abbey after he decided to live a life of peace. He also left a coded poem specifically for [[Matthias]] divulging the sword's hidden location on the weathervane in his [[Martin the Warrior's Tomb|underground tomb]].

However, Martin went on one more quest seasons later, and likely had the sword taken down. After his death, he was buried as a warrior with the sword, foreseeing where it would eventually end up. Seasons later, the Spirit of Martin guided [[Simeon]] to the weapon in Martin's tomb. Simeon left the sword with [[Dandin]], and the younger mouse accompanied [[Mariel Gullwhacker]] to the isle of [[Terramort]] to [[Battle of Terramort|battle]] [[Gabool the Wild]].

After that endeavor, [[Rufe Brush]] took the sword up to the Redwall Abbey weathervane, where it remained attached until a bolt of lightning brought it down next to [[Samkim]] and [[Arula]]. It was stolen by [[Dingeye]] and [[Thura]], and later came into the possession of [[Dethbrush]]. After dueling with Dethbrush, Samkim temporarily lost the sword to the [[Deepcoiler]]. [[Mara]] retrieved the sword and returned it to Samkim, who brought it back to Redwall. [[Wild King MacPhearsome]] then restored it to its rightful place on the weathervane.

The sword was later stolen by [[King Bloodfeather]] of the [[Sparra]] tribe. His successor, [[King Bull Sparra]], lost it to [[Asmodeus]]. Asmodeus possessed the sword at [[The Quarry]] until Matthias retrieved it and killed the adder. [[Abbot Mortimer]] named the sword "Ratdeath" after Matthias [[Late Rose Summer Wars|defeated]] [[Cluny the Scourge]]. From that point, the sword was displayed near the tapestry of Martin the Warrior, and various defenders of the Abbey have continued to wield it from time to time.

During the time of badger mother [[Lady Cregga Rose Eyes]], the sword was hung on the wall in her personal quarters until [[Dannflower Reguba]] was appointed Abbey Champion. Some time after Reguba's service as Champion, but prior to Deyna, the sword was hung over the Tapestry. Deyna, as Abbey Warrior, used the sword to fight the [[Juska|Juska tribe]]. After some time, it was passed to [[Trisscar Swordmaid|Triss]], who took it to [[Riftgard]] to free slaves. The sword was taken out again to help [[Bragoon]] and [[Sarobando]] find a cure for [[Martha Braebuck]]'s inability to walk. It was carried back to Redwall by [[Abbess Fenna|Fenna]], who became Abbess by fulfilling a prophecy. Later, [[Sister Armel]] took the sword to [[Rakkety Tam MacBurl]].

Hundreds of seasons later, the sword was stolen from the Abbey by a [[Grumpy Watervole|watervole]], but it was then taken from him by [[Magger]]. Captain [[Vizka Longtooth]] killed him, and took the sword for himself. It was retrieved for the Abbey by [[Salixa]].

===Nelvana Redwall TV Series===
[[Image:SwordOfMartinTVshow.JPG|thumb|The Sword of Martin from the [[Redwall TV Series]]]]
In the Nelvana [[Redwall TV Series]], the phrase "I am that is", commonly associated with Martin, is engraved on the blade and visible during [[Redwall - Season 1|Season 1]] and [[Redwall - Season 2|Season 2]].

In the [[Redwall - Season 3|Season 3]] episodes ''[[Felldoh's Revenge]]'' and ''[[Battlefield Marshank]]'', Felldoh briefly wields the sword after seizing it from Badrang. Martin also renounces the use of the sword and leaves for the south without it in the finale, ''[[Rose of Noonvale]]''.

===Known Wielders of the Sword of Martin===
The following consists of anyone who ever possessed the Sword of Martin, inclusive of good characters and vermin or otherwise unfriendly characters.

