Forerunners of the Fechtschule Pt I : Antiquity
“An average, foundational knowledge of the past helps us understand the 14th-16th c. Fechtschulen...
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On The Five Words and Withdrawal
Mark, this is that before all things you shall rightly undertake and understand these two things,...
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Glossary of Late Medieval Terminology (15th Century Baltic)
Over the years I have spent researching Late Medieval Central Europe, I ran across many unfamiliar...
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Brief notes on fencing, from the military treatise of Giovanni Alberto Cassani (1603)
Giovanni Alberto Cassani published a military treatise in Naples in 1603.1 In this work he...
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Johann Georg Paschen’s Rapier Lessons: Developing a curriculum for teaching rapier fencing
This article will present an analysis of Johann Georg Paschen’s (1628-1678) Kurtze iedoch...
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The Dutch Experiment – De Hollandsche Methode, Christiaan Siebenhaar, and fencing in the Netherlands in the 19th Century
In the mid-19th century, not that long after the Belgian war of independence, an experiment was...
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Riddled in Ink – A Stylistic Comparison of Artwork in MS M.383 and the Novati Facsimile
Proposition This article proposes that Francesco Novati’s 1902 facsimile reproduction of Flos...
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The Flower of Battle of Master Fiore Friulano de’i Liberi
Last week, in the same spirit of information freedom that inspired Wiktenauer’s creation, I...
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The Recital of the Chivalric Art of Fencing of the Grand Master Johannes Liechtenauer
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.
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Basic Meyer Quarterstaff Techniques 02: Schnappen & Zucken
This video was recorded by the MFFG at the 4th Meyer Symposium in Iowa, USA, 2016 and is yet...
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Basic Meyer Quarterstaff Techniques 01: Ruck & Truck
This video was recorded by the MFFG at the 4th Meyer Symposium in Iowa, USA, 2016. It is a small...
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King and Fool – The Vier Leger of Liechtenauer’s Tradition
King and Fool – The Vier Leger of Liechtenauer’s Tradition and their relationship with...
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Basic Meyer Quarterstaff 02: Long & short edge
This second video in the Basic Meyer Quarterstaff series brings up a few topics: First of all the...
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Basic Meyer Quarterstaff series
For the last seven years I have dedicated myself to the study of Joachim Meyer’s...
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The Last Duel, Part 2: Death by Sodomy
Part One of this article examined the famous judicial duel between Jean de Carrouges and Jacques...
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What Really Happened at the Last Duel? Part1
According to the website Deadline Hollywood, Studio 8 has hired a screenwriter to turn Eric...
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Florius de Arte Luctandi: Challenges and Discoveries in a Contemporary Latin Translation of Fiore dei Liberi
Florius de Arte Luctandi is formally designated Ms. Latin 11269 by the Bibliothèque nationale de...
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“The Use of Weapons”, René François (1621)
The entry on fencing in René François’ 1621 encyclopedia is a rich source of terminology and...
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Adolphe Corthey: A French 19th Century HEMA Pioneer
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.
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Meyer Pilgrimage Part 2 – Basel
Almost exactly a year ago I was lucky enough to be taken on a small journey that has been a long...
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An overview of the Iberian Montante
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.
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The Ringen of Joachim Meyer
This article shall group Joachim Meyer’s Ringen into collections of similar throws....
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Hack & Slash in the Age of Reason: Italian Rapier Against Multiple Opponents
“Finding yourself assailed by enemies, and supposing there are many of them, the situation demands...
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The use of the saber in the army of Napoleon: Part IV – Wounds caused by the saber
Continuing with his four part series on The use of the saber in the army of Napoleon, Dr....
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The use of the saber in the army of Napoleon: Part III
Continuing with his four part series on The use of the saber in the army of Napoleon, Dr....
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The use of the saber in the army of Napoleon: Part II
Continuing with his series on The use of the saber in the army of Napoleon, Dr. Bert Gevaert now...
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A key to Meyer’s mechanics & footwork – part 1
Here is a rough diagram that tries to explain the core mechanics that go through all of Meyers...
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The use of the saber in the army of Napoleon: Part I
“The sword is the weapon in which you should have most confidence, because it rarely fails you by...
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Chivalry East of the Elbe, Part I
Introduction: So what happened to the Second Estate? Most of my own HEMA-related historical...
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The nature of the work ahead of us
Our personal goals in studying HEMA are varied, complex and individually quite different. For...
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Checkmate! A workshop guide
Back in the end of May this year we had the honor to be invited to the internationally renowned...
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Meyerozzo: The influences of the Bolognese method in German Rappier
There are many reasons why I devote much of my time and my energies on what Joachim Meyer has...
