The short video clips on this page show some of the techniques
and weapons forms taught in various combat manuals from the
medieval era and Renaissance. The video was shot for a larger project which is an overview of
combat through the ages.
These techniques are demonstrated by Guild members and
are regularly presented to museum visitors at Higgins Armory Museum.
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Combat techniques for an armored duel, taken from
the Starhemberg treatise of 1452. The duel moves from spear to longsword to grappling and finally to dagger.
QuickTime
Windows Media |
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Unarmored longsword techniques from Joachim Meyer's
Fechtbuch
of 1570.
QuickTime
Windows Media
|
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Techniques for rapier and dagger from Giacomo di Grassi's combat treatise published in
1570. The manual was translated and published in English in 1594 as DiGrassi, His True Arte of Defence.
QuickTime
Windows Media |
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Techniques for the basket-hilted sword from George
Silver's Brief Instructions upon My Paradoxes of Defence, a manuscript
that was never published in his lifetime. The manuscript is thought
to date from around the year 1605.
QuickTime
Windows Media
|
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Techniques for the rapier and dagger taken from
Salvator Fabris' manual, De lo Schermo, overo Scienza d'Arme
(Of Fencing, On the Science of Arms), which was published in
Italian in 1606. His principles were considered fundamental to the
rapier's use through the end of the 17th century.
QuickTime
Windows Media |
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Techniques for the smallsword taken from A.
Lonnergan's manual, The Fencer's Guide, which was published
in London in 1771. It is typical of late 18th century
smallsword play, which was practiced both for use in earnest and as
a sport. It was not uncommon for women of the era to practice
smallsword for sport.
QuickTime
Windows Media |
