circle of steel - western medieval ma

8/13/2019 Circle of Steel - Western Medieval MA

1/32

What's New - Timeline - Articles - Techniques - Catalog - Seminars - Links - Contact Us

Circle of SteelWestern Medieval Martial Arts

An Authentic 600 Year Old Documented Tradition

During the Middle Ages, the warriors of Europe developed a powerful style of combat that was equallyorious on the battlefield in times of war, on the street for suppressing riots or in personal defense, and ional or judicial duel to the death. As the wars raged across Europe, fighting techniques were temperede of battle, and the swordsmen of each country perfected the techniques which they would pass on to t

t generation.

hough the techniques of killing in any country are inherently part of an oral folk tradition, passed on fwarrior to another, starting in the late 1300's we find books teaching fighting techniques were being mll numbers, each one carefully reproduced by hand. Some of these books contained only a few dozen

trated techniques, but others, such the works by Fiori Dei Liberi and Hans Talhoffer, catalog literallydreds of individual techniques and counters. By the 1400's these manuscripts were produced in an eveeasing number, with some authors writing multiple books in their lifetime. This continued throughout dle Ages and Renaissance, with books being written in many countries, though the vast majority camemany and Italy. If the 1400s were the heyday of Medieval close combat, then this was also the goldehe Fechtbuch (fight-book).

During the 1500s, everything changed with the invention of printing and the rise of teachers who acceplians as students. Before this time, these books were kept among professional warriors, as the real killniques and counters were guarded secrets. The Italian master Fiori DeiLiberi says in his 1410 book F

latorum (Flower of Battle) that these techniques should be kept secret For the men who would defendntry in times of war, in riots, and in duels and should never become known to the common people whn to bow their necks to the yoke and serve. Fiori would never show his techniques in public, except ad them in battle, and he taught all his students in private, swearing them to secrecy about what they learwrites Flos Duelatorum only because he was an old man, far past his time of needing to ever use these n.

he first manual to be mechanically reproduced, was Achille Marozzos Opera Nova (The New Work) 6. The title is quite accurate, for he changes things from the older way of military instruction, and herews combat with the civilian in mind, and a simplified method, with close in counter-techniques beingspicuously absent. Techniques for armored fighting, where your whole body is suddenly a metal weap

//www.alliancemartialarts.com/medievalhistory.html


2/32

ch were only important to the soldier of the day were also ignored. In other ways, however, Opera Nopreserved military weapons that were fading in popularity, like the long sword, and is still a classic wof the great masters of the Western Arts!

tarting from Marozzo, and on into the Renaissance, the majority of books published were on the civiliects of swordplay, and this civilian element would (over the next few hundred years) change the art intoply a sport modern Olympic fencing! The Renaissance and after, therefore, hold little interest for menot my expertise, so I will leave this work, as so many things, for others to accomplish. Though there y great later masters with profound insights into the civilian weapons of their time, I prefer the earliest

dieval German and Italian military sources, and work mainly with Talhoffer, DeiLiberi, Durrer, Vadi,

ozzos books, as well as the anonymous Solthurner text.

oday, many of these manuscripts still exist, and have been translated so that we may unlock their secrcan understand them and will practice what is shown. One of the first key elements you find in readingat they contain a large amount of unarmed combat material - a fact that few know! A Medieval Knight

n-at-Arms, would be expected to know unarmed combat and dagger fighting in addition to the sword anar skills we associate with them today. In the surviving combat manuals, most contain long sections onrmed striking and grappling, unarmed defense against the dagger, and dagger fighting. They showematic joint locks, breaks, throws, disarms, counters, ground grappling, strikes, clinches, holds and mounarmed system is also fully integrated into the sword and spear work, with the majority of the techni

wn involving some degree of "close work. You will see identical techniques (particularly throws andks) done with all the different weapon forms, showing the integrated nature of this system.

On a technical level, the Medieval combat techniques shown in the 1400s are direct and lethal, reflectir battlefield nature. You killed the man quickly, stuck him with his own dagger if you were unarmed, arm, threw him down, or drew your own weapon. Primarily this was a standing grappling style, with apliment of striking tactics. Ground fighting was used mainly to hold a man down while you drew you

de and stabbed him, or held him to be pinned by a few spear men from your unit. The name for grouting is literally Unterhalted (holding down). The German masters made a separation between military

mpfringen (combat wrestling) and Ringkunst (art of wrestling) which was for sport. Most folk-styles w

et wrestling traditions, emphasizing the standing throws, though there were a minority of ground-grapes as well.

Only when showing the techniques used in judicial combat or dueling, where no one was going to interh the fight, do you see grappling holds as we think of them now, being applied. Just like the ones usedding, you now see chokes, arm and neck breaks, gouging, fish-hooking, and a host of other gutter fighcs we love, being applied on the ground. The armor was used to grind into the foe and tire him, and o

see men picking up weapons that have been dropped, or drawing a dagger, while rolling. The duels show, with elaborate preparations for the combatants, involving prayer, ritual bathing, and so on. The

uld walk onto the field from their pavilions proudly, in front of the assembled crowd, but then once they

ped into the list, there could be no one there but the two of them, the marshal, and God. Many imagese of period ground work show it under these settings, in an octagon ring just like a Medieval UFC (noding).

his system of unarmed combat is of completely Western origins, and is far older than comparable Asies such as JuJitsu, Chin- a, Aikido, or Hapkido. If you research most styles of martial arts taught todalearn that they are less than 100 years old and may or may not have any relation to life and death combt do not, and are practiced today as health or meditation systems. With the Medieval fight-books, we ussing traditions and specific techniques that are over 500 years old. Many will talk of "Samurai Herit

he "Shaolin Spirit" by way of making their art sound ancient, but where is the true history for the specit they teach? What actual link is there on a technical level? For many practitioners, there is none, what



3/32

s merely "inspired by" some older art, and all their wishing doesn't make it so. With the Western Histombat Arts we have the verifiable link to history by way of the Master's written works. Our way of know

this is what was used, for real, on the battlefield and the street.

On to Part 2: The Renaissance Dagger




4/32


Circle of SteelRenaissance Knife Fighting

In these modern times, many men are wounded for not having weapons or knowledge of their use.

