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Paperback. Condizione: New. Perhaps no other weapon represents Renaissance Italian fencing like the rapier. But do we know how it was used and how it was taught? This book takes you to the fencing School, or Salle, of celebrated renaissance rapier Master Nicoletto Giganti of Venice, one among the period teachers leaving instructions on the use of this weapon. More uniquely, his 1606 text The School, or Salle is a veritable training curriculum, with its stepwise lessons and easy-to-follow explanations on the use of the rapier alone and rapier and dagger. This faithful translation of Giganti's The School by internationally-known rapier teacher Tom Leoni includes the complete text, original illustrations, and an introduction on rapier fencing that will make Giganti's text easy to follow. If you are a martial artist, a fencer or have an interest in European martial culture, this book belongs on your shelf.…

Paperback. Condizione: New. The term 'medieval martial arts' conjures images of armoured knights wielding sword, lance and axe. While the image is correct, at the foundation of knightly combat was a sophisticated form of close quarter combat, centred on fighting with - and against - the dagger, a deadly weapon of both self-defense and last resort.In Mastering the Art of Arms, Volume One: The Medieval Dagger, Guy Windsor presents a complete guide to the principles and practice of Italian dagger combat, as set down in Il Fior di Battaglia a manuscript written in 1410. Readers are guided step-by-step through the process of mastering this six hundred year old art, from choosing a dagger to striking with it; from guard positions to steps and turns; from disarms to locks and takedowns; from safe falling practice to formal drills, and finally pressure testing their skills with sparring.Both a primer on the art and a methodology for on-going training, this book will give the complete novice a solid starting point, while providing useful drills and ideas for advanced martial artists. Those who study other traditional knife arts, and modern military combatives, will find many familiar techniques present in this ancient system.…

Paperback. Condizione: New. In the 1600s, the elegant and deadly Italian rapier was the choice sword of duelists, officers, gentlemen and noblemen: to master the rapier was to be a feared martial artist and a paragon in single combat.Among the original treatises on the use of this weapon, the most prized by historical fencing revivalists in the last 150 year has been the Great Representation of the Art and Practice of Fencing, written in 1610 by Master Ridolfo Capoferro. In this remarkable text, Capoferro described and illustrated - in unmatched detail - the use of the rapier alone and with a left-handed dagger, cloak and shield, offering the modern historical fencing student a true wealth of Renaissance fencing theory, form and repertoire.With this book, expert researcher and rapier instructor Tom Leoni offers a full, accurate and accessible English translation of Capoferro's teachings, complete with high-resolution reproductions of the 43 original illustrations. To make the book even more useful, Tom has included bullet-point synopses of all the actions illustrated by Capoferro, as well as a glossary of rapier-fencing terms with examples referring the reader to how they are used in the text. Also included is a primer on key rapier-fencing concepts and actions, as well as a historical introduction about Capoferro and his extraordinary relevance in the revival of historical martial arts.…

Paperback. Condizione: New. Few images of chivalry are stronger in the popular mind than that of two armoured knights in a joust, crashing together astride their chargers.Yet, considering the importance of formal combat to the medieval aristocracy, we possess surprisingly few detailed accounts of tournaments, jousts or duels. As the great sporting event of its day, fans of feats of arms enjoyed hearing about them, but extensive descriptions of the actual events involving contemporary warriors were not what they were looking for. Sometimes, however, there was an upswing of interest that inspired poets and chroniclers to write more detailed descriptions of both combats and accompanying celebrations. One particularly rich time for source material are the years 1389-90, when diplomatic competition between Charles VI of France and Richard II of England inspired the kings to sponsor some of the most spectacular formal combats of the entire Middle Ages. These feats of arms attracted a great deal of attention from contemporary writers and they were not soon forgotten. As a result, we have valuable descriptions of how jousting was performed and appreciated at the highest social levels in the two great rival kingdoms of the West.Bringing together some of the most important accounts of medieval jousting, especially those of the jousts at St. Inglevert, Royal Jousts is a direct look at the sources that have influenced our modern notion, and every modern reconstruction, of late medieval jousting. It is also the first entry in our new Deeds of Arms series a series of short, colour-illustrated readers that make primary source accounts of famous displays of martial and chivalric prowess of the High and Late Middle Ages and early Renaissance accessible to a broad audience.…