{| class="fandom-table sortable"
|+Sword of Martin Wielders
! #
! Name
! Gender
! Species
! Villain
|-
| 1
| [[Martin the Elder Warrior]]
| Male
| Mouse
| —
|-
| 2
| [[Luke the Warrior]]
| Male
| Mouse
| —
|-
| 3
| [[Martin the Warrior]]
| Male
| Mouse
| —
|-
| 4
| [[Badrang the Tyrant]]
| Male
| Stoat
| ✔
|-
| 5
| [[Gonff the Mousethief]]
| Male
| Mouse
| —
|-
| 6
| [[Dandin]]
| Male
| Mouse
| —
|-
| 7
| [[Mariel Gullwhacker]]
| Female
| Mouse
| —
|-
| 8
| [[Snidjer]]
| Male
| Weasel
| ✔
|-
| 9
| [[Catseyes]]
| Male
| Rat
| ✔
|-
| 10
| [[Dingeye]]
| Male
| Stoat
| ✔
|-
| 11
| [[Dethbrush]]
| Male
| Fox
| ✔
|-
| 12
| [[Samkim]]
| Male
| Squirrel
| —
|-
| 13
| [[King Bloodfeather]]
| Male
| Sparrow
| ✔
|-
| 14
| [[King Bull Sparra]]
| Male
| Sparrow
| ✔
|-
| 15
| [[Asmodeus Poisonteeth]]
| Male
| Adder
| ✔
|-
| 16
| [[Matthias]]
| Male
| Mouse
| —
|-
| 17
| [[Jess Squirrel]]
| Female
| Squirrel
| —
|-
| 18
| [[Malkariss]]
| Male
| Polecat
| ✔
|-
| 19
| [[Mattimeo]]
| Male
| Mouse
| —
|-
| 20
| [[Martin II]]
| Male
| Mouse
| —
|-
| 21
| [[Abbot Arven]]
| Male
| Squirrel
| —
|-
| 22
| [[Dannflower Reguba]]
| Male
| Squirrel
| —
|-
| 23
| [[Log-a-Log]] [[Dippler]]
| Male
| Shrew
| —
|-
| 24
| [[Deyna]]
| Male
| Otter
| —
|-
| 25
| [[Skipper (Triss)|Skipper]]
| Male
| Otter
| —
|-
| 26
| [[Trisscar Swordmaid]]
| Female
| Squirrel
| —
|-
| 27
| [[Bragoon]]
| Male
| Otter
| —
|-
| 28
| [[Hortwill Longblade Braebuck]]
| Male
| Hare
| —
|-
| 29
| [[Abbess Fenna]]
| Female
| Squirrel
| —
|-
| 30
| [[Shard]]
| Male
| Fox
| ✔
|-
| 31
| [[Rakkety Tam MacBurl]]
| Male
| Squirrel
| —
|-
| 32
| [[Melanda MacBurl]]
| Female
| Squirrel
| —
|-
| 33
| [[Grumpy Watervole]]
| Male
| Watervole
| ✔
|-
| 34
| [[Magger]]
| Male
| Weasel
| ✔
|-
| 35
| [[Vizka Longtooth]]
| Male
| Fox
| ✔
|-
| 36
| [[Orkwil Prink]]
| Male
| Hedgehog
| —
|-
| 37
| [[Laird Bosie McScutta of Bowlaynee]]
| Male
| Hare
| —
|-
| 38
| [[Clarinna]]
| Female
| Hare
| —
|-
| 39
| [[Uggo Wiltud]]
| Male
| Hedgehog
| —
|-
| 40
| [[Posybud]]
| Female
| Hedgehog
| —
|-
| 41
| [[Jum Gurdy]]
| Male
| Otter
| —
|}

====Statistics====
Total number of known sword wielders: 41

*34 Males

*7 Females

*12 Villains

*9 Mice: ''Martin the Elder Warrior, Luke the Warrior, Martin the Warrior, Gonff the Mousethief, Dandin, Mariel Gullwhacker, Matthias, Mattimeo, Martin II''

*8 Squirrels: ''Samkim, Jess Squirrel, Abbot Arven, Dannflower Reguba, Trisscar Swordmaid, Abbess Fenna, Rakkety Tam MacBurl, Melanda MacBurl''