- Achille Marozzo, 1536

uring the Renaissance, roughly 16th-17th Century, there were many changes in the European styles ofrdplay, and a new style evolved, based on the earlier Medieval methods. Overall, there was a shift frordplay based in military combat, to being more and more designed for use by civilians, and used in span early training hall environment, where common people would pay to take lessons. Additionally, thntion of the printing press gave rise to mass-produced training manuals, many of which were translater languages and sold abroad. Before this time, these books were the secrets of professional warriors akilling techniques and counters were carefully guarded, but this tradition of secrecy changed as teacheng the Renaissance sought a civilian audience with money to spend learning these formerly classified

s.

n the Renaissance, with the rise in urban culture, the lighter rapier truly became the peoples weapon, wmilitary increasingly used firearms and pike formations to wage war, lessening the importance of indivbatants, and of the sword. Some masters, particularly the English, preferred the old ways, however, a

he famous master George Silvers big complaints about the new rapier was that it was of no use in ti and that men should fight with the older, heavier, military cutting swords instead.

his separation between military and civilian swords was even parodied in England in the 1640s, in a ptled Work for Cutlers. In the play, two actors representing the thrusting Rapier and the cutting Swo

ue back and forth over which of them is the better weapon. Each one boasts of his unique abilities, andother is inferior. A third actor appears as Dagger, and tries to make peace between the two. Eventuallger gets Sword and Rapier to become friends by declaring that Sword is best for the soldier, and Rapiehe civilian. Dagger, for his part, says that he works equally well with them Both, and will always be tack them up in a fight! A happy resolution for all, and a great insight into how the people of theaissance viewed these arms.

he first manual to be mechanically reproduced for sale was Achille Marozzos Opera Nova (The Newrk) in 1536, and Western swordsmen have always considered it one of the most important fightinguals. Marozzo not only published this book, but he also taught many teachers, and became the first gr

stern master to bridge the gap between the military, the police, the martial artists, and the informedenry. His book covered both the older military weapons, such as the longsword and spear, and the n

lian weapons, such as the lighter cut-and-thrust swords and rapiers, and the small buckler. He also incng section on unarmed combatives, and in this respect was the last to do so for over 100 years. Not un-1600s would anything close to this be seen in Europe, in terms of the level of unarmed techniquected. Twenty-two techniques in this section, two of them show knife on knife fighting while the other

nty depict various unarmed versus knife encounters.

Marozzo, then, is the link between the Medieval styles and the new Renaissance ones. What he shows densed version of the types of moves used in the earlier Italian systems, such as that used by Fiore dei documented in his 1410 Flos Duellatorum (Flower of Battle). Dei Liberi showed over 100 individu

//www.alliancemartialarts.com/renaissancehistory.html


5/32


6/32


Medieval and Renaissance Knife Fighting HistoryCopyright Pete Kautz 2000

Renaissance Knife Fighting first appeared in Hock Hochheim's CQC Magazine

Medieval Knife FightingThere is no man at arms who can use courtesy or kindness to face his enemy - Fiore dei Liberi, 141

uring the Middle Ages, roughly the 14th-15th Centuries, the warriors of Europe developed a powerful style of comed equally victorious on the battlefield in times of war, on the street for suppressing riots, and in personal defense. fought personal and judicial duels to the death, as well as taking part in organized melees, or tournaments. Thou

naments may have appeared civil, and were fought with wooden or blunted swords and referees, they often ended usbow men becoming involved in the fray, trying to prevent their knight from being beaten, captured, and ransomed

by another knight! Forget the chivalrous notions you may have had about the lives these men lead they were killwere dead, plain and simple. As the wars raged across Europe, fighting techniques were tempered in the forge of b

the swordsmen of each country perfected the art which they would pass on to the next generation.

hese techniques of killing, known to men who had fought and survived many battles and challenges, became part omilitary tradition, passed on from one warrior to another. Then, starting in the late 1300s, books that taught fightinniques were made in small numbers, each one carefully reproduced by hand. Some of these books contained only an illustrated techniques, but others, such the works by Fiore dei Liberi and Hans Talhoffer, catalog literally hundred

vidual techniques and counters. By the 1400s these manuscripts were produced in an ever increasing number, withral authors writing multiple books in their lifetime. This continued throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance, w

ks being written in many countries, though the vast majority came from Germany and Italy. The 1400s saw the heiieval close combat, and this was the golden era of the Fechtbuch or fight-book.

hough during the Renaissance, roughly 16th-17th Century, things would change with the invention of printing and tachers who accepted civilians as students, during the Middle Ages these books were kept among professional warri

the real killing techniques and counters were guarded secrets. In his 1410 book Flos Duelatorum (Flower of Battle) an master Fiore dei Liberi states that these techniques should be kept secret For the experts in swordsmanship whomen at arms during wars, riots, and duels and should never become known to the common people who are created

without a wit like cows that are born only to carry heavy loads. Fiore would never show his techniques in public,e used them in battle, and he taught all his students behind closed doors, swearing them to secrecy about what theyned. He wrote his book only as an old man, long after he had need of his skills, and in the service of the most Illusser Niccolo Marquess of Ferrara, Modena, Parma, and Reggio, who would use this book to train all his knights.

n a technical level, one of the first key elements you find in reading the Medieval books is that they contain a large narmed combat material. A Medieval Knight, or Man-at-Arms, would be expected to know unarmed combat and ding in addition to the sword and spear skills we associate with them today. In the surviving combat manuals, most c

sections on unarmed striking and grappling, unarmed defense against the dagger, and dagger fighting. Unarmedniques against the sword, and dagger against sword are also shown. The manuals show systematic joint locks, breaws, disarms, counters, ground grappling, strikes, clinches, holds and more. The unarmed system is also fully integrathe sword and spear work, with the majority of the techniques shown involving some degree of close work.

ou will see identical techniques (particularly throws and arm locks) done with all the different weapon forms, showgrated nature of this system. The Medieval knight truly understood how to make the connection between the esseniques in combat, regardless of weapon. Primarily this was a weapon based style, that using standing grappling andpliment of basic powerful striking tactics. In this respect, it is much like military combatives today, using eye gougjabs, knee strikes and low kicks. Ground fighting was used mainly to hold a man down while you drew your own

stabbed him, or held him to be pinned by a few spear men from your unit.

//www.alliancemartialarts.com/history.html


7/32

nly when showing the techniques used in judicial combat or dueling, where no one was going to interfere with the fou see grappling holds as we think of them now, being applied. Just like the ones used when standing, you find choand neck breaks, gouging, fish-hooking, and a host of other gutter fighting tactics that we love, being applied on nd. The armor was used to grind into the foe and tire him, and often we see men picking up weapons that have beenped, or drawing a dagger, while grappling. The duels were grand public spectacles, with elaborate preparations forbatants involving prayer, ritual bathing, and so on. They would walk onto the field from their pavilions proudly, ine assembled crowd, but then once they stepped into the list, there could be no one there but the two of them, the maGod. Many images we have of period ground work show it under these settings, in a traditional octagon ring justieval UFC.

addition to the use of various other weapons, such as the mace or axe, the Medieval warrior had to learn to use the

ore as a weapon. Fighting in real armor is quite different than fighting without, and the Germans coined the phrasesfechten and harnisfechten to describe fighting in regular clothing and fighting in armor, respectively. The plate an

or of the time could render many slicing and stabbing blows useless, enabling the wearer to close in and fight with thsword in a shortened bayonet grip referred to as halbschwart, or half-sword techniques, designed to deliver maxer thrusts at the gaps in the opponents armor. Additionally, the armor would be used to grind into the opponent wh

ground, and the pointed knees and elbows could deliver horrible pressure to an unarmored foe, in addition to deliveral strikes. Even the knights shoes came to points designed for kicking. These were called sabatons by the French, ld be used when on horseback to kick people in the face who got too close to you.

