HACA presents one of the most complete lists of the historical European fighting manuals below. A few other rare manuscripts and newly discovered works have yet to be made publicly available. Only a dozen or so of these are currently available in hard copy or microfiche, and most are untranslated from their native language. A few of these can be obtained from sources on the Internet (along with widely varying editorial comments), or in abridged formats within some of the published titles listed later here. More works are becoming distributed as scholars and students of the sword share resources. This list purposely excludes many works after 1670 on small-swords, other blade forms (sabers, etc.) and classical / sport fencing. It also does not lists works for which only a title or author is cited in references but for which no actual copy is currently available . The more significant works below are indicated by an asterisk. Those of which the major part is also readily available in English are denoted by two asterisks. *Tower Fectbuch I.33 - Anonymous 13th century German "Sword and Buckler " manuscript, Tower of London, MNS in Royal library Museum, British Museum No. 14 E iii, No. 20, D. vi. A rare and apparently not available medieval German manuscript on the use of the sword and buckler (currently the earliest known European work, now being translated by several sources). A new edition is forthcoming from the Royal Armouries, UK. Del Serpente (Italy) - Milan 1295, "On the Art of Fencing" (this alleged work is quite possibly the earliest known European work) ....still being sought out.*Johannes Liechtenauer / Hanko Doebringer- German fechtbuch of 1389 on sword use (portions only, most reportedly now lost and nonexistent) Tarcirotti - Milan, 1400.*Fiore dei Liberi (Italy) - 1410, Flos Duellatorium in Armis (long/great-sword). Leading master of the Bolognese school of fighting, primary source today for Italian long-sword. Studied under German masters and his method strongly reflects their style. Text also includes dagger fighting & wrestling. A very nice new modern Italian edition has recently been produced and two versions are becoming available from the Royal Armouries, UK. Boris Ferres - Milan, 1428.*Sigmund Ringneck - fectbuch from 1440's. * Hans Talhoffer - German fechtbuch of 1443 (plus version of 1459 and 1467), swords & other weapons, also includes some Liechtenauer (and Austrian wrestling of Otto the Jew). Actually consists of various editions from the 16th & 17th centuries. A very nice new modern German edition has recently been published. Click here for English translation of 1467 fechtbuch. "Le Jeu de la Hache" - ("Axe Play") - An anonymous 15th century work on the use of the medieval pole-axe, recently translated by Prof. Sydney Anglo. *Peter Von Danzig - fectbuch from 1452. *Jud Lew - fectbuch from c. 1455. Paulus Kal - fechtbuch of c.1460. Kal was a fencing master in the service of a Bavarian duke between 1450 and 1460. Diego de Valera (Spain) - Espejo de verdadera nobleza (Mirror of true nobility), late 1400s. A treatise on the proper conduct of nobles, including parts on knighthood A complete edition can be found in Prosistas castellanos del siglo XV, Madrid, 1959. Filippo Vadi (Fillipe Vadi) -1482-87 (Italy) De Arte Gladiatoria Dimicandi (long-sword / great-sword), Padua. A master from the town of Pisa who served noblemen. His treatise is in 2 parts, one text and one mainly pictures with explaining lines (not all very understandable). Vadi teaches fencing is a science, not an art and offers something of the ethics of a Master at the time and that a Master only needs teach to knights and noblemen, since they have the role of protecting widows and orphans and weak people, etc. The weapons covered are mostly great-sword/long-sword, dagger (including unarmed defense against the dagger), and short pike. For the sword he writes of cuts and the thrust plus footwork, specific techniques. The guards he uses often have the same names of the guards of Fiore dei Liberi, but interestingly the position for the same name not always identical. Obviously many guard names passed from various schools and masters with modifications in name and/or position. Johannes Leckuechner - fectbuch from c. 1482. Peter Falkner - fectbuch from 1490. H. von Speyer - fectbuch from 1491. Pietro Monte - 1509 (Italy) Exercitiorum atque artis militaris collectanea (on swordsmanship and other weapons). A master of the well-established Bolognese school tradition [also named Monti or Moncio].