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Top Recommendations / Medieval / Renaissance / 18th & 19th Century / Non-English / Videos
| The Top Most Strongly Recommended Medieval Titles |
| "The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe" Sydney Anglo. Yale University Press, New Haven and London, August 2000. ISBN 0 300 083352. The most important work on historical fencing and European martial arts in more than 100 years. Surely the major reference work on the history of Medieval & Renaissance fencing for our generation. |
| "Medieval Swordsmanship: Illustrated Methods and Techniques"
By John Clements (Paladin Press, ISBN # 1-58160-004-6, Nov ’98) This work by the HACA Director, offers a comprehensive look at medieval blades as fighting weapons and distills the essential fighting elements from such Medieval. The most thorough attempt ever to examine Medieval swords from the point of view of their historical function and use. Over 300 pages of information on the tools and martial skills of medieval warriors this work approaches Medieval swordsmanship as a legitimate martial art form. |
| "Arms and Armor of the Medieval Knight" David Edge and John Miles. Crescent Books, 1988. If you have but one book on the subject this is the one. An unequaled compilation of superb photos and detailed text on the whole range of weapons and armor of the middle ages. Though it lacks some detail on the earlier period and on combat, it is by far the best there is to offer. |
| "Secrets
of German Medieval Swordsmanship - Sigmund
Ringeck's Commentaries on Liechtenauer's Verse." Translated and Interpreted by Christian Henry Tobler. 416pp, hardcover + dustjacket, includes more than 800 illustrative photographs. Chivalry Bookshelf. February, 2002. A must have reference and interpretation on one of the most important masters. An excellent and beautifully rendered reference compilation. |
“Codex Wallerstein - A Medieval
Fighting Book from the Fifteenth Century on the |
| "Medieval Combat: A 15th Century Manual of
Swordfighting and Close-Quarter Combat" Hans Talhoffer. Translated by Mark Rector. Greenhill Books/Lionel Leventhal; (September 2000) ISBN: 1853674184. This long-awaited modern English edition of Talhoffer's 15th century Fechtbuch is finally available! Excellent resource! Includes more than 260 of Talhoffer’s famous plates from his edition of 1467. |
| "Swords & Hilt Weapons" Michael D Cole, et. al.. Multimedia Books, 1989. This is by far the best ever general reference work on world swords, with many excellent photos and an informative text. |
| "Medieval Warfare Source Book, Vol. 1 Warfare in
Western Christendom" David Nicolle, London: Arms and Armour Press, 1995. This recent book is among the all times best on the subject with excellent illustrations. Very useful and readable. Includes rare material on Eastern European medieval warfare and on influences from the Middle East (perhaps with too much emphasis). Also contains some material considered debatable. |
| "The Medieval Soldier" This beautiful British book presents a wealth of excellent photographs of historically accurate, 15th century medieval warriors. A must have for serious re-creational enthusiasts. |
| "European Armour circa 1066 to circa 1700" Claude Blair. B.T. Bonanza, 1957 (Batsford, Ltd. London. 1979). A detailed basic guide to armor, technical, and among the best introductory references by the foremost 20th century authority. |
| "European and American Arms c. 1100-1850" Claude Blair. New York. Crown, 1962. Another guide to armor by the foremost 20th century authority. |
| *Ewart Oakeshott's books: Oakeshott is the world's leading authority on the subject of European arms and armor and especially the medieval sword. He has written some of the most informative and entertaining works. Here are several of them: |
| "The Archaeology of Weapons" Ewart Oakeshott. Boydell Press, 1960 (reprint 1994). This work follows up on the previous and offers greater insights and information, particularly on fighting and combat. |
| "The Sword in the Age of Chivalry" Ewart Oakeshott. Boydell Press, 1964 (reprint 1994), this work is a must read for the subject, another great work by the leading scholar of the subject, and though a little too stiff, it contains great detail. |
| "European Weapons and Armour" R. E. Oakeshott, Lutterworth Press, 1980. Boydell reprint 2001. Another of Oakeshott's, this is likely the best book available on arms and armor after the Middle Ages and contain a wealth of information on renaissance armors and sword forms. |