ghting from horseback was another important skill the knight had to perfect. The long spear, or lance, was used froeback, along with the mace and sword. Fiore dei Liberi, among others, also shows many ways to apply grappling

niques to unseat another rider when in close, side by side. Fighting from astride an armored war-horse, the knight wmposing force on the battlefield, particularly when in large units. At around 2000 pounds each, and traveling at up s an hour in a charge, the mounted knight must have inspired true terror in anyone facing them on foot.

his completely Western unarmed combat art is far older than comparable Asian styles such as JuJitsu, Chin-Na, Aikkido. Most styles of martial arts taught today, are less than 100 years old and may or may not have any relation to lh combat. Many practiced today are taught as health or meditation systems. With the Medieval fight-books, we arussing traditions and specific techniques that are over 500 years old, and designed to kill. Many will talk of Samurtage or the Shaolin Spirit by way of making their art sound ancient, but where is the true history for the specificst they teach? Is there an actual link is there on a technical level, or is it merely inspired by some older art? With tern historical combat arts we have the verifiable link by way of the Masters written works by way of knowing thatused, for real, on the battlefield and the street.

Renaissance Knife FightingIn these modern times, many men are wounded for not having weapons or knowledge of their use.

- Achille Marozzo, 1536

uring the Renaissance, roughly 16th-17th Century, there were many changes in the European styles of swordplay, astyle evolved, based on the earlier Medieval methods. Overall, there was a shift from swordplay based in military

bat, to being more and more designed for use by civilians, and used in sparring in an early training hall environmre common people would pay to take lessons. Additionally, the invention of the printing press gave rise to mass-pring manuals, many of which were translated into other languages and sold abroad. Before this time, these books w

ets of professional warriors and the real killing techniques and counters were carefully guarded, but this tradition ofecy changed as teachers during the Renaissance sought a civilian audience with money to spend learning these formified skills.e Renaissance, with the rise in urban culture, the lighter rapier truly became the peoples weapon, while the military

easingly used firearms and pike formations to wage war, lessening the importance of individual combatants, and of trd. Some masters, particularly the English, preferred the old ways, however, and one of the famous master Georgeers big complaints about the new rapier was that it was of no use in times of war, and that men should fight with r, heavier, military cutting swords instead.

his separation between military and civilian swords was even parodied in England in the 1640s, in a play entitled Cutlers. In the play, two actors representing the thrusting Rapier and the cutting Sword argue back and forth over w

em is the better weapon. Each one boasts of his unique abilities, and why the other is inferior. A third actor appea



8/32

ger, and tries to make peace between the two. Eventually, Dagger gets Sword and Rapier to become friends by decSword is best for the soldier, and Rapier best for the civilian. Dagger, for his part, says that he works equally well

m Both, and will always be there to back them up in a fight! A happy resolution for all, and a great insight into howle of the Renaissance viewed these arms.

he first manual to be mechanically reproduced for sale was Achille Marozzos Opera Nova (The New Work) in 1Western swordsmen have always considered it one of the most important fighting manuals. Marozzo not only publbook, but he also taught many teachers, and became the first great Western master to bridge the gap between the m

police, the martial artists, and the informed citizenry. His book covered both the older military weapons, such as thsword and spear, and the new civilian weapons, such as the lighter cut-and-thrust swords and rapiers, and the small

kler. He also included a long section on unarmed combatives, and in this respect was the last to do so for over 100 y

until the mid-1600s would anything close to this be seen in Europe, in terms of the level of unarmed technique depnty-two techniques in this section, two of them show knife on knife fighting while the other twenty depict variousmed versus knife encounters.

arozzo, then, is the link between the Medieval styles and the new Renaissance ones. What he shows is a condenseon of the types of moves used in the earlier Italian systems, such as that used by Fiore dei Liberi and documented in

0 Flos Duellatorum (Flower of Battle). Dei Liberi showed over 100 individual techniques of wrestling, dagger figunarmed defense, which Marozzo distills down to 22 techniques. One important difference between them, howevet Marozzo leaves out of his book. While Fiore shows multiple counters to all of his moves, Marozzo does not evention them as a possibility. In this sense, Marozzos work is very optimistic about the techniques working as planncounter for counter idea is not explored.

his in no way reduces the importance of Marozzos work, however, and many scholars since have studied and taughhods, and many fencers declared him the Father of Modern Swordsmanship and The First Scientific Teacher. Tt swordsman and historian Alfred Hutton was a fan of Marozzos unarmed versus dagger methods, and included 14 echniques into his 1889 book, Cold Steel (not to be confused with John Styers 1952 work by the same name). Hutof the fathers of modern research into the true ancient Western combat arts, and his books Cold Steel and Old Swordtill excellent starting resources. In 1999, as a tribute to both Hutton and Marozzo, this author wrote a book entitlednst the Knife , which describes all 22 of Marozzos unarmed versus dagger techniques, explains their hidden inter-ections, and gives training methods for their practice in the modern day, as well as having the first complete translaext from the Italian. Many experts, such as Hock Hochheim, Jim Keating, and John Clements have found this book

ghtful in their study of these historical methods.

fter Marozzo, the majority of books published during the Renaissance were purely on the civilian aspects of swordpgh as late as 1594 Giacomo DiGrasi still includes the military two-hand sword, halberd, and spear in his True Art onse. With a few such notable exceptions, the majority of the manuals on into the 1600s focused on the rapier, or r

ed with a dagger, buckler, cloak, or second rapier. Sadly, the techniques of using the knife or dagger as a solo weapred in the majority of manuals from this era, and techniques for unarmed combat are relegated to a few supportniques, referred to generically as Grips (Grypes). They were meant to be used when you end up too close to the enehe sword effectively, and were no longer taught as part of a larger spectrum of unarmed skills the swordsman shoul. The majority of the Grips used in Renaissance swordplay could be described as Hand Snaking or Wrapping disar

y are generally done with the free hand or with the dagger, but are sometimes also done with the sword, in what manern practitioners would call a Vine disarm, or Weapon Snake.

When the knife is mentioned as a solo weapon in the Renaissance, the classic Medieval tactic of cutting the opponente hand is frequently described. Like in all great knife traditions of the world, this simple technique was highly valuk fight-ender. Other basics that were commonly taught in the Renaissance styles included using low fakes to open ks (and vice-versa), and fakes to one side before launching the real attack on the other side. Throwing the knife, orfaking a throw, were also sometimes mentioned. One preferred method of throwing was to use an underhand swinglease as the knife comes on line with the enemy, allowing the knife to fly straight into the target point first, with no

y the end of the Renaissance, the styles of swordplay would again change, as smaller, even lighter, thrusting-only se into fashion, and the dagger would be dropped from use. These small-swords became the mark of a gentleman used for duels of honor. The techniques that were used became more and more refined and abstracted from the ree Medieval battlefield, hundreds of years before. They were quick, light, athletic movements that could be delivere

d-fire manner, with each block being answered with a thrust. This gentlemans dueling style was also favored with



9/32

ary officers, and became what we would call Classical Fencing today. In turn, Classical Fencing would change itic sport of Olympic Fencing with the advent of electronic scoring in the 20th Century. Today, more and more peo

arching and training in the Medieval and Renaissance forms, however, and seeking a return to the earlier combative e Western tradition.




