Historical European Martial Arts: Encyclopedia II - Historical European Martial Arts - 1400 - 1500 A.D.

Historical European Martial Arts - 1400 - 1500 A.D.

Normally, several modes of combat were taught alongside one another, typically unarmed grappling (Kampfringen or abrazare), dagger (Degen or daga), long knife (Messer) or Dussack, half- or quarterstaff, pole arms, longsword (langes Schwert, spada longa, spadone), and combat in plate armour (Harnischfechten or armazare), both on foot and on horseback. The long sword had a position of honour among these disciplines, and sometimes Historical European Swordsmanship (HES) is used to refer to swordsmanship techniques specifically.

Some Fechtbücher have sections on dueling shields (Stechschild), special weapons used only in judicial duels.

Important 15th century fencing masters include Sigmund Ringeck, Peter von Danzig, Hans Talhoffer and Paulus Kal, all of whom taught the teachings of Liechtenhauer. From the late 15th century, there were "brotherhoods" of fencers (Fechtbruderschaften), most notably the Marx brothers (attested 1474) and the Federfechter.

The majority of such masters wrote in German.

The earliest master to write in the Italian was Fiore dei Liberi, commissioned by the Marquis di Ferrara. In approximately 1410, he documented comprehensive fighting techniques in a treatise entitled Flos Duellatorum covering grappling, dagger, arming sword, longsword, pole-weapons, armoured combat and mounted combat. After Fiore, his successors in the southern Holy Roman Empire formed what some consider a semi-independent school of swordsmanship from that of the north.

An early French treatise is Le jeu de la hache of ca. 1400. Only two 15th century English treatises are known, they are rather obscure and probably also dependent on the German school.

• Fiore dei Liberi Flos Duellatorum 1409 (Italian)

• Sigmund Ringeck 1440 (German)

• Hans Talhoffer 1443 (German)

• Fillipo Vadi 1482-1487 (Italian)

• Pietro Monte 1492 (Latin with Italian and Spanish terms)

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "1400 - 1500 A.D.", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki