Paulus Hector Mair Thesis

For Historical European Fighting Arts, Weaponry, & Armor

Moderators: Webmaster, Stacy Clifford

Daniel Cristi
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2014 9:53 am
Location: Valdivia, Chile

Paulus Hector Mair Thesis

Postby Daniel Cristi » Thu Mar 20, 2014 6:15 pm

Greetings, everyone:

I am a student in History and Social Sciences in the Universidad Austral de Chile, in Valdivia.

For a long time, I have been a sword enthusiast... and then, suddenly, I found the world of the Historical European Martial Arts. Quickly I become involved in every technique I could find, and tried everything in my reach. There are just so many things to study, to learn, to uncover. And that's why is in this last topic that I would like to ask you for help. If you can...

I'm going to make a thesis. At the beggining, I wanted to make a thesis about the fechtbücher exclusively, but while I was searching for the bibliographical sources, I found a new focus: Paulus Hector Mair, as a rescuer of a pragmatical and noble style that was dissapearing because of the powder (somewhere I could read that he was considered the first medieval recreationist), and the price he had to pay for it: his own life. His life it's fascinating and gives me a great chance to make a deep study. Therefore, and because everything related to HEMA is something of little to zero knowledge in my University, I would love to make a contribution, even if I couldn't reach the HEMA o ARMA standars of investigation.

I want to make a Microhistorical view of PHM and his Opus; involving his time, his decisions, the themes of the book, the weapons, the styles and the sources from which he created it. Michael Chidester wrote the wiktenauer article about him and that was, precisely, my starting point... but I still need more information. I need more solid references, which I lack in my country, Chile. If any of you could have access to any records of his life, or his trial, or his time as a civil servant, or any name of book (I'll buy them if it's necessary) that can help me dig more deeply into his historical rol, I would appreciate it beyond just my words. My focus is primarily in him (it will be from his point of view that I will construct my thesis), and I need anything that can help me.

I haven't search in the forums yet, but I will. I also need to know from you if I can really make this... or if I am only been too pretentious.
I sincerely hope you can aid me in this project.

Have a good day :)

P.S.: I may copy-paste a simmilar message in other forums. So, my apologies if you think this is spam o something fake, which is not.

User avatar
John Farthing
Posts: 179
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2005 4:09 pm
Location: ARMA Middle Tennessee
Contact:

Postby John Farthing » Fri Mar 21, 2014 6:03 pm

I am pleased to hear of your enthusiasm in this undertaking! I hope that I might one day have the opportunity to read your completed work. Mair is indeed a complex and fascinating historical figure and such a treatment of his life and times would be a welcome and valuable addition to the subject.

With regard to your inquiry into books to read concerning Mair specifically, you might find the following useful:

• The Polearms of Paulus Hector Mair by David James Knight & Brian Hunt http://paladinpress.com/product/886/47

• Masters of Medieval and Renaissance Martial Arts, John Clements, et. al. (While not exclusively on Mair, this volume does feature a paper which examines Mair's treatment of the threshing flail as a defensive weapon). http://www.thearma.org/member-books/MOMRMA.html

• Kazuhiko Kusudo, P.H. Mair (1515–1579): A Sports Chronicler in Germany (this too is an academic paper presented within a larger volume not entirely focussed upon Mair) http://crrs.ca/publications/es20/

Other volumes which would no doubt provide context within the larger framework, but which do not focus solely or specifically upon Mair, however are HIGHLY recommended are:

• The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe by Dr. Sydney Anglo http://www.thearma.org/spotlight/MAoREpreview.htm

• Schools and Masters of Fencing by Egerton Castle http://books.google.com/books/about/Sch ... pwNNpubekC

Best of luck to you in this endeavour, I hope you find the above useful.
-John Farthing, Free Scholar
ARMA Deputy Director


Return to “Research and Training Discussion”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests

 
 

Note: ARMA - The Association for Renaissance Martial Arts and the ARMA logo are federally registered trademarks, copyright 2001. All rights reserved. No use of the ARMA name or emblem is permitted without authorization. Reproduction of material from this site without written permission of the authors is strictly prohibited. HACA and The Historical Armed Combat Association copyright 1999 by John Clements. All rights reserved. Contents of this site 1999 by ARMA.