*4 Otters: ''Deyna, Skipper, Bragoon, Jum Gurdy''

*3 Hares: ''Hortwill Longblade Braebuck, Laird Bosie McScutta of Bowlaynee, Clarinna''

*3 Hedgehogs: ''Orkwil Prink, Uggo Wiltud, Posybud''

*3 Foxes: ''Dethbrush, Shard, Vizka Longtooth''

*2 Stoats: ''Badrang the Tyrant, Dingeye''

*2 Weasels: ''Snidjer, Magger''

*2 Sparrows: ''King Bloodfeather, King Bull Sparra''

*No moles ever wielded the Sword of Martin.

===Known Characters Killed Directly by the Sword of Martin===
These characters were killed by the Sword of Martin. All of them were villains.

Worth noting, Martin used the sword, freshly re-forged, to slay numerous sea rats from [[Ripfang]]'s crew.

{| class="fandom-table sortable"
|+Directly Killed by the Sword of Martin
! #
! Name
! Species
! Killed By
! Book
|-
| 1
| [[Reynard Chopsnout]]
| Fox
| Luke the Warrior
| ''[[The Legend of Luke]]''
|-
| 2
| Badrang the Tyrant
| Stoat
| Martin the Warrior
| ''[[Martin the Warrior (book)|Martin the Warrior]]''
|-
| 3
| [[Riptung]]
| Rat
| Dandin
| ''[[Mariel of Redwall]]''
|-
| 4
| [[Skrabblag]]
| Scorpion
| Dandin
| ''Mariel of Redwall''
|-
| 5
| [[Dingeye]]
| Stoat
| Dethbrush
| ''[[Salamandastron]]''
|-
| 6
| The [[Deepcoiler]]
| Water serpent
| Samkim
| ''Salamandastron''
|-
| 7
| Asmodeus Poisonteeth
| Adder
| Matthias
| ''[[Redwall]]''
|-
| 8
| [[Frogblood]]
| Rat
| Matthias
| ''Redwall''
|-
| 9
| [[Killconey]]
| Ferret
| Matthias
| ''Redwall''
|-
| 10
| [[Vallug Bowbeast]]
| Ferret
| Deyna
| ''[[Taggerung (book)|Taggerung]]''
|-
| 11
| [[Eefera]]
| Weasel
| Deyna
| ''Taggerung''
|-
| 12
| [[Zassaliss]]
| Adder
| Trisscar Swordmaid
| ''[[Triss (book)|Triss]]''
|-
| 13
| [[Zwilt the Shade]]
| Sable
| Clarinna
| ''[[The Sable Quean]]''
|-
| 14
| [[Badtooth (The Rogue Crew)|Badtooth]]
| Weasel
| Uggo Wiltud
| ''[[The Rogue Crew]]''
|}

====Statistics====
Total number of known direct sword deaths: 14

*3 Snakes: ''Asmodeus, Zassaliss, the Deepcoiler''

*2 Rats: ''Riptung, Frogblood''

*2 Ferrets: ''Killconey, Vallug Bowbeast''

*2 Stoats: ''Badrang the Tyrant,

*2 Weasels: ''Eefera, Badtooth''

*No birds, wildcats, toads, pine martens, or wolverines were killed by the Sword of Martin.

*Book with the most sword deaths: ''Redwall''

*Sword wielder with the most kills: Matthias

===Trivia===
*Watch [[Brian Jacques]] discuss the history of the Sword of Martin [https://youtu.be/3de33lzDwKQ?si=RyZAZdax2BN_LkEY&t=45 here].
*The name "Ratdeath" was only used in the book ''Redwall''. It was seemingly retconned out of the series.
*Columbine uses the sword to slice cake.

[[de:Schwert von Martin dem Krieger]]
[[fr:Épée de Martin]]
[[Category:Redwall Objects]]
[[Category:Weapons]]
[[Category:Swords]]

Sword of Martin - Revision history

imported>LordTBT: this can be a trivia point.