10/32


Drilling with real Enfield muskets and live steel bayonets.

Assaultingwith wooden rifles. The padded tips are covered in cloth and held in place with cord.A padded jacket and fencing mask would be advisable (as well as period)

But often troops did not have such luxuries!

19th CenturyAmericanBayonet

Fencing

//alliancemartialarts.com/bayonetfencing.htm


11/32

Basics of the Bayonet

3 High Parries

St. George's Guard

Parry of High Quarte and Parry of High Tierce

4 Basic Parries and Fighting Stance

Parry of Quarte and Parry of Tierce



12/32

Basic Fighting Stance

Parry of Prime and Parry of Seconde

3 Basic Attacks With the Bayonet

The Thruste Thrust is made by full extension of the left arm. Note:Tod was retracting his arms after the attack when the

photo was taken.

The Lunge

e Lunge is made with a full extension of the right arm,//alliancemartialarts.com/bayonetfencing.htm


13/32

Want More Bayonet Info? Click HERE

Need Quality Wooden Bayonet Training Rifles?Visit Purpleheart Armories!


lowing the musket to slide through the left hand. Theght knuckles will end up touching the left palm at the

full extension of the Lunge

The Lunge-Out (Later known as "Throw-Point")rhaps the hardest to show in a still picture is the Lunge-

Out maneuver, where the rifle is thrust out one handedwith a body pivot and sometimes a passing step of theght foot. Doing a Lunge-Out with a heavy musket likeese Enfields and then quickly recovering to the middle

ard is quite a test of your wrist strength! This techniquean old one, seen as far back as the medieval longswordDiGrassi describes it quite plainly in his True Art of

Defense)



14/32

Home-Combat Arts-Articles-Techniques-Catalog-Seminars-Links-Contact Us

Alliance Martial ArtsCircle of Steel

Presents the

Solthurner FechtbuchRare Dagger Techniques from an Anonymous Manual

Copyright 2001 Pete Kautz

What is the Solthurner Fechtbuch?

o-named for the Archive in Solothurn, Switzerland where it was found, this book is believed to be froh century and its author is unknown. It's techniques closely resemble the ones from some of Talhoffer'shtbuchs. There are conflicting theories about its origins, with guesses as to the date of publication from0-1490, but I believe from the costuming of the people and the technical material it is probably from th0's and is in fact a semi-rip-off of Talhoffer.

hough the exact origin of the book is uncertain, it is physically smaller than any of Talhoffer's works atains much less material on each topic. There are techniques shown with long swords, dueling shieldsing shield and short sword, wrestling, fighting on horseback, fighting in armor, and the duel between

band and wife; though most of these areas only contain a few techniques. The longest sections are devhe long sword, dueling shield, dagger, and wrestling (though only the long sword depicts more than a dvements.)

What Dagger Techniques does it Contain?

he Solthurner fechtbuch contains only 9 plates showing the knife being used. Of these, 7 times it is pihe forward grip, and 9 times it is pictured in the reverse grip. This is a higher proportion of forward gr

rse grip techniques than most of the other Medieval manuals, which greatly favor the reverse grip. Th

be by design, or simply because of the brevity of the instruction. In the Solthurner techniques, the fois generally used for long range cutting or thrusting against the enemy, while the reverse grip is used fking, trapping, and stabbing.

Over the next few months we will be presenting all these as photo techniques, as well as giving you somr ideas on how to train these concepts.

Dagger in Unarmored Combat

here are 7 techniques shown in the Solthurner fechtbuch for unarmored combat. The first 3 emphasiz

g range dueling aspect of dagger work. The first two techniques emphasize the long range cut to the//alliancemartialarts.com/solthurner.html


15/32

onent's hand as a defense against an attack, first against the forward and then against the reverse grip sthird defense uses the alive hand to parry the attack and then you return a stab.

he fourth technique is an entry into grappling following the open hand parry and an arm hook/cut withger. From here we get closer, and the final three movements of the unarmored section are for grapplin

fifth technique shows the classic Scissors hold using the dagger, and numbers 6 and 7 are both couhis. Next month we will feature photos of techniques 4-7, but for now, enjoy!

Solthurner Fechtbuch Dagger Techniques 1-3

Unarmored Technique 1:

Cut the Hand

This technique exemplifies the long range play, as you stay out ofge, and the moment you can first cut his hand you do so rightay. Practice defending through different angles using slashes andks to the fingers, hand, wrist, and forearm. Cutting the weapond or arm is one of the oldest military methods of blade combat that

re is, taught to the Roman Legions of the ancient world andbably even earlier. Imagine the defender striking, and possibly

ting off, the attackers thumb. Try and hold onto that dagger now,arky!

//alliancemartialarts.com/solthurner.html


16/32


Cut the Hand

n this scenario you have the saber grip and play long range as theponent takes the reverse grip and tries to close in with the highb. The reverse grip will force him to close, because he will beble to match your superior range using the forward grip. You trytay at long range, and look to evade and slash or hack the

ponent's hand as he attacks. Against the downwards stab pictured

u slash across the hand with a backhand motion. Imagine theender striking, and possibly cutting off, the attackers pinkie.



17/32

Extension Drill from Technique 3


Hack and Stab

The opponent stabs at your body. Using your left hand you parry /

k it aside with a low outward and downward blow andmediately counter with your own stab. This is a quick stab and

nter, and makes an excellent back and forth style flow drill. Once

u and your partner can both do it, then try to do it in 3 or 5 stephanges. When this is easy, experiment with changing angles onreturn stab and how that then changes the follow ups and forces

ferent types of footwork and evasion.

ough in still pictures it looks like a 1-2 motion, in fighting theser you can deliver the stab after the parry the better. Timing andthm can not really be shown in these kinds of pictures. If you areslow and make it a "1 and 2" kind of exchange you are giving the

ponent a window of opportunity to interrupt your pattern and

nter you of the half-beat. (If you think of the parry as "1" and theb as "2" the opponent counters you on the "and" between 1 "and" 2.