Paperback. Condizione: New. In the waning years of the fourteenth century, the household of John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster was scandalized when twelve petulant English knights publicly mocked the twelve ladies-in-waiting to the Duke's wife, calling them ugly to their faces. Outraged, the ladies sought immediate redress, but so fearsome were the knights' reputations that none would step forward. Desperate for help, the Duke appealed to his son-in-law King Joao I of Portugal to find champions ready to fight for the ladies' honor. Enter the 'Twelve of England,' a band of battle-hardened Portuguese knights. Led by the redoubtable Alvaro Gonçalves Coutinho, known as 'Magriço,' or 'The Lean One,' these twelve fearless men set out for England to fight the English knights in judicial combat, prepared to shed their blood to save the honour of ladies they had never met.Such tales of valour and derring-do, which often hinge on the notion of a team of warriors venturing into hostile territory on a quest for vengeance or redress set against a sweeping historical backdrop, have captured the imagination of audiences through the ages, from Jason and the Argonauts to Lieutenant Aldo Raine and the 'Inglorious Basterds.' Although undoubtedly a fictional tale inserted into historical reality, the action does not end at the household of the Duke of Lancaster, and other adventures ensue in France, Germany and Burgundy, as the twelve heroes spread the fame of Portuguese chivalry throughout the great courts of Europe.The third volume of the Deeds of Arms series presents a complete translation of the earliest known version of the Twelve of England, which has survived in only one manuscript. Professor Fallows presents the text in both the medieval Portuguese and an accompanying English translation. A facsimile of the original manuscript and an extensive introduction covering the historical context of both the text and the deeds it discusses are also included. An overview of the arms and armour used by the combatants, colour illustrations, genealogical tables, maps and a comprehensive bibliography further complement the text.…

Paperback. Condizione: New. The Questions Concerning the Joust, Tournaments, and War is a lost classic work of European chivalry; the only record we have of a dramatic occasion when crucial questions on the nature of war and the proper conduct of the warrior's life were posed to an audience of experts, professional men-at-arms of rank and influence. Written in the mid-14th century by the famed knight, Geoffrey de Charny, most modern scholars, perhaps sensibly, have shied away from even offering much in the way of analysis of the Questions as a whole, leading to a situation where the Questions are hardly known, even to scholars.But if Charny does not provide definitive answers about the practice of chivalry and the content of the law of arms, the Questions nevertheless do provide us something else of value - a picture of how knights, squires and other professional warriors of standing, conceived of their way of life. Completing the work he began in 2003 Jousts and Tournaments, Steven Muhlberger turns his pen to the final section of Charny's work to reveal what it tells us about how medieval 'men-at-arms' conceived of themselves as a class, at precisely the moment that their world was undergoing a series of sweeping changes that would forever change the profession of arms.…

Paperback. Condizione: New. The rulers of both England and France had reason to be unhappy as the 1380s dawned. Although the French regime was in better shape than it had been in a while, the country still lay open to English attack and the populace was angry about it. The English regime was no happier; it was futilely trying to realize the gains seemingly promised by the victory at Poitiers back in 1356. This had been its constant occupation for a quarter century, but ultimate success seemed as far away as ever.This book describes a campaign of the Hundred Years War in 1380-1 in which a variety of different kinds of combat and different motives for fighting are evident. The campaign itself was a great chevauchée, or raid, by the English through France and though it had its practical goals, it was also a striking illustration of the place of chivalric self-image in shaping warfare. The English hoped to weaken their opponents by demonstrating that the French king, Charles V, could not defend his subjects. The French king had practical reasons for wishing to avoid spectacular but dangerous set battles similar to Crecy and Poitiers - battles that had been catastrophic for the French.Avoiding battle, however, had its price. If enough people in France concluded that the English were right in their scorn for royal power, that power would be significantly reduced.The fourth volume of the Deeds of Arms series demonstrates that although Charles V's strategy for avoiding battle was prudent, it was unpopular, showing how considerations of war, peace and personal honour were tightly bound together, and that direct confrontation of man against man or army against army was the most satisfying way of settling such issues.…