*Albrecht Dürer - German artwork of 1512 (long/great-sword) ---IF KNOW WHERE TO OBTAIN GOOD COPIES PLEASE CONTACT HACA Andre Pauernfeindt - fectbuch (Ergrundung ritterlicherkunst der fecterey) from 1516*Gregor Erhart - German, early 1500's, work on long-sword, falchion, spear, dagger. Reportedly lost. *Hans Lebkommer - ("Hans Lechkuchner") German fectbuch of 1530, "Der Alten Fecter an fengliche Kunst" (sword, falchion & other weapons) Said to actually be the work of a "Christian Von Egenolff" ("Charles Studer Das Solothurner Fechtbuch", 1558) and to include materials from one "Andre Pauerfeindts fechtbuch of 1516 and one "Sigmund Ringeck's fechtbuch of c. 1440. Consists of various editions from the 16th & 17th centuries. ---IF KNOW WHERE TO OBTAIN GOOD COPIES PLEASE CONTACT HACA Joerg Wilhalm - fectbuch from 1522. Di Antonio Manciolino - (Italy) 1531, "Opera Nova ?" (cut & thrust sword) ---IF KNOW WHERE TO OBTAIN GOOD COPIES PLEASE CONTACT HACA Guido Antonio di Lucca – (Italy) 1532, Bologna, Opera de Scherma*Achille Marozzo (Italy) - manuals on fence, Opera Nova (1536), Il Duello (1550). One of the first to focus on use of the thrust over the cut, considered by many an "early rapier" manual despite his use of a clearly cutting and thrusting blade. Considered of the more significant masters. ---IF KNOW WHERE TO OBTAIN A QUALITY COPY PLEASE CONTACT HACA Francesco Altoni (Italy) - 1550, manual on fence (rapier) Paulus Hector Mair (Germany) c. 1550. - an official from the city of Augsburg who compiled 3 large manuals on a great variety of swords and weapon use.Christian Egenolph - 1553/58. **George Silver (England) - 1598 & 1605 Paradoxes of Defense and Brief Instructions... (cut & thrust sword) *Camillo Agrippa (Italy) - 1553, His Treatise on the Science of Arms With a Philos. Dialogue (cut & thrust sword/rapier). Another of the first to focus on use of the thrust over the cut. One of the earliest rapier manuals yet still includes several cutting techniques. Considered another one of the more significant Italian masters. Click here for illustrations from Agrippa.---IF KNOW WHERE TO OBTAIN A QUALITY COPY PLEASE CONTACT HACA J. Descors - 1568 manual on fence*Jeronimo De Carranza (Spanish) -1569, "De La Philosophia de las Armas" (rapier) ---IF YOU HAVE A COMPLETE ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THIS OR KNOW WHERE TO OBTAIN IT PLEASE CONTACT HACA! **Giacomo Di Grassi (Italy) - 1570 (English version 1594) His True Arte of Defense (rapier). Click here for online text. *Joachim Meyer (German) - 1570, Kunst der fechtens (long sword, dussack and messer, rapier, hastate weapons, the staff and wrestling). Giovanni Dell'Agochie (Italy) - 1572, "Dell 'arte de Scrimia" (rapier)**Henry de Sainct Didier (French) - 1573, (rapier) *Angelo Vigianni (Italy) - 1575, Lo Schermo ("The Shield") (rapier) Camillo Palladini - (Italy) late 1500's, "Discorso sopra l'arte della scherma". (rapier) Giovanni Antonio Lovino - (Italy) - 1580, Traite d Escrime (rapier). Click here for online text. Alfonso Fallopia (Italy) - 1584 manual on rapier*Vincentio Saviolo (Italy) - 1595, "His Practice in Two Books" (rapier) One of the more influential (and now today popular) of the true rapier manuals. Click here for online text. *D. L. P. de Narvaez (Spain) -1599, "Libro de las Grandezas de la Espada" (rapier) Marco Docciolini (Italy) - 1601, Trattato in materia di scherma (rapier)*Nicoletto Giganti (Italy) - 1606, Scola overo Teatro (rapier) *Salvator Fabris (Italy) - 1606, Sienz e Practica d Arme (rapier) ------IF KNOW WHERE TO OBTAIN A QUALITY COPY PLEASE CONTACT HACA *Hieronime Calvacabo (Spain) - 1609, Traite... ...des arms *Ridolfo Capo Ferro (Italy) - 1610, Gran simulacro... (rapier, also same as da Cagli). Considered the great Italian master of the rapier and father of modern fencing. *Jacob Sutor (German) - 1612, New Kunstlitches Fectbuch (rapier) ---IF YOU HAVE A COPY OF THIS IN ENGLISH OR KNOW WHERE TO OBTAIN IT PLEASE CONTACT HACA! G. Hale - (England) 1614', The Private Schoole of Defence. An extremely interesting book. It is highly critical of masters of Defence and Italian duellists. It contains interesting theories and terms but little in the way of actual methods. For example he advocates that offensive lunges (which he terms stucks) should only be initiated upon the disorder of your opponent. He discusses long rapier and dagger and short rapier and dagger. He mentions three offences: 1) Disorder Lunge. 