18/32

n the extension we just start to work stabbing from different angles, evading and parrying with the empd and stabbing back quickly. Thrust along all 8 angles of thesegnoand try to maneuver around yourning partner, so you can stab him where he can not parry...force him to move or get hit. Every so oftenrself get hit also...then you know that your partner is not just playing a pretty game with you and is tryyou.

his is NOT about trying to hurt your partner! If we see you try to hurt someone in our classes you wilr kicked out on your ass...there is no place for that kind of behavior. However, you must be willing to

r partner to help them learn. If you are not aiming to hit when doing drills in your school you are RIPPF your training partner. It is your duty to hit him (or her) and it is their duty to block or not be there. I

has really tried to hit you, how can you be sure your defense really works? You can go on for years bped along" by a nice friendly ukein the martial arts and have fun, but for real, you have nothing for th

nt...or worse, only an ability to give hurt and no ability to defend...you can "dish it out but you can't tak

hese kinds of things are what make the difference. You must learn to "Invest in Loss" as the Tai Chi Cand Ultimate Fist) people would say. You lose to learn. Your conditions of winning change. You "lo". You try, and if you get hit it is learning not failure. Pain is feedback of bad performance...the trick n to appreciate the feedback and be sensitive to change what you are doing. Greater awareness leads t

per learning. The speed and power of the opponent can literally make you move faster than you couldught about it. You move faster simply because you must! This sounds crazy, but the experienced kno!

When training these techniques, a safe training weapon and facial protection quickly become a necessitded dagger and a fencing mask or hockey helmet will suffice, with some kind of gloves (hockey, streekey, lacrosse), forearm pads, elbow pads, etc. at your option. I prefer to use less armor and a safer wea

will use daggers made of folded cardboard for some of the full speed drills. These still hurt quite a bit d break a rib on a thrust) and can last for many months if made correctly, yet will break before your

onent's body does on a dangerous thrust (certainly far safer than a pvc core or wood in a similarumstance!) When making these, fold (don't roll) them out of cardboard and fold With the corrugatione about 15x24 will fold into a nice 15" dagger. Make the fold neat and tight every time and tape secur

One other thing we have found is that if you are breaking a lot of these, it is likely because you are hittih the flat of the dagger and that is causing it to bend (as it would when it fails). If this is the case, go b

work your basic cutting angles of attack, focusing on cleanly cutting with the edge for each one.

Next Month - Unarmored Dagger Techniques 4-7!

RESPECT IS THE BEST ARMOR - TRAIN HARD - TRAIN SMART



19/32

Home-Combat Arts-Articles-Techniques-Catalog-Seminars-Links-Contact Us



20/32


Fiore dei Liberis7 Rules of Wrestling

Medieval Attributes Training from the MasterCopyright 2001 Pete Kautz

n his 1410 book Flos Duelatorum(The Flower of Battle) Fiore tells us that in his time he met "1000 m would call themselves masters; though if their skills were combined, you would not have 4 good studlone one True Master", and that he wrote his book at the end of his life because there was simply no on

und who was as skilled as he was, or who knew so many kinds of techniques. If you have studied the auals, in my opinion, you will find that he was right. No other manual shows the same amount of clearniques with such a diversity of weapons. If you put all of Talhoffer's manuals together, you might gete equal to Fiore's, but no single manuscript could claim to be its equal.

iore tells us that Some people will think that I mixed up useful and unuseful techniques, but he maket mistake as I have only described the ones I saw, used, or created, and I omitted the unsafe ones. Th

e the same techniques he used to kill many men in war, and in a number of personal combats to the deahout some of the more "speculative" techniques of later manuals, where the authors were perhaps moreantly removed from this sort of brutal life.

More then mere techniques are contained in this manual, however, and Fiore gives instruction on the prdset and attributes training necessary to be effective in combat. This aspect of his work has not been

perly explained, I fear, and many people only look to Fiore's masterwork as a source of individual "tricch, without the proper mindset and attributes, may be unworkable. In an effort to shed light on theseects, then, let us cover some of ideas from the text of Flos Duelatorum.

he first thing I think important to get is the 7 Rules which are taught to us as part of the Art of the Embestling). He tells us simply that Wrestling requires 7 Rules. These are given as a set of Key Words -ngth, Foot and Arm Speed, Grabs, Breaks, Tyings, Hits, and Wounds. Fiore tells us to practice theseniques carefully in practice but to hold nothing back in a real fight for your life. "No man may face hi

my with kindness."

Other than listing the Key Words, Fiore gives us no advise on what this means, or how to practice the 7es. To this end, I will break down each Rule so that it might be clearer, and give more of an idea what

k about doing to supplement your training.

Strengthhough it would seem obvious that being strong is a good thing for a combatant, many overlook this far training. There is an old myth that size and strength don't matter if you have good technique and inpons this is "somewhat" true, but the flipside to that is that "if technique is near equal, the odds are on

ger, stronger person." To make a fair example, imagine having to fight yourself only this other self

xtra pounds of muscle mass on you. Still don't think strength matters?//alliancemartialarts.com//fiore.html


21/32

ndurance is a second component of your fighting strength, for without it we can not keep fighting. Thld saying that Fatigue makes cowards of us all. Wrestling will quickly develop whole body endurway unlike other aerobic activities.

he ability to Give Hurt is the third part of the Strength equation. Giacomo DiGrassi, a later Italian Mathat all combat came down to Strength and Judgment. He defined Strength as the ability to "deliver h

enemy, and bottom line that is the key. It is important to know how to hit hard, fast, and in a way toimize the weapon.

Foot and Arm SpeedYou must have good footwork, balance, and agility. You also must have fast hands and reactions that

rdinate with the whole body. The Western arts generally use a structure where the hand moves before y to facilitate speed, but when the strike lands the whole body is behind it, through coordinated use ofwork and timing. There is also an emphasis on avoidance with the body to allow for single time hits tvered, without the need for an active blocking defense.

GrabsYou must be able to grab the enemy and control him. Before you can apply techniques of locking, breahrowing, you must first contact the enemy. In this initial work to control him, you must know where thow to grab to get maximum effect. There are a number of specific points on the body that when pused, or twisted can manipulate the opponent and take him off balance or throw him. Grip strength is anortant, and often overlooked, area.

BreaksOnce you have grabbed the opponent, you may break his limbs in a number of ways. These are initiallyned as joint locking techniques, but they are applied in combat as breaks using full body force against tured joint. Breaks for the finger, wrist, elbow, shoulder, neck, and spine are shown as well as kicks mreak the knee, shin, ankle, or foot of the opponent.

TyingsYou must have the ability to tie up the opponents hands and arms so that you may apply strikes, throwsks, or disarms. This is knows an trapping hands in some arts, and includes arm drags, wraps, hooks

r close in techniques. This is integrated with the striking and disarming skills, so as to control the oppsense his counters through tactile sensitivity. Tyings also includes the ability to "untie" yourself and e

m holds.

Hitsou must have skills in striking to injure your opponent. This includes fist, palm, forearm and elbow st

//alliancemartialarts.com//fiore.html


22/32

d butting, kneeing, low kicking, as well as such timeless techniques as eye gouging, fish-hooking, aning.