Paperback. Condizione: New. Understanding the past takes more forms than historiography. Since 2005, professional and amateur scholars have come together at the annual International Medieval Congress in Western Michigan University to discuss the role re-construction, re-enactment and re-creation can play in 'breathing life into these dry bones' to deepen our knowledge of the past. Under the sponsorship of the Higgins Armory Museum and the Oakeshott Institute, presenters have looked at subjects ranging from ore smelting to equitation to the use of recreation and reenactment in the classroom.A special focus of these sessions has always been the critical examination of European fencing books, or Fechtbucher - not only for the sake of reconstructing the arts found therein, but also for what these sources can tell us about intellectual, cultural and social history. Thanks in part to editors' Mondschein and Cramer's work, the study of fencing books has rapidly become a recognized field of academic study.This volume brings together eight papers examining the study and reconstruction of medieval and early modern fight-books and related subjects. The subjects covered range from manuscript studies to philology, from Aristotelian physics to martial musicality, from medieval textuality to women and warfare. It will be of interest not only to professional historians, musicologists, literary scholars and art historians, but also to the vast army of impassioned and enthusiastic practitioners who endeavor, as a labour of love, to make the past come to life.…

Paperback. Condizione: New. On March 27, 1351, sixty armed men gathered in a field in Brittany, halfway between the two enemy castles of Josselin and Ploermel. Representing the garrisons of those two strongholds, these two groups of thirty men at arms they had appeared in this field with no strategic or tactical goal, other than to make good on their captains promise: 'We will go to an open field and there we will fight as long as we can endure it.'The battle was fought until all on one side were dead or captured, and no one ran away. This showdown in the fields of Brittany attracted attention in its own time and the story has been retold in many eras since, standing as the subject of romantic inspiration and call to bold action for over six hundred years.But was the Combat of the Thirty an admirable deed? Even in the fourteenth century, opinions were divided: some thought that it was a fight for no sensible reason, 'the product of presumption and rashness,' while others considered it a great demonstration of prowess, a word that designates a heroic combination of skill and courage.Why did sixty men risk themselves in a fight to the finish on that spring day in Brittany six and a half centuries ago? Why did it attract attention and praise in its time? Why does it interest us still? In this volume Steven Muhlberger translates the historical accounts of the Combat and then examines both what contemporaries thought, and how the battle has been remembered through the centuries, giving readers a window into late medieval chivalric culture.As a bonus, renowned 14th century arms and armour scholar Douglas Strong includes an appendix analysing the equipment used by English, Breton and French forces on that bloody day in 1351.Nine colour plates.…

Paperback. Condizione: New. In late Victorian England, even as the sword was being rendered useless on the battlefield, swordsmanship was experiencing a unique revival. Captain Alfred Hutton and Egerton Castle, both devoted fencers and amateur historians, led a systematic study and reconstruction of combat with all the weapons of the Elizabethan arsenal - the elegant rapier, deadly sword and buckler, and the massive two-handed sword. Their work found practical expression in classes, exhibitions, academic lectures and theatrical combat, for audiences as diverse as school children, soldiers and the Prince of Wales.Yet for all of their efforts, Hutton and Castle did not establish a tradition of historical swordsmanship that survived their own generation. Instead, their books and essays were largely forgotten until the second revival of ancient swordplay in the late 20th century, and today's researchers often view these early efforts with a cavalier or dismissive eye. In Ancient Swordplay: the Revival of Elizabethan Swordplay in Victorian England, 19th-century martial arts scholar, theatrical fight director and martial artist Tony Wolf reexamines Hutton and Castle's work, both through their own words and those of their enthusiasts, students and critics. Rather than earnest but misguided amateur scholars, they are revealed to be the inventors of a systematic study and practice of lost fighting arts that has only been exceeded in recent years, worthy of being celebrated as the true pioneers in the field.…

Paperback. Condizione: New. Modern fencing's origins come from the elegant, and deadly rapier of the late Italian Renaissance. Several schools of rapier fencing existed, amongst which one of the strongest and longest lasting was the Roman-Neapolitan-Sicilian School of swordsmanship (Scuola Romana-Napoletana-Siciliana ). Arising from the early, northern school, the southern school dates to the seventeenth century, in Rome, then spread throughout the south of Italy and evolved uninterruptedly until the nineteenth century, when it merged with the more modern traditions of fencing. Historical Fencing Manual: Rapier-Fencing in the 17th and 18th Centuries, is a true, modern fencing manual for training in this tradition, written by a modern master of the art. The texts of the seventeenth- and eighteenth-century masters are broken-down, synthesized and arranged into a concise, modern pedagogy, opening a gateway to the southern Italian school for the very first time. Beginning with fundamentals of stance, footwork, attack and defence, the text also covers complex provocations, disarms and grapples, and use of the left-hand dagger-a complete course under one cover.…

