Historical European Martial Arts
|
|
Cod_Wallerstein_10.jpg
Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) are reconstructed fighting techniques of the european Middle Ages and Renaissance. In the 15th and 16th centuries, German fighting techniques were recorded in Fechtbücher ('combat manuals', singular Fechtbuch), of which some 55 are extant. Also influential were works that were documented by the Italian and French masters.
| Contents |
Late Medieval
Normally, several modes of combat were taught alongside one another, typically unarmed grappling (Ringen or abrazare), dagger (Degen or daga), long knife (Messer) or dussack, half- or quarterstaff, pole arms, long sword (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 judicial duels, where the accused and the accuser had to fight to the death with heavy spiked shields (Stechschild).
The central figure of late medieval German martial arts is Johannes Liechtenauer, first recorded in the late 14th century MS 3227a Writen by Hanko Döbringer. Important 15th century fencing masters include Sigmund Ringeck, Peter von Danzig, Hans Talhoffer and Paulus Kal. From the late 15th century, there were "brotherhoods" of fencers (Fechtbruderschaften), most notably the Marx brothers (attested 1474) and the Federfechter. In the 16th century, compendia of older Fechtbücher were produced, some of them printed, notably by Paulus Hector Mair (in the 1540s) and by Joachim Meyer (in the 1570s).
In addition, the earliest Italian figure was Fiore dei Liberi, commissioned by the Marquis di Ferrara, documented comprehensive fighting techniques in a treatise in approximately 1410 entitled Flos Duellatorum covering grappling, dagger, arming sword, longsword, pole-weapons, armoured combat and mounted combat. 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 dependent on the German school.
Renaissance
In the 15th century German fencing had become almost entirely sportive, the treatises of Paulus Hector Mair and Joachim Meyer summarizing the teachings of the earlier centuries.
The Italian school is continued by masters such as Fillipo Vadi, Antonio Manciolino, Achille Marozzo.
Footnote:
It is important to note that while Joachim Meyer's treatise depicts students in a school, many of the strikes he discusses and illustrates are from the earlier German tradition, such as the five Meisterhau. For this reason, some scholars believe that Meyer's techniques are not actually sportive, but rather a continuation of the martial techniques passed down from master Liechtenauer.
Early Modern schools
A Spanish school of rapier fencing emerges in the 17th century, besides an English school of fencing with the smallsword and the backsword beginning with George Silver's treatise of 1599. Early modern Italian masters include Ridolfo Capo Ferro and Francesco Alfieri. The German school by this time had died out, after a late treatise by Jacob Sutor (1612), the long sword having been completely replaced by the rapier and the sabre.
A famous Victorian era master was Alfred Hutton.
See also
External links
- The Association for Renaissance Martial Arts (http://www.thearma.org/)
- The Academy of European Swordsmanship (http://www.the-aes.org/)
- Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts (http://www.aemma.org/), located in Toronto, Canada
- Historical European Martial Arts Coalition (http://hemac.org/)
- British Federation of Historical Swordplay (http://www.bfhs.co.uk/)
- A Chronological History of the Martial Arts and Combative Sports 1350–1699 (http://www.ejmas.com/kronos/NewHist1350-1699.htm) by Joseph R. Svinth
- swordforum.com (http://forums.swordforum.com/forumdisplay.php?forumid=15)