The Codex Wallerstein
A Medieval Fighting Book from the Fifteenth Century on the
Longsword, Falchion, Dagger, and Wrestling
by Grzegorz Zabinski with Bartlomiej Walczak
Paladin Press, 2002. 392 pp. ISBN: 1-158160-339-8. $54.95

The Codex Wallerstein is one of the best known of the late medieval fencing treatises still in existence. Originally written in Middle High German during the late 14th and early 15th centuries, the Codex Wallerstein has long been unavailable to scholars. Now with the publication of this large size book, the text and drawings are available to scholars and martial artists in the original Middle High German, as well as in Modern German and English translations. The codex offers an illustrated series of fundamental counters to common attacks, using the longsword, falchion and dagger, armored and unarmored, as well as the complete system of wrestling techniques. For martial artists, medievalists, historians or anyone with an interest in historical arms or self-defense, Codex Wallerstein is sure to become an invaluable reference. With a special foreword by ARMA Director J. Clements and benefiting form the insights of ARMA Poland Director and researcher, Bart Walczak, this is an invaluable addition for historical fencing studies.

Read a new special updated and expanded version of the Introduction here.

View an exclusive Study Sheet by Bart Walczak for the unarmored longsword of the Codex W. here!