Paperback. Condizione: New. In the Middle Ages, wrestling was practiced as both pastime and self-defense by every level of society - nobles, townsman and peasants alike - and was regarded as the foundation of all other martial arts. And no medieval wrestler's name looms as large as that of the Jewish master Ott, 'wrestler to the noble Princes of Austria', whose treatise is included in over a dozen fencing manuscripts.In this first of its kind book, Jessica Finley of the renowned medieval martial arts association, the Selohaar Fechtschule, guides the reader on a journey that begins with the historical background of Ott's wrestling and culminates in step-by-step instruction for practicing the techniques of this ancient fighting art. Both the lover of history and the wrestler on the mat will find this work an invaluable resource.…

Paperback. Condizione: New. The Late Middle Ages (c.1350 - 1500) provides us with many of our stock, childhood images of the 'Middle Ages': the knight in shining armour, the joust, lords and ladies dressed in rich, voluminous robes and elegant dresses. Yet it is a paradox, for at the start of the period, Europe had endured the worst pandemic of recorded history: the Black Death, the climate was rapidly cooling, causing massive crop failures and France and England were locked in the brutal, dynastic struggle of the Hundred Years War. Meanwhile, in the second half of the period, intrepid merchants became the new knighthood of Europe, seeking new wealth in Asia and Africa, and launching what has been called the 'Age of Discovery' while a new interest in Classical culture would give birth to the Renaissance.All of these elements have long intrigued and inspired writers, researchers and reenactors to take a trip through the looking glass to this lost world. In the Book of Historic Fashion: A Newcomer's Guide to Medieval Clothing (1300 - 1450), authors Allen and Mele provide a visual snap shot of the courtly elegance and common wear of the period. Filled with hundreds of sketches taken from original sources, mechanical drawings and detailed 'layer drawings' demonstrating how the clothing was worn, this entrée both introduces the period and helps newcomers find their way forward in the study of primary and secondary sources. Whether you are a teacher or professor who wants your students to understand what the clothing of the day really looked like, a costume designers working in theater, TV and film looking for visual reference or just new to medieval reenacting who wants guidance on what to wear in order to be appropriately dressed at events, this volume is for you.…

Paperback. Condizione: New. In 1599, during the period when the Portuguese crown was united to the crowns of Castile and Aragon, the Portuguese master-at-arms Domingo Luis Godinho wrote a manuscript in Spanish entitled Arte de Esgrima (The Art of Fencing).Although his life is largely a mystery and Godinho's text was never published in his lifetime, today his manuscript is of utmost relevance in the study of Renaissance Iberian fencing. It is the only complete treatise discovered so far describing the 'Common' or 'Vulgar' style of Iberian fencing, first documented in the fifteenth century, but by Godinho's day, displaced by the new system of La Verdadera Destreza (the true skill).The work includes instructions for the single sword, a long-bladed, cut and thrust weapon taught alone and with the use of the shield, buckler, dagger, and cape, as well as paired with a second sword. Godinho's instructions also included the longest known text on the use of the montante, or two-handed sword, a devastating weapon that was used by soldiers and body-guards, in duels and battlefields, in crowded streets and aboard galleys. Translator Tim Rivera provides a detailed introduction that explains Godinho's relationship to earlier masters of the 'Common School' of swordsmanship, and a short primer on the various weapons, guards, parries, footwork and terminology of the tradition.…

Paperback. Condizione: New. Originally published in 1804 and aimed at the volunteer regiments of the Napoleonic Era, when engagements with swords were still a reality of warfare, The Art of Defence was written for civilians wanting to learn to fence with the sabre, broad-sword or spadroon.The growing interest in Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) has led to a world-wide increase in clubs and societies, and this text is aimed at these new students.The content is presented in a highly-structured way and in easily accessible language. Although primarily aimed at the novice, the text contains a number of more advanced techniques, from which more experienced fencers can benefit.This newly transcribed edition puts the complete, original text into a modern typesetting to make it easily accessible during lessons, but is otherwise left unchanged. To ensure the transcription will remain as compatible with other sources that refer to specific parts of the text as the original edition, all content has remained on the same page.All the plates, including the foldouts, have been photographed and digitally enhanced in order to reproduce them in as much detail as possible.…

