This elegant polearm, of a type known as a partisan, was probably carried by an officer in the Guards of the Sleeve, one of the elite bodyguard units of Louis XIV of France. Such polearms, which were made in a series with matching, elaborately decorated heads, were traditionally carried by the ceremonial guards of European monarchs, the upper echelon of the nobility, and the highest-ranking churchmen. This example is decorated with personal symbols of Louis XIV rather than the heraldic insignia usually found on these weapons. A prominent feature is the radiant head of Apollo, god of the sun, a favorite emblem of Louis XIV, the Sun King; it is surrounded by his motto. Below is the figure of Hercules--long associated with the French monarchy--before a column, representing the king's military power. The design of the partisan has been attributed to the influential court ornament designer Jean Berain, who was also responsible for the decoration of royal firearms. Donald J. LaRocca, from Philadelphia Museum of Art: Handbook of the Collections (1995), p. 135.