| "Fighting Men" Oakeshott and Henry Treece. New York: G. Putnam's Sons, 1963. Another youth book, this ones deals specifically with methods of combat and reveals a number of interesting points. |
| "Dark Age Warrior" Ewart Oakeshott. Was originally a children's book but you would not know it from the interesting details provided on this often neglected area. Another very good book. |
| "A Knight in Battle" 1971. 2nd Edition, 1998. Dufour Editions, Chester Springs, PA 19425. ISBN 0802313221. A very well written and entertaining description of four major but lesser known medieval battles from 1100 - 1500. |
| "A Knight and His Armor" Dufour Editions, Chester Springs, PA. – NOT REVIEWED |
| "A Knight and His Horse" Dufour Editions, Chester Springs, PA. – NOT REVIEWED |
| "A Knight and His Weapons" Ewart Oakeshott. A very good work which focuses closely on the details and facts of the equipment. Includes some very well written and valuable material. Has a few strange comments which the author later amended in other works (but oddly, not in the recently republished edition of this 1966 work). The same can be said for both the very useful "A Knight and His Armor" 1961, and "A Knight and in Battle" - 1964. |
| "Records of the Medieval Sword" Ewart Oakeshott. Boydell & Brewer. 1981. At a pricey $100, this is the best book on medieval swords ever and contains the best photos available. Represents the culminations of Oakeshott's thoughts on medieval swords, including his notes on dozens of pieces and an appendix on making replica swords. Reprinted in paperback, April 1998. |
| "Swords" Ewart Oakeshott. The Gun Report – magazine articles. Sep ’85 through Jan ’88. Twelve fantastic pieces updating his many books. In many cases these articles were his last published word on these subjects. (Arms & Armour is set to reprint these in book form in 1999). |
| The Top Most Strongly Recommended Renaissance Titles |
| "The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe" Sydney Anglo. Yale University Press, May 2000. 416 pages, ISBN: 0300083521. From the leading scholar of historical fencing manuals. Surely to be the most significant book on the subject produced this century. A major work presenting new material previously unknown as well as precise translations of rare material. |
| "European Weapons and Armour" R. Ewart Oakeshott, Lutterworth Press, 1980. Another of Oakeshott's, this is likely the best book available on arms and armor after the Middle Ages and contains a wealth of information on Renaissance armors and sword forms. |
| "Renaissance Swordsmanship: The Illustrated Use of
Rapiers and Cut and Thrust Swords" John Clements. Paladin Press 1997. This book by a HACA member and founder, published by Paladin (the gun & bomb nuts) is in all honesty the most comprehensive and detailed work on a Western martial art ever attempted. Includes over 100 pages of illustrations to accompany a text which present extensive detail on the handling and use of renaissance swords. It is sure to become a classic. |
| "The English Master at Arms from the Twelfth to the
Twentieth Century" J. D. Aylward. Routledge and K. Paul, 1956. One of the few books which covers the Elizabethan Masters of Defence. An excellent must read full of rare and valuable information. |
| "Schools and Masters of Fence: From the Middle Ages
to the Eighteenth Century" Egerton Castle. London: 1885. A classic, this book (despite being written in the late 1800's and suffering from the prejudices of a sport fencer) presents a tremendous sampling of material from the manuals of the historical renaissance Masters of Defence. |
| "The Art and History of Personal Combat" Arthur Wise. London: Hugh Evelyn Ltd., 1971. This important work is a must read. It presents valuable information from dozens of historical manuals and period sources. Although, it ignores both the Elizabethan cut & thrust style and feudal Japanese sword arts, as well as gives an overly simplistic impression of the medieval period. |
| "Methods and Practice of Elizabethan Swordplay" Craig Turner and Tony Soper, Southern Illinois University Press, 1990. This superb, scholarly work is a modern classic. Although ignoring the cut & thrust method and focusing on theatrical uses, it presents a valuable analysis of three renaissance manuals (Saviolo, Silver, and Di Grassi). This is a must read for historical swordsmen and living history reenactors. |
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