Paperback. Condizione: New. Dating from the 1520's, Bolognese swordsmaster's Antonio Manciolino's Opera Nova is the earliest surviving printed book on Italian martial arts. This seminal and eclectic Renaissance work contains clear and systematic instruction on the use of the sword and small buckler, sword and large buckler, sword and targa, sword and dagger, sword and cape, two swords, sword alone, and sword and rotella, plus a fascinating compendium on the use of polearms. Clearly and elegantly written, Manciolino's text is one of the best and clearest presentations of the martial skills required of the ideal Renaissance man. For the first time since its original publishing, this book has been translated into English by experienced historical fencing instructor Tom Leoni. Also included is a valuable and extensive technical introduction, complete with illustrations from both original sources and modern photographs, making it easy to follow Manciolino's instructions, sword-in-hand, even by beginners, while providing years of training for veteran martial artists. …

Paperback. Condizione: New. Joachim Meyer (ca. 1537 - 1571) was one of the most influential fencing masters of the Renaissance--a prolific writer of fencing manuals. In this training guide, Robert Rutherfoord unpacks the complex and elegant art of Meyer's rapier in word and image, including over 200 easy to follow illustrations to bring the art to life. Meyer's monumental "A Thorough Description of the Free, Chivalric, and Noble Art of Fencing, Showing Various Customary Defenses, Affected and Put Forth with Many Handsome and Useful Drawings" was reprinted, adapted and outright plagiarized for over a century after his death. As a martial artist, he was both the last great master of the medieval Liechtenauer fencing tradition and a young innovator, who combined his native, German traditions with those of the Italian and Spanish fencing masters to create a wholly unique systems of fighting with a vast number of weapons. The centrepiece of his work, however, was the cut-and-thrust "sidesword" or "early rapier" which was rapidly eclipsing the knightly two-handed longsword in popularity. Meyer's synthesis not only adapted his native art to this Mediterranean weapon, but in some cases, his innovations prefigured the developments of rapier fencing that Italian masters would promote in the next quarter century after his untimely death.…

Paperback. Condizione: New. If you are a long-time martial artist, you have likely been either the recipient, the victim - or both - of the "wise old master" phenomenon, whereby budo students reverentially enfold their teachers as martial, moral and mystical juggernauts sans reproach, in which case, this book will make you clench your fists and laugh out loud, often while reading the same sentence. Iconoclastic, rebellious, yet fiercely holding to some of the most traditional values of Japanese martial culture, Amdur brought something new to martial arts writing - a startling honesty about the flaws, not only within martial arts culture, but also within its practitioners, often using himself as an exemplar of the latter.Originally published in 2000, and now fully revised, with eight new chapters, new artwork and photography, Dueling with O Sensei, Revised and Expanded Edition will be an invaluable addition to the library of old readers and new alike. …

Paperback. Condizione: New. Koryu, literally 'old flow from the past,' refers to Japanese martial traditions that predate the sweeping cultural changes that followed the Meiji Restoration of 1868. They generally have a very different character and tone from modern martial arts, such as kendo, judo or aikido which followed. More than the study of antique weapons, self-defense or a form of athletics, these martial traditions are a cultural legacy and a window to another time and place.In the first edition of Old School, Ellis Amdur, a renowned martial arts researcher, and himself an instructor in two different surviving koryu, gave readers a rare glimpse into feudal Japanese warrior arts, both as they were in the past and as they live on today. Nearly a decade later, he returns to the subject in this new, greatly expanded edition, bringing readers inside the dojos of a number ancient schools, providing details analysis of the evolution and morphology of uniquely Japanese weaponry, addressing the myth and reality of Japan's naginata-wielding warrior women, and discussing the modern relevance of the blood oaths, magical ritual and mysticism that often permeate the koryu. Finally, he looks at the challenge of preservation and transmission, especially as more and more practitioners of the koryu exist outside of Japan itself.Writing with a combination of the initiate's passion for his subject, and the scientist's rigorous search for the truth, Amdur asks critically: do the ancient traditions still meet the objectives of their founders? Are they successfully passing their ancient legacy down to the next generation?Over a third larger than the first edition and filled with new artwork and photography, Old School: Japanese Martial Traditions Expanded Edition will be an invaluable addition to the library of old readers and new alike. 125 bandw illustrations, photographs and drawings.…