2) Disorder Passage. 3) Binding Passage.**Joseph Swetnam (England) - 1617, Schoole of the Noble and Worthy Science of Defence (rapier, cut & thrust sword, staff). Click here for online text. *Joachim Koppen (German) - 1619, Newer Diskurs...Kunst des Fechtens (rapier) *"Mars, His Field" - 1625, another Tower of London holding, an English version of a Dutch work on drilling soldiers. ---IF KNOW WHERE TO OBTAIN A QUALITY COPY PLEASE CONTACT HACA *Girard Thibault (France) - 1630, Academie De L'Espee (rapier). A translation -- The Academy of the Sword: A Renaissance Handbook of Hermetic Swordsmanship. Part One: Philosophy and Practice -- is available from Fir Mountain Press (P.O. Box 95674, Seattle, Washington 98145) for $ 11.95 + $ 1.50 postage & handling ($2.00 Canada, $3.00 overseas). It is translated by John Michael Greer. Jean Baptise la Perche du Coudray - (France) 1635, L Exercise des armes... (rapier)**G.A. (England) - 1639, Pallas Armata. The Gentleman's Armory (or "The Armory of Pallas Athena") (rapier and cut & thrust sword). Aylward speculates that the author was Gideon Ashwell The book copies illustrations from Fabris, but Aylward suspects G.A.'s teacher to have been French or at least trained in France. *Francesco Alfieri (Italy) - 1640/1653, La Sherma (rapier) La Spadone (longsword) La Picca (pike) ------IF KNOW WHERE TO OBTAIN A QUALITY COPY PLEASE CONTACT HACA Alessandro Senesio - 1660, Il Vero Maneggio di Spada (rapier) ------IF KNOW WHERE TO OBTAIN A QUALITY COPY PLEASE CONTACT HACA Besnard -1663, Le Maistre d'Arms Liberal (rapier) Pallavicini, Giuseppe Moriscato (Italy) - 1670, La Scherma Illustrata (rapier) Theodore Verolini - work from 1679 dervived from Joachim Meyer's with other material. Hope, William The Scots fencing-master. 1687. Edinburgh: John Reid. And The Compleat Fencing-Master - Hope, W. 1692. 2nd edition. London: Dorman Newman. Plus other works in 1691 & 1714. Click here for online text. Zachary Wylde - 1711, "The English Master of Defence". Later English basket-hilt broadsword, plus quarterstaff and wrestling.----- Sir John Smythe (England) - 1590, Certain Discourses. Manual on military drill and practice.---IF YOU HAVE A COMPLETE COPY OF THIS OR KNOW WHERE TO GET ONE PLEASE CONTACT HACA! Henry Hexham - 1637 Principle of the Art Militairie. This book explains the duties of various ranks, origins of military titles etc. It contains 32 plates of Pike drill, 48 plates of musket drill, 55 plates of battle-formations/drill. A list of ransom figures pertinent to status of prisoners and rules governing procedure in same. A list of military laws. Also covers Ordinances and Mines. -- IF YOU HAVE A COPY OF THIS IN ENGLISH OR KNOW WHERE TO OBTAIN IT PLEASE CONTACT HACA! Sir Thomas Kellie - 1627, Pallas Armata, or militarie instructions. Note: There are many more Spanish works on fence, or "verdadera destreza" (the true dexterity) that are still un-cataloged and untranslated or at least very rare to locate (including several by the master Carranza). One source is the rare "Bibliografia de la Esgrima Espanola" catalog by Leguina y Vida from circa 1902. Historical Works on Renaissance Dueling and Honor and War Paris de Puteo - 1521, "Duello" Baldassare Castiglione - 1528, "The Courtier" Girolamo Muzio - 1550, "Il Duello" Sir R. William - 1590, "A Brief Discourse of Warre" W. Giarard - 1591, "The Art of Warre" Bertrand de Longue - 1591, "Discourses of Warre and Single Combat" Sir William Segar - 1599, "The Book of Honor and Armes" Lodowick Bryskett 1606, "A Discourse on Civil Life" Marc de la Berdoudiere - 1608, "Combat de seul e seul" Vital d Audiguler -1617, "Le vray et ancien usage des duels" John Selden - 1610, "The Duel, or Single Combat" |
There are no sources like the material of the original Masters in
their own words. Anyone who asserts that there are no Medieval fighting manuals or that
there are no real sources for historical Western martial-arts is entirely ignorant. There
were more than one hundred works published BEFORE 1620 and almost as many afterward. There
are at least half-a-dozen other significant German works remaining on great-swords,
two-handers, and long-swords that have yet to be fully analyzed. A number of recently
recovered works on German and English great-sword and two-handed sword have come to light
but it will be some time before they become available.