WoundsYou must know the vital targets and the appropriate weapons of the body to strike them with. The eyese, throat, collarbone, sternum, solar plexus, groin, knees, shins, and spine are some of the common targ

In Part Two of this Article we will examineFiore's Four Mental Precepts for the Swordsman

As well as photo illustrating some drillsFor practicing the 7 Rules


//alliancemartialarts.com//fiore.html


23/32


Spada & DagaThe Real Italian Fencing Art

By Graziano Galvani ofNova Scrimia(translated by G.Zanini and A.Goi)

Dear Readers,

are going to tell you a story of men and arms, which connects two distant countries.The first one, whosds arise out of the Visayan Sea, lies in the East; the other, a peninsula on the Mediterranean Sea, lies in st. Follow us in this adventurous journey!

An Archipelago dotted with islands...

7 islands, only a tenth of which are inhabited, form the archipelago of the Philippines.

a charming 'natural agglomerate' in South-Eastern Asia; the islands of Lundon and Mindanao cover m a half of the whole surface and are populated by more than fifty million people ( about the 60% of the

rall population ) divided into 111 linguistic, cultural and racial groups.

ay the Philippine national tongues are Tagalog, English and Spanish, as well as about 70 dialects of M

ynesian origins.

is characteristic is deeply rooted in the Philippine people, then their blood heritage also comes fromnese, Indian, Arabian and Spanish sources. All this is the result of 4000 years of permanent and migratory and of colonisation.

Rajah Lapu Lapu and Captain Ferdinando Magellano

movimenti di mani e piedi, ora lenti, ora veloci, ora attaccando, ora ritirandosi, ora incitando, ora con t

fico, ora ravvicinati, ora distanti"

Parte della descrizione di una danza di guerra Abakaba

en the Spanish came on the archipelago which was baptized "Philippines" after the name of King Phillund the middle of the XVI th century, they were aiming at the conquest of that part of the so-calledkroad". They landed on the beach of Samar and found some small sultanates governed by rajahs. Tradiit that these monarchs came from the Datu and integrated, towards the early XIV th century, with the gadesmen who would bring their Muslim culture and religion mostly to the Sulu archipelago and other

he north.

//alliancemartialarts.com/spada&daga.htm


24/32

mission, financed by the Crown and entrusted to the Portuguese Ferno Magalhnes ( Ferdinandogellano) and Ruy Faleiro, set forth from Seville on the 10 of August 1519 with a fleet of five ships: the

iral Trinidad and four three-masted square-sailed ships, equipped with big holds to carry spices:t'Antonio, Concepcion, Victoria and Santiago. The crew was composed of about 300 men ( 265 / 270ording to some more precise accounts ); among them there was the Vicentine historiographer Antonioafetta, who wrote a journal of that dramatic expedition: Relazione del primo viaggio intorno al mondo

age around the World, 1524 ); the journal reports the episodes of Magellano's death and the return to Sne single ship with 22 survivors ( some accounts say 18 ) after three years.

27 April 1521, after establishing good relations with the rajahs of Samar and Cebu, Magellano landed

e boats of his crew on the island of Mactan. In this regard, it is proper to clarify a legend: the battle tooe during the landing, between the shallow and the shore, while the boats were standing aground.

one side there were 55 men led by Magellano, equipped with small arms suitable for scouting such as: ato ( cut-and-thrust sword: a traditional European weapon, steady and efficient, which combined the efoth cut and thrust blows ); daga ( kind of short sword of about 40/50 cm in length, with characteristicslar to the cut-and-thrust sword ); some men also had a daghetta ( a shorter dagger, whose maximum led reach up to 40 cm; it was used as a secondary weapon or in combination with the dagger for fightingow spaces, eg. thick scrubs ); ascia da tolda and spada da arrembaggio ( axes and small swords often uirates or during explorations and deforestation ). None of these men wore a full armour, which would

n useless and probably counter-productive: imagine how you would feel if you had to wear a armour oand move among shallows, sands and paths in the heart of the jungle, with a tropical climate. You can ss that your moving would be most difficult; moreover, the inside of the armour would work as a a sortna! Some of the group actually wore a morione ( open helm ) and a petto da campo aperto ( steel singleed breast ) to protect the most vital parts; anyway, most men were simply provided with the above-tioned small arms .

the other side there were several hundreds of aboriginal warriors led by the Datu chief Lapu Lapu: somounts report that they were even 2000, 40 "Moros" for each soldier of Magellano, a ratio of 40 to 1! Thbows to shoot their bagayaks , even five arrows at the same time and some short javelins which could

with such strength that they would pierce the very thick wood of the hulls of the boats. They also hadks and kalasags combined with barongs , kriss and kampilans.

ir arsenal and historical documents reveal that the Moros weren't an uncivilized race at all and they didany knowledge of warfare. As shown before ( see p. 1), when Magellano landed on the Philippines, th

gest stock of the people living on the coasts was the result of a series of ancient migrations from Malayonesia, India and in part from China. As a consequence, the Indian and Malayo-Indonesian cultures ( wbute great importance to military skill and have a long and steady tradition in this field ) were widely sng them.

he Bothoan ( the ancient Moro school, which consisted of a blend of Indian, Malaysian, Arabian andonesian notions), the disciplines were arithmetic, religion, reading and writing (Sanskrit), lubus ( the arg and interpreting talismans ). Moreover, the codes of military art were studied. This art was called Ka

me variations as Kali, Kalirogan, Kaliradman, Pagkalikali ), a word of Sanskrit origin which can beslated as "knife with a sharp blade" or simply "sharp blade".

swords were built by the Pandays, the smiths who relied upon the ancient Malaysian school to forge hity blades, whose quench was not second to that of the swords in Western Europe.

A Fight to the Death



25/32

cero cadere il capitano a faccia in gi e gli balzarono sopra con lance di ferro e bamb e con coltelli findo non uccisero il nostro specchio, la nostra luce, il nostro conforto, la vera guida."

Antonio Pigafetta, Relazione del primo viaggio intorno al mondo, 1524

battle was cruel and fatal to Magellano and his crew, who were taken by surprise by the Moros led by u Lapu. After a shower of arrows and javelins, they were overwhelmed by the massive attack of the w set on their small group. Magellano fought very strongly to defend himself; although he was used toting and had already been hit during several other battles in his adventurous life, he was attacked fromy sides and finally surrendered: they hit him in his legs with arrows and javelins, which made him ben

ward, then gave him the fatal blow. Tradition has it that this blow was actually delivered with a kampilau Lapu, who has been regarded as a national hero since then.

e of the men who had landed on the island was able to escape back to the ships. Those who had stayeddecks, just before the coral reef, had no time to load the cannons and fire, they just could look at those dramatic events ( which Pigafetta reports in his journal ). This was the end of Magellano's life and the strous adventure of the Europeans in the Philippines.

road had been traced, though, and many more expeditions and warriors were going to arrive to the Virder to 'tame' those fiery people.