Paperback. Condizione: New. Robert Childs' book seeks to bestow not just mechanical advice, but also to provide a philosophy of fencing that shows the swordsman not only the how, but why. There are a number of "how-to" rapier manuals now available; both those written centuries ago and now presented in modern English translation, or those composed by modern maestri of the sword in emulation of those by-gone works. But there has always been the parallel tradition of the martial treatise. It is this category of work that 30+ year fencer and currently top-ranked rapier fencer, Rob Childs, emulates. After explaining the basics of his own, eclectic system of rapier combat, he walks students through a wide variety of topics: how to choose the proper sword for you; how to fence students of different sizes; physical qualities and emotional temperaments; how to adapt your approach to different contexts (casual matches, competitions and medals matches) while maintaining martial reality; the use of sound, body displacement to deceive the opponent, and the most common tells fencers give and how to train them out of yourself-while using them against your opponent. Interwoven with personal anecdotes, you will gain both a look into the mindset and training paradigm of a world-class competitor, the sort of advice athletes for generations have sought from highly-skilled coaches, and be entertained at Childs' own adventures through the evolving world of historical swordsmanship. Although centred on the rapier, this work is really about fencing writ large and will be of value to anyone who has held a blade and heard the words 'en garde'! Illustrated with colour photographs throughout.…

Paperback. Condizione: New. In the late 14th century, the German swordsman Johannes Liechtenauer developed and codified a system of armed combat with sword, spear and dagger that spread through the Holy Roman Empire and dominated German martial arts for nearly 300 years. By the end of the 15th century, a fellowship of swordsmen in Frankfurt known as 'the Brotherhood of Saint Mark,' or Marxbruder, had been granted an imperial charter to train and test swordmasters.Peter Falkner was a long-time member and sometime captain of this famed fencing guild, and it was during this tenure that he set about creating an illustrated fight book of his own; colourful, painted figures and short captions depict combat with a wide variety of weapons: the longsword, dagger, staff, poleaxe, halberd, dueling shield and mounted combat. Where his work excels, however, is in its extensive treatment of the falchion-like messer and the unique variations of core techniques of the Liechtenauer canon.In this first, printed edition of Falkner's work, German martial arts teacher and scholar Christian Tobler includes a full translation, transcription and analysis, combined with a photographic reproduction of the original manuscript. The end result is a lovingly rendered, English translation of a 500 year old picture-book that shows an adaptation of the Liechtenauer tradition, by a known master of its most prestigious school, as taught over a century after its foundation.…

Paperback. Condizione: New. The poleaxe is a fearsome weapon: the armour-breaching weapon par excellence of the late Middle Ages, wielded on foot in friendly tournaments, lethal duels, and on the battlefield. Instruction on its use is found throughout surviving medieval martial arts manuscripts from Germany and Italy, but Le Jeu de la Hache (Axe-Play)-written in the mid fifteenth century for the Burgundian Court--is both the most complete study of this deadly weapon and the oldest known French-language martial arts text. In this new translation and interpretive guide, Jason Smith presents a complete translation of Le Jeu, detailed photographic reconstructions of its many techniques, and a short primer on the basics of axe combat, creating a complete curriculum for actually training in this unique medieval martial art. Combined with a historical overview of the manuscript and a detailed biography of Jacques de Lalain, a famed Burgundian axe-fighter, this volume is not just a modern training manual, but also a window into knightly culture at the waning of the Middle Ages.…

Paperback. Condizione: New. Robert Childs' book seeks to bestow not just mechanical advice, but also to provide a philosophy of fencing that shows the swordsman not only the how, but why. There are a number of "how-to" rapier manuals now available; both those written centuries ago and now presented in modern English translation, or those composed by modern maestri of the sword in emulation of those by-gone works. But there has always been the parallel tradition of the martial treatise. It is this category of work that 30+ year fencer and currently top-ranked rapier fencer, Rob Childs, emulates. After explaining the basics of his own, eclectic system of rapier combat, he walks students through a wide variety of topics: how to choose the proper sword for you; how to fence students of different sizes; physical qualities and emotional temperaments; how to adapt your approach to different contexts (casual matches, competitions and medals matches) while maintaining martial reality; the use of sound, body displacement to deceive the opponent, and the most common tells fencers give and how to train them out of yourself-while using them against your opponent. Interwoven with personal anecdotes, you will gain both a look into the mindset and training paradigm of a world-class competitor, the sort of advice athletes for generations have sought from highly-skilled coaches, and be entertained at Childs' own adventures through the evolving world of historical swordsmanship. Although centred on the rapier, this work is really about fencing writ large and will be of value to anyone who has held a blade and heard the words 'en garde'! Illustrated with colour photographs throughout.…

