Research articles Archives

Were Poisoned Weapons ever used in Medieval Warfare?

Posted by Jean Chandler | Jan 18, 2023 | Articles, Research, Research articles |

Last summer, a friend asked me a question that I did not know the answer to. A nagging doubt led...

The use of the German battle sword in the late 16th and early 17th century

Posted by Bjorn Ruther | Aug 7, 2021 | Articles, Research articles |

The use of the striking German battle sword as found in many armories through out Germany still poses many unanswered questions. This article provides an overview over contemporary sources and proposes an approach to combine the information gained from those sources to determine possible techniques and principles for this weapon.

Polish and Czech sources on medieval urban violence

Posted by Jean Chandler | Jul 12, 2021 | Articles, Fencing Culture, Research, Research articles |

Note to reader: This document complements an essay published on the blog Martial Culture in...

A historical fencer’s primer on late medieval and early modern magic

Posted by Jean Chandler | Nov 18, 2020 | Articles, Fencing Culture, Research, Research articles |

When you first start reading the medieval fencing manuals, one of the curious things you keep...

A Wonderful Struggle: The 16th Century Art of Civic Combat, Part 2

Posted by Adam Franti | Dec 1, 2019 | Articles, Fencing Culture, Meyer Articles, Research, Research articles |

The procession arrives at the square. Publicans erects their tents and tap their barrels....

Meyer’s Four Types of Fencers: How we conceive of them and ourselves

Posted by James Reilly | Oct 28, 2019 | Articles, Meyer Dagger, Meyer Dusack, Meyer Halben Stangen, Meyer longsword, Meyer Rappier, Research, Research articles |

And the first are those who, as soon as they can reach the opponent in the Onset, at once cut and...

A Wonderful Struggle: The 16th Century Art of Civic Combat, Part 1

Posted by Adam Franti | Oct 19, 2019 | Articles, Fencing Culture, Meyer Articles, Meyer Dagger, Meyer Dusack, Meyer Halben Stangen, Meyer longsword, Meyer Rappier, Research, Research articles |

There is a particular tension at play in the modern Historical European Martial Arts community...

Forerunners of the Fechtschule Pt I : Antiquity

Posted by Christopher VanSlambrouck | Dec 31, 2018 | Articles, Fencing Culture, Reading, Research, Research articles, Study, Study Articles |

“An average, foundational knowledge of the past helps us understand the 14th-16th c. Fechtschulen...

On The Five Words and Withdrawal

Posted by James Reilly | Aug 12, 2018 | Articles, Meyer Articles, Meyer Dagger, Meyer Dusack, Meyer Halben Stangen, Meyer longsword, Meyer Rappier, Research, Research articles, Study, Study Articles, Techniques & interpretation |

Mark, this is that before all things you shall rightly undertake and understand these two things,...

On fencing societies and charity in the 19th century

Posted by Roger Norling | Jul 31, 2018 | Articles, Fencing Culture, Research, Research articles |

At least as early as in the early 17th cent, fencing masters swore to care in particular for...

Glossary of Late Medieval Terminology (15th Century Baltic)

Posted by Jean Chandler | Jun 3, 2018 | Articles, Reading, Research, Research articles, Study, Study Articles |

Over the years I have spent researching Late Medieval Central Europe, I ran across many unfamiliar...

The South Italian Longsword of Marc’Antonio Pagano (1553)

Posted by Piermarco Terminiello | Mar 23, 2018 | Articles, Fencing Culture, Research, Research articles |

This article translates and contextualises the longsword bout detailed in Le tre giornate di...

Brief notes on fencing, from the military treatise of Giovanni Alberto Cassani (1603)

Posted by Piermarco Terminiello | Dec 23, 2017 | Research articles, Study Articles, Teaching & training methods, Techniques & interpretation |

Giovanni Alberto Cassani published a military treatise in Naples in 1603.1 In this work he...

Concerning the Reliability of the Waggle Test

Posted by Robert Geißler | Mar 10, 2017 | Arms & Armour, Articles, Research, Research articles |

Dynamic parameters define a rigid body’s reaction to external forces. While their importance for a sword’s behaviour is known since the 19th century, many data sets of original swords, replicas and training weapons include mass and the centre of mass, but lack a third parameter such as moment of inertia, radius of gyration, or corresponding centres of oscillation/percussion. A third parameter, however, is required to calculate a rigid object’s response.

The Dutch Experiment – De Hollandsche Methode, Christiaan Siebenhaar, and fencing in the Netherlands in the 19th Century

Posted by Reinier van Noort | Feb 4, 2017 | Articles, Fencing Culture, Research articles, Study Articles |

In the mid-19th century, not that long after the Belgian war of independence, an experiment was...

Riddled in Ink – A Stylistic Comparison of Artwork in MS M.383 and the Novati Facsimile

Posted by Jay Leccese | Oct 24, 2016 | Articles, Research articles, Study Articles, Techniques & interpretation |

Proposition This article proposes that Francesco Novati’s 1902 facsimile reproduction of Flos...