Espada y Daga

e Filipinos were impressed with the Spanish sword-and-dagger system of fighting, imitated it and soonnd the weaknesses of the Spanish style. Their new method, that employed a long and a short stick, evenumed the Spanish name of espada y daga, meaning sword and dagger."

Inosanto, The Filipino Martial Arts

storically arnis incorporated three related methods: espada y daga ( sword and dagger ), which employg blade and a short dagger; solo baston ( single stick ); and sinawali ( to weave )"

my Presas, Modern Arnis

ada y daga is the expression used in Philippine martial arts to mean a system of fighting where both hap weapons different in form and length. Nowadays they are often identified with a stick and a knife. Th

need to translate or explain the expression any longer: thanks to the spreading of the Philippine methoderica and Europe, scholars and practitioners of martial arts actually know that it means a system of fighving from western swordsmanship arts which came from the Spanish invaders. Nevertheless, only a fe

w that it is the best outcome of a century-old school, which had worked it out on battlefields, in duels ats with no rules: its roots date back to the Celt, Greek, Etruscan and Roman fighting ( gladiatura ). Thiem, which had undergone different names all throughout the centuries (schirm, schirmian, scrima, scriindeed the core of the Italian martial school, that is " l'arte di ripararsi e ben rispondere ai colpi avvers

a matter of fact, most of the tradition about Philippine martial arts comes from a sort of 'convenienceriage' between the ancient Malaysio-Indonesian and the Italian "de armicar" school; the words Arnis anrima are short forms of the words used in the Middle Ages to distinguish fighting with arms ( "in armis

m fighting with no arms ( "sine armis" ); as shown before, one of the names standing for Art of Fence wally Scrima. Moreover, when looking at some Philippine styles of fighting ( Abecedario, Etaliano, Pre

ialada, Abierta, Serada, Largo mano, Numerado, Sumbrada, Retirada, ecc. ), some techniques ( strike //alliancemartialarts.com/spada&daga.htm


26/32

y, alive hand, linear and circular footwork ecc. ) and methods even with bare hands (eg. hubud-higot:rcise standing with the arms in contact, wich comes from the 'close combat' dating back to the Medievaool of dagger ), one can realize how intensely Scrima has 'contaminated' the local fighting tradition ( nosword and dagger! ).

way, the two Arts must not be regarded either as reciprocal 'by-products' or too similar: Scrimia's strucompletely different from the Philippine's. For example it gives importance to fighting seen first as a vitfrontation between two people ( with or without arms ), then between many people ( also provided witherent kinds of weapons ), as well as to the concept of fighting as a way to preserve one's life from armermed assaults. In other words, the 'core' of the Italian school of fencing is the very science of the

frontation between two opponents or even enemies; as a consequence it includes the development of abskills linked to the use of hands or arms as weapons. It's quite a simple philosophy: "toccare senza essati" , the only way for "schifare l'intentata morte", as Maestro Manciolino ( XVI th century ) used to sa

Schirm, Scrima, Scrimia, Scherma

" Da geometria lo scrimir se nasce,

sottoposto a lei, e non ha fine,

e l'uno e l'altro infinito fasse."

Maestro Filippo Vadi De Arte Gladiatoria Dimicandi, 1482-87

en thinking of fencing, one often holds in mind quite a modern scene: two white-dressed swordsmen tin extensible electric wire, who are moving on a piste and trying to make a luminous sign to flash out wr electrified 'arms'. Any link with what has been written so far about "spada & daga" may sound ratherned, particularly if concerning sine armis fighting, stick-fencing or fighting with a dagger.

Italian Scrimia school has indeed been concerned with all this and even more for many centuries. Its dciples date back to the XIII th century and were taught in several societates ( or "congregazioni",

atellanze", "scuole d'armi" ) located in as many Italian towns. In order to have an idea about these princleaf through ( but you had better read it through! ) the Flos Duellatorum, written by Magistro Fiore de

eri da Premariacco in 1409:

" E quello che cum bastone faco / cum la spada lo fara / ben che pi forti zoghi / con quella trovara.

Magistro Fiore, Flos Duellatorum, 1409

an be infered that a good scharrmitor had to be good at fencing both "in scaramuccia" and "in steccato"

as at fighting to defend himself from assaults when simply walking on a lane! He would have to knowse all the weapons at his disposal: his own hands, daggers, one or two sticks as tall as a man or as long or as short as a dagger; one-hand, bastard and two-hand swords; spears, battleaxes; he also had to be at both on foot and on horseback.

Italian mercenaries whose expeditions started to reach the Philippines from the middle of the XVI thury, actually had their own art and science of fighting mixed with the local techniques of war. Every d

ut this 'school' can be found in the series of treatises which illustrate the history of martial arts all over uries.



27/32

The Bolognese School

"Questo s un abattimento molto perfetto per fare alle cortellate, cio spada et pugnale bolognese."

Maestro Achille Marozzo, Opera Nova, 1536

aly, Florence was the very heart of the Renaissance as for art and culture; Bologna was the same as fotial arts, particularly for swords-fighting arts. There are undoubtedly lots of very good "Maestri" whoses have gone down to history, some of them also coming from Bologna, such as: Pietro Monti, Guido

onio de Luca ( Achille Marozzo's master ), Antonio Manciolino ( his treatise Opera Nova was reprinte1, there are no details about the precise date when the work was composed ), Achille Marozzo ( his Opa dates back to 1536; he was then 52 and his son Sebastiano edited a revised version in 1568 ), Camillippa (Milanese, Trattato di scienza d'arme, 1536 ), Giacomo di Grassi (from Modena, Ragione di adopramente l'arme si da offesa come da difesa, 1570 ), Giovanni Dall'Agocchie ( Dell'Arte di scrimia, 157elo Viggiani dal Montone ( Lo schermo, 1575 ).

early XVI th century School focused training mainly on fighting with a sword and a buckler, usually ibination with either a targa, a rotella, a cappa, a lanterna or a stab or two swords and partigiana, piccado, ronca, alabarda or azza for hand-to-hand combat.

nteresting work on these subjects is Maestro Manciolino's treatise: in Book Five ( "Gioco di spada da nella destra e con il pugnale nella manca"). He deals with plays to be practised with right and false cut

well as with thrust-blows to be delivered in two times and "in tempo". This work is composed of six boing with Scrimia in details; particularly remarkable are the parts concerning "gioco di duo contro duo

de da filo et le cappe imbracciate" and combat "in mischia", which show that this art is not limited to fiduello" but includes lots of other situations.

ther great Maestro was Achille Marozzo. What is known about him is that he was trained by a very famter, Guido Antonio de Luca, who is said to have trained more warriors than those who got out of the Te!, among them Captain Giovanni dalle Bande Nere.(Joanni de Medici)

" degli occorrenti casi nelle singulari battaglie che gli armigeri cavalieri faranno"

Achille Marozzo, Opera Nova, 1536, Book Five

ozzo has left a considerable heritage; his work, which is the very first written code of rules for duels, csidered as important as Manciolino's for the precision and completeness of his methods ( they illustratese both long and short weapons and how to do combat without weapons ).