Hardback. Condizione: New. Noted medieval combat authorities Dierk Hagedorn and Christian Henry Tobler join forces to present a transcription, translation and analysis of the Peter von Danzig Fight Book, one of the finest manuscripts of the 15th century devoted to the fencing tradition of German grandmaster Johannes Liechtenauer. The codex features anonymous commentaries on Liechtenauer's own mnemonic verses, as well as treatises by other masters of his circle: Masters Lignitzer, Huntfelt, Ott and Peter von Danzig himself. A compendium of teachings for how to fight with the long sword, spear, sword and buckler, dagger, as well as unarmed grappling, both in and out of armour, this volume is a valuable resource for historical martial artists, historians and medieval re-enactors.…

Paperback. Condizione: New. Christian Tobler makes a deep dive into the fighting traditions of the late 14th and early 15th centuries, particularly as recorded by Johannes Liechtenauer (1300-1389). It was a time of plague, of the Hundred Years War, of the Peasants' Revolt, but also a time when the origins of the European Renaissance were formed. In the later years of this turbulent time a shadowy figure named Johannes Liechtenauer systematized lessons for swordsmanship, wrestling, armoured and mounted combat. Recorded in cryptic, rhyming verses, it fell to masters of the 15th and 16th century to record, clarify and expand the grandmaster's instructions in an extensive body of fencing manuals. As the world of the knight receded into history, these texts - many extensively and beautifully illustrated - were forgotten by all but German-language antiquarians and fencing historians until the last decade of the 20th century, when they were rediscovered by a new audience of martial artists and historians. No author has done more to reveal this lost world of German knightly martial arts to a modern audience than Christian Tobler. Lance, Spear, Sword and Messer is a rich collection of Tobler's work, containing extensive material on topics as diverse as the two-handed sword, spear, poleaxe, wrestling, and the use of long shields, combined with thought-provoking analysis and historical commentary that will occupy the mind-and challenge the preconceptions-of students and historians of medieval German martial arts. In addition, the martial career-in arms and in the literature of arms-of Emperor Maximilian I, often called "the Last Knight," who was himself a devoted student of the tradition, serves as a capstone of this collection. Maximilian's literary output, including a planned but unwritten fight book, was a similar capstone in his own lifetime at the waning of the Middle Ages and start of the Northern Renaissance.…

Paperback. Condizione: New. "Young knight learn to love God and revere women so that your honour grows. Practice knighthood and learn the Art that dignifies you, and brings you honour in wars. Wrestle well and wield lance, spear, sword and dagger manfully, whose use in others' hands is wasted. Strike bravely and hard there!" With these words, the 14th-century Master-at-Arms Johannes Liechtenauer begins his instructions into the knightly art of arms, a robust martial art whose other masters would expand upon over the course of the 15th century to cover the entire panoply of medieval arms: swords, shields, polearms, daggers, wrestling and mounted combat.Christian Henry Tobler here presents a detailed exploration of armoured combat with sword, dagger, spear and axe. Filled with techniques, drills, explanation of armour and its component parts, and an overview of the various sources and their authors, the pages are illustrated with photographs, mainly in colour, of beautiful replica armours of the 14th and 15th centuries.Nothing more symbolizes the medieval knight than his harness of plate armour, and armoured combat with all of these tools, or with none at all, played an important role in the tradition. It is also the driving passion of Christian Henry Tobler, author of the seminal Fighting with the German Longsword. This new book is a true first-of-its-kind primer of medieval armoured combat, and a love song to the Knightly Art whose spirit has infused the author's own for most of his life. …

