Renn & Medieval Sword and Buckler compare/contrast

[Matt_Bruskotter]

I was recently looking through the I.33 manuscript in the Research and Reading section of this site and my question has to do with this bit of text which is not in the manuscript, but I assume an editorial.

"The manual is good source (and among the very few) for how dynamic the Medieval sword & buckler style was, and how it both relates to and contrasts from the later Renaissance form. The Medieval sword & buckler is used in a similar but not identical manner to those often more slender blades of the later Renaissance (which employs wrist cuts, slices, and a wider rang of footwork). The Medieval sword & buckler was a popular means of settling disputes in civilian situations."

I am curious as to some of the major differences this text is talking about between Medieval and Rennaissance sword and buckler. I can visualize the similarities. I assume this to include the medieval arming sword and the rennaissance cut & thrust sword. If it is refering to the rapier and buckler then I already know the immediate differences/similarities.

This could also be asked. Is there any major difference between the rennaissance cut & thrust sword and the medieval arming sword? I haven't really trained with either.

Thanks.

[Jeffrey Hull]

Well, even between the methods of Walpurgis (I.33) and Talhoffer-1467, there are definitely some stylistic and technical differences, even though they are really using just the same shortsword & buckler pairing. You could see those for yourself when you compare the illustrations of those two.

[Allen Johnson]

The sword of the ren. era is a bit smaller and lighter than a medieval single sword. Normally it is also more thrust oriented. This, of course, will alter the approach taken because of the different handling characteristis of the sword as well as the stregnths of each sword.

[Matt_Bruskotter]

Which historical manuals should I read if I am interrested in learning more about the cut and thrust sword? I intend to buy Mr. Clement's other book on Rennaissance Swordsmanship. I've read Silver and such, but he seems more intent on proving his opinion that the cut and thrust is better than the rapier. Would messer fencing be close or would rapier manuals be closer?

[Jake_Norwood]

You'll pick up some neat tricks--especially ringen am schwert--from messer manuals, but it isn't the first place I'd look. Check out Marrozzo and even Agrippa or DiGrassi. Those last two are pretty rapier-centric, but it's an early rapier with a greater emphasis on the cut than what the later chicken-stickers.

Jake