This sword is included in Oakeshott's Records of the Medieval Sword as X.15 (page 34) where there is also an image of the reverse showing a similarly prepared series of symbols. Mr. Oakeshott proposes an earlier date in that work, though I must admit some personal skepticism about that. Besides the possibility of being coherent in an unknown language, the inscription may possibly also be either an acronym (likely of a religious phrase or prayer) or entirely decorative in nature.
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