Paperback. Condizione: New. "Young knight learn to love God and revere women so that your honour grows. Practice knighthood and learn the Art that dignifies you, and brings you honour in wars. Wrestle well and wield lance, spear, sword and dagger manfully, whose use in others' hands is wasted. Strike bravely and hard there!" With these words, the 14th-century Master-at-Arms Johannes Liechtenauer begins his instructions into the knightly art of arms, a robust martial art whose other masters would expand upon over the course of the 15th century to cover the entire panoply of medieval arms: swords, shields, polearms, daggers, wrestling and mounted combat.Christian Henry Tobler here presents a detailed exploration of armoured combat with sword, dagger, spear and axe. Filled with techniques, drills, explanation of armour and its component parts, and an overview of the various sources and their authors, the pages are illustrated with photographs, mainly in colour, of beautiful replica armours of the 14th and 15th centuries.Nothing more symbolizes the medieval knight than his harness of plate armour, and armoured combat with all of these tools, or with none at all, played an important role in the tradition. It is also the driving passion of Christian Henry Tobler, author of the seminal Fighting with the German Longsword. This new book is a true first-of-its-kind primer of medieval armoured combat, and a love song to the Knightly Art whose spirit has infused the author's own for most of his life. …

Paperback. Condizione: New. Christian Tobler makes a deep dive into the fighting traditions of the late 14th and early 15th centuries, particularly as recorded by Johannes Liechtenauer (1300-1389). It was a time of plague, of the Hundred Years War, of the Peasants' Revolt, but also a time when the origins of the European Renaissance were formed. In the later years of this turbulent time a shadowy figure named Johannes Liechtenauer systematized lessons for swordsmanship, wrestling, armoured and mounted combat. Recorded in cryptic, rhyming verses, it fell to masters of the 15th and 16th century to record, clarify and expand the grandmaster's instructions in an extensive body of fencing manuals. As the world of the knight receded into history, these texts - many extensively and beautifully illustrated - were forgotten by all but German-language antiquarians and fencing historians until the last decade of the 20th century, when they were rediscovered by a new audience of martial artists and historians. No author has done more to reveal this lost world of German knightly martial arts to a modern audience than Christian Tobler. Lance, Spear, Sword and Messer is a rich collection of Tobler's work, containing extensive material on topics as diverse as the two-handed sword, spear, poleaxe, wrestling, and the use of long shields, combined with thought-provoking analysis and historical commentary that will occupy the mind-and challenge the preconceptions-of students and historians of medieval German martial arts. In addition, the martial career-in arms and in the literature of arms-of Emperor Maximilian I, often called "the Last Knight," who was himself a devoted student of the tradition, serves as a capstone of this collection. Maximilian's literary output, including a planned but unwritten fight book, was a similar capstone in his own lifetime at the waning of the Middle Ages and start of the Northern Renaissance.…

Paperback. Condizione: New. Recorded over six centuries ago, the teachings of the 14th-century Master-at-Arms Johannes Liechtenauer have been given new life by a world-wide community of modern swordsmen and women, fascinated by the elegance, efficiency and depth of his unique martial art. Christian Henry Tobler was one of the pioneers in reviving the medieval Master's art, creating the first, published syllabus for training with the two-handed longsword back in 2004. This fully rewritten, revised and expanded edition brings to bear a decade of refinement, creating a definitive, "how to" guide for students. Beginning with a short historical overview of the art, Mr. Tobler teaches stance, footwork, methods for gripping the sword, and step-by-step instructions for executing the core techniques of the Liechtenauer tradition. Additional chapters introduce students to wrestling, spear and armoured combat; demonstrating the art's depth and breadth. Heavily photo-illustrated, the book also makes use of decision-trees and training drills to aid in learning. Used as a complete, self-contained course, or a primer for studying the original medieval works themselves, this unique book will be invaluable to martial artists, reenactors, medieval historians, or anyone who has ever wondered "how did knights fight?".…

Paperback. Condizione: New. The term 'medieval martial arts' conjures images of armoured knights wielding sword, lance and axe. While the image is correct, at the foundation of knightly combat was a sophisticated form of close quarter combat, centred on fighting with - and against - the dagger, a deadly weapon of both self-defense and last resort.In Mastering the Art of Arms, Volume One: The Medieval Dagger, Guy Windsor presents a complete guide to the principles and practice of Italian dagger combat, as set down in Il Fior di Battaglia a manuscript written in 1410. Readers are guided step-by-step through the process of mastering this six hundred year old art, from choosing a dagger to striking with it; from guard positions to steps and turns; from disarms to locks and takedowns; from safe falling practice to formal drills, and finally pressure testing their skills with sparring.Both a primer on the art and a methodology for on-going training, this book will give the complete novice a solid starting point, while providing useful drills and ideas for advanced martial artists. Those who study other traditional knife arts, and modern military combatives, will find many familiar techniques present in this ancient system.…