The Flower of Battle of Master Fiore Friulano de’i Liberi

Posted by Michael Chidester | Aug 18, 2016 | Articles, Research articles, Study Articles, Techniques & interpretation |

Last week, in the same spirit of information freedom that inspired Wiktenauer’s creation, I...

The Recital of the Chivalric Art of Fencing of the Grand Master Johannes Liechtenauer

Posted by Michael Chidester | Aug 11, 2016 | Articles, Research articles, Study Articles, Teaching & training methods, Techniques & interpretation |

Though long delayed, this book represents the most complete picture possible of the Liechtenauer tradition of foot combat as it was recorded in the mid 15th century. It’s the text I wanted for my students when I was leading a study group, and I’m happy to finally offer it in print. I hope it serves in some small way to advance the study of Johannes Liechtenauer’s art.

King and Fool – The Vier Leger of Liechtenauer’s Tradition

Posted by Jess Finley | Apr 15, 2016 | Articles, Reading, Research articles, Study, Study Articles |

King and Fool – The Vier Leger of Liechtenauer’s Tradition and their relationship with...

The Last Duel, Part 2: Death by Sodomy

Posted by Ariella Elema | Mar 11, 2016 | Articles, Fencing Culture, Research articles, Study Articles |

Part One of this article examined the famous judicial duel between Jean de Carrouges and Jacques...

What Really Happened at the Last Duel? Part1

Posted by Ariella Elema | Mar 4, 2016 | Fencing Culture, Research articles, Study Articles |

According to the website Deadline Hollywood, Studio 8 has hired a screenwriter to turn Eric...

Florius de Arte Luctandi: Challenges and Discoveries in a Contemporary Latin Translation of Fiore dei Liberi

Posted by Kendra Brown | Jan 2, 2016 | Articles, Research articles, Study Articles, Techniques & interpretation |

Florius de Arte Luctandi is formally designated Ms. Latin 11269 by the Bibliothèque nationale de...

“The Use of Weapons”, René François (1621)

Posted by Chris Slee | Oct 23, 2015 | Articles, Fencing Culture, Research articles, Study Articles |

The entry on fencing in René François’ 1621 encyclopedia is a rich source of terminology and...

Adolphe Corthey: A French 19th Century HEMA Pioneer

Posted by Chris Slee | Oct 9, 2015 | Articles, Fencing Culture, Research articles, Study Articles |

In the introduction to “The Sword and the Centuries” (1901), Alfred Hutton mentions a curious incident. His fencing group in the London Rifle Brigade were invited to Belgium to put on a display of historical fencing. What can we discover about this Belgian event? What follows is an overview some literary detective work that reveals Adolphe Corthey, a man in every way Hutton’s equal and the powerhouse behind late nineteenth century HEMA in France.

Meyer Pilgrimage Part 2 – Basel

Posted by Roger Norling | Aug 5, 2015 | Articles, Fencing Culture, Meyer Articles, Meyer Dagger, Meyer Dusack, Meyer Halben Stangen, Meyer longsword, Meyer Rappier, Research articles, Study Articles |

Almost exactly a year ago I was lucky enough to be taken on a small journey that has been a long...

An overview of the Iberian Montante

Posted by Ton Puey | Jul 31, 2015 | Articles, Research articles, Study Articles |

This article gathers a series of notes written while studying the sources on the Iberian montante sword of the late XV century and following centuries. The extant sources are listed and analysed. Different approaches to teaching this weapon’s handling are described, stressing those who can provide a context for its use.

The Ringen of Joachim Meyer

Posted by Keith Cotter-Reilly | Jun 26, 2015 | Articles, Meyer Articles, Meyer Dagger, Meyer Dusack, Meyer Halben Stangen, Meyer longsword, Meyer Rappier, Research articles, Study Articles, Techniques & interpretation |

This article shall group Joachim Meyer’s Ringen into collections of similar throws....

Hack & Slash in the Age of Reason: Italian Rapier Against Multiple Opponents

Posted by Piermarco Terminiello | Jun 19, 2015 | Articles, Research articles, Study Articles, Techniques & interpretation |

“Finding yourself assailed by enemies, and supposing there are many of them, the situation demands...

The use of the saber in the army of Napoleon: Part IV – Wounds caused by the saber

Posted by Bert Gevaert | Jun 12, 2015 | Arms & Armour, Articles, Fencing Culture, Research articles, Study Articles |

Continuing with his four part series on The use of the saber in the army of Napoleon, Dr....

The use of the saber in the army of Napoleon: Part III

Posted by Bert Gevaert | Jun 5, 2015 | Arms & Armour, Articles, Fencing Culture, Research articles, Study Articles |

Continuing with his four part series on The use of the saber in the army of Napoleon, Dr....