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Introduction to Joachim Meyer’s quarterstaff
Long overdue I’ve finally posted my booklet on the Meyer quarterstaff, a weapon also used to...
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The Onion – Basics of European Longsword: Part 10
For practitioners of German longsword it is fairly commonly known that with some stances and cuts...
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The Onion – Basics of European Longsword: Part 9
This time I will speak rather briefly about stances and the ideas behind them. This does not...
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Fechtordnung of the City of Solothurn
Below are three versions of the Fencing Ordinance of the Swiss town of Solothurn, first the...
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Meyer Pilgrimage Part 1 – Straßburg
We all share the same love for our personal and shared discoveries of a forgotten European martial...
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The Onion – Basics of European Longsword: Part 8
Although not originally planned to be included in this series, I decided to add an article on...
Read MoreMeyer quarterstaff workshop in Florence, Italy
Here’s the workshop on Joachim Meyer’s quarterstaff held by me and my fellow GHFS member Mattias Moberg at the HEMAC Florentia event in March, in Florence, Italy. It has been edited down from a 3 hour workshop into a...
Read MoreTeaching progressions in Meyer’s longsword 1: the attacking skill tree
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...
Read MoreThe Onion – Basics of European Longsword: Part 7
This week we will be taking advantage of one of the greatest benefits from reading somewhat later masters, like Joachim Meyer and George Silver, by looking closer at a subject that most early treatises speak little of;...
Read MoreDamn beautiful sword & buckler fencing
by Roland Warzecha and friends!...
Read MoreJogo do Pau – A living European martial art
Just to remind you of the beauty of one of the few still living European martial arts; Portuguese Jogo do Pau. If you ever get a chance to try it then take it. It is well worth...
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The Onion – Basics of European Longsword: Part 6
Throughout history going all the way back from at least medieval times up until modern military...
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The Onion – Basics of European Longsword: Part 5
This week’s article will be talking about the topic of various ways of counterstriking...
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The Onion – Basics of European Longsword: Part 4
This time we will start moving into somewhat more unexplored and unmapped territory, working with...
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The Onion – Basics of European Longsword: Part 3
Time for part 3 in the Onion Article Series, this time taking a closer look at the parts of the...
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The Onion – Basics of European Longsword: Part 2
Continuing with part 2 in the Onion series of articles we will now focus on the topic of...
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The Onion: Basics of European Longsword: Part 1
For the last year or so I have been working on a group of primarily longsword exercises...
Read MoreJoachim Meyer’s dagger system
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...
Read MoreArming Sword Geometry by Peter Johnsson
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...
Read MoreFlower of Battle
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...
Read MoreDie Vorpal-Klinge!
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...
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Dynamic gripping of swords
Here’s a good clip from John Clements focusing on an often forgotten aspect of...
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Meyer’s masters
On this day, 443 years ago, Fechtmeister Joachim Meyer published his magnificent fencing treatise...
Read MoreFootwork video from Sala delle Armi.
Very nicely produced video on footwork, from La Sala delle...
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The Dussack – a weapon of war
In my opinion the dussack doesn’t quite get the recognition it deserves in the historical...
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The Wreath or the Cash? On Tournament fighting
“Ey fåår Fächtare Krantz förn ändas Manlige Strijden. The Fighter shall not receive the...
Read MoreThe Rose and the Pentagram
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...
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A call to arms!
From at least as far back as the early to mid 1400s, all the way up until about the French...
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Meyer and Marozzo dagger comparison
It has been debated regarding to what extent Meyer was inspired by the Italians, the...
Read MoreNew research project: Meyer’s general advice
This project will collect all of Joachim Meyer’s personal advice on fighting, stripping away all techniques instead focusing on fighting principles, tactics and strategies. Anyone is welcome to join us in this project. The...
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Doing what we are told or what we are taught?
Here’s an old but still always relevant question for us HEMA practitioners to ask ourselves:...
Read MoreThe tools for the job
To understand the body mechanics involved in a technique we not only have to train our bodies so we are strong and agile enough, we also need to use tools that work together with our bodies in the appropriate manner. This may...
Read MoreJoachim Meÿer Halben Stangen techniques
The Guards Here are the main guards of Joachim Meÿer’s Halben Stangen: 1. Oberhut (left) 2. Gerader Versatzung (or Mittelhut) 3. Unterhut 4. Wechselhut (Not really a “main” guard, but a key stance) 5. Oberhut...
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Is there really a Left Vom Tag?
Well there is a right Vom Tag, and a middle one… so there has to be a left Vom Tag as well,...
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How do you do the Vom Tag?
No, it’s not the hottest, new move on the dance floor. It’s just the old High Guard as...
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