The use of the saber in the army of Napoleon: Part II

Posted by Bert Gevaert | May 22, 2015 | Arms & Armour, Articles, Fencing Culture, Research articles, Study Articles |

Continuing with his series on The use of the saber in the army of Napoleon, Dr. Bert Gevaert now...

A key to Meyer’s mechanics & footwork – part 1

Posted by Roger Norling | May 12, 2015 | Articles, Meyer Articles, Meyer Dagger, Meyer Dusack, Meyer Halben Stangen, Meyer longsword, Meyer Rappier, Research articles, Study Articles |

Here is a rough diagram that tries to explain the core mechanics that go through all of Meyers...

The use of the saber in the army of Napoleon: Part I

Posted by Bert Gevaert | May 8, 2015 | Arms & Armour, Articles, Fencing Culture, Research articles, Study Articles |

“The sword is the weapon in which you should have most confidence, because it rarely fails you by...

Chivalry East of the Elbe, Part I

Posted by Jean Chandler | May 2, 2015 | Articles, Fencing Culture, Research articles, Study Articles |

Introduction: So what happened to the Second Estate? Most of my own HEMA-related historical...

The nature of the work ahead of us

Posted by Roger Norling | Feb 10, 2015 | Fencing Culture, Research articles, Study Articles, Techniques & interpretation |

Our personal goals in studying HEMA are varied, complex and individually quite different. For...

Meyerozzo: The influences of the Bolognese method in German Rappier

Posted by Andrea Conti | Jan 10, 2015 | Articles, Fencing Culture, Meyer Articles, Meyer Rappier, Research articles, Study Articles, Techniques & interpretation |

There are many reasons why I devote much of my time and my energies on what Joachim Meyer has...

Fechtordnung of the City of Solothurn

Posted by Jürg Gassmann | Sep 27, 2014 | Articles, Fencing Culture, Research articles, Study Articles |

Below are three versions of the Fencing Ordinance of the Swiss town of Solothurn, first the...

Meyer Pilgrimage Part 1 – Straßburg

Posted by Roger Norling | Aug 1, 2014 | Articles, Fencing Culture, Meyer Articles, Meyer Dagger, Meyer Halben Stangen, Meyer longsword, Meyer Rappier, Research articles, Study Articles |

We all share the same love for our personal and shared discoveries of a forgotten European martial...

Teaching progressions in Meyer’s longsword 1: the attacking skill tree

Posted by James Roberts | Feb 22, 2014 | Articles, Meyer Articles, Meyer longsword, Research articles, Study Articles, Teaching & training methods, Techniques & interpretation |

Over the last five years, I’ve given several workshops in both South Africa and Europe focused on sequencing the teaching of techniques from Joachim Meyer’s “Gründtliche Beschreibung… der Kunst des Fechtens”[i]. In my view, each...

Joachim Meyer’s dagger system

Posted by Roger Norling | May 30, 2013 | Articles, Meyer Articles, Meyer Dagger, Research articles, Study Articles |

Note: This is a working document and will continuously be updated as we work with our interpretations of Joachim Meyer’s dagger teachings. Similarly to how I worked with his staff teachings I will attempt at systemizing...

Arming Sword Geometry by Peter Johnsson

Posted by Roger Norling | May 30, 2013 | Community news, Research articles, Research News, Study Articles, Study News |

Designing a sword of mid 14th century style using a system of geometric drawing that is inspired by surviving plans of medieval gothic architecture. Please visit my site at peterjohnsson.com for more information about this...

Flower of Battle

Posted by Roger Norling | Apr 3, 2013 | Articles, Fencing Culture, Research articles, Study Articles |

Here is an excellent lecture on Fiore Furlano de Liberi, Ludwig von Eyb and more, by Michael Chidester, held at Fechtschule America 2013. Well worth watching, no matter if you focus more on the “Italian” or...

Die Vorpal-Klinge!

Posted by Roger Norling | Apr 1, 2013 | Articles, Fencing Culture, Research articles, Study Articles |

This short movie shows a glimpse of the world of the Collegiate Fencing, the still living child of the Fechtschule tradition. For more reading, look at the excellent article An overview of German collegiate fencing traditions by...

Meyer’s masters

Posted by Roger Norling | Feb 23, 2013 | Articles, Fencing Culture, Meyer Articles, Meyer Halben Stangen, Meyer longsword, Research articles, Study Articles |

On this day, 443 years ago, Fechtmeister Joachim Meyer published his magnificent fencing treatise...

The Dussack – a weapon of war

Posted by Roger Norling | Nov 16, 2012 | Arms & Armour, Articles, Fencing Culture, Research articles, Study Articles |

In my opinion the dussack doesn’t quite get the recognition it deserves in the historical...

The Rose and the Pentagram

Posted by Roger Norling | Jul 17, 2012 | Articles, Fencing Culture, Research articles, Study Articles |

This article is written to accompany the recent article about the mysticist, and possibly even fencer and a Freyfechter, Heinrich Agrippa. If you haven’t read the article, it is suggested you do so, before...