k Two ( "Nel quale si tratta de abattimenti de arme da filo, variate l'una da l'altra" ) shows the spada e

nale alla bolognese technique, which makes use of a cut-and-thrust sword and a dagger at the same tims technique, the "abattimento molto perfetto per fare a cortellate " is as refined and precise as Manciolinact both the sword and the dagger are double-edged in order to cut and block at the same time. Moreovognese Maestro shows deep knowledge of "ferro corto" (short-bladed arms). The ability at using swordarms, clubs, single stabs or sword and dagger; the skill at both grappling wrestling of half sword and

rmed ( hand-to-hand combat): this is what has contributed to build up the figure of the typical XVI thury swordsman as a truly redoubtable opponent.

estro Camillo Agrippa left a treatise on fencing provided with some useful drawings. They reveal a sciey of the geometry of the defence and attack lines and a biomechanical study of the relationship betwee

vements of the body and those of the sword and stab the swordsman is holding. Agrippa's work is also//alliancemartialarts.com/spada&daga.htm


28/32

ortant because it affirms the reduction of the number of guards and extensively explains their effects.

ally, the true 'revolution' in fencing came on with Maestri Di Grassi and Dall'Agocchie ( the former wadenese, the latter was Bolognese and belonged to Marozzo's school ), thanks to whom the single-swordame the most important arm to learn , gradually associated to other protections or arms.

( TO BE CONTINUED )

he second part of this article some more detailed news on Maestro Di Grassi's School will be given. To

owe one of the masterpieces of the Italian fencing art, the very art which the Philippine warriors have ccontact with!

Part II

Giacomo di Grassi school and didactis

The 600' school

The Italian school through the ages

The technology comes into play

"to do" Spada e Daga

Yesterday and Today

Transfer competences

Glossary

Visit the Nova Scrimia Homepage(In Italian)




29/32


Click Here to Read Part One

Spada & Daga: the Real Italian Fencing Art

Part II

Giacomo Di Grassis School and DidacticsBy Graziano Galvani ofNova Scrimia

acomo Di Grassi's School and Didactics

omo di Grassi is said to have been a great Maestro of Scrimia as well as a tyrannic teacher. He would not let histitioners draw back before the point of a sword and would make them wear heavy lead shoes. Moreover he would a

m to fight bare breasted and with spade nere (also called spade di marra): arms provided with a spiked button!

was the origin of the first-blood tradition, which stays on in the XXth century duel , fencing with spade a punta zigmor had it that he even used to fire gunshots while his students were training in order to increase their strain and test

entration.

Grassi's works are actually the most translated: the swordsman Binet de Bordeaux was one of his students as well as er who translated his master's treatise for the French school in 1573. Jacques de Zeter then published a French and Glation in 1619. Indeed, the French School owes its prestige to Di Grassi's work and Maestro Angelo Termamondo d

ti Malevolti.

ording to Di Grassi's own words, spada&daga is to be taught because:pare cosa convenevole venendo dal semplice al composto, trattar di quelle armi prima che dalla spada in fuori sono

plici o meno composite, et di quelle principalmente che pi oggi di s'usano e nelle quali pi gli uomini si esercitano,i sono la spada accompagnata dal pugnale, che accrescimento si in offesa come in difesa . Onde da avertire che si te e simili arme esercitare quel tanto desiderato e apprezzato modo di schermire, che si dice parare e ferir in uno ste

po. ".

eems convenient, that coming from the simple to the compound, I handle these weapons first, which from the Rapieard are either most simple or least compound: And especially those which nowadays are most used, and in which m

t exercised, which weapons are the Rapier accompanied by the Dagger, and are a great and furtherance both in attacdefending. Therefore, it is to be considered, that with these and alike weapons, a man may practise the most desiredwned manner of skirmishing, which means to strike and defense both in the same time.)

n, in the treatise there are a series of considerations about the advantages that can be found by using both arms at the. The first consideration deals with time and can be drawn directly from Di Grassi's words: the sword and the daggewn together allow us to fight by defending and striking at the same time because the two weapons can "agiutare" (hel

other.

ther important remark is about the role and competence of each arm: since these are of different length: " a ciascunadar quella parte di difesa et offesa che pu sopportare" (they have to be allotted the part of work they are best able

ort).

is: the control of the left side is assigned to the dagger, "da diffendere fino al ginocchio", and to the sword "e destra et la destra e la sinistra insieme. "(Is assigned the right side and the left and right together, then both the inwoutward parts.)"

//alliancemartialarts.com/spada&daga2.htm


30/32

n be inferred that the dagger somehow increases the power of the sword both from the inside and outside: thanks to er, the Scarmitor (old Italian definition for fighter with or without arms) actually experiences a reduction of the tim

Grassi also states that the dagger easily sustains " ogni gran colpo di taglio " (any big edgeblow), when it meets therd on the first and second part but not on the third or fourth " perch di gran troppa forza " (because here the swores too much strength).

is confirmed later on when it is said that the dagger can sustain the blows of any arm "si assicura di andarli a incoo la mano " (provided that it encounters them near the hand ), that is to say as nearest as possible to the hilt. Moreovsi's teaching does not allow any double parries because " non si pu offendere se prima non si riscuoton le armi o

i consumano doi tempi " (these ones would not permit us to strike before one of the arms is replaced forward). So, harm for warding blows and the other to be ready to strike.

he contrary, Di Grassi allows edgeblows because of the great protection given by the dagger on the line left by the she warns the reader at this regard: " ne gi questo si avezzosse a tirar colpi di taglio; perci che si pu sott'essimente ferir di punta" ( to not accustom himself to give blows with the edge: for that under them he may be easilya thrust )."

the wards of sword and dagger

ugh he admits there are different wards, he asserts that many of them are not helpful. In fact, he does not consider an

d effective that holds the weapons out of their strike-line, and so the wards are reduced to three. The reason of this chat swords are getting lighter; therefore the offensive tracks and the edgeblow strength are to be readjusted.

w to defend with the dagger

Grassi explains that the dagger has to be held " inanzi co'l braccio desteso et con la punta che guardi l'inimico" (stretch with the point facing the enemy), which although it be far from the enemy, gives him occasion " da pensarenimico" (to bethink himself).

Grassi allows the Scarmitor freedom to hold the dagger " co'l taglio ( pugno in seconda), o con la faccia (pugno in ter rimettere al giudizio di chi l'adopra secondo che li torna pi avantagio." (With edge or flat towards the enemy,

rding to the Scarmitor's will)

practical reasons of both postures are soon explained. The first (pugno in seconda) could be used to parry and easilynemy's sword out, whereas with the second (pugno in terza) you could trap the enemy's sword using the quillons ofer. Men who were accustomed to using such a parry used a dagger " oltra l'else ordinarie, hanno anchora due alette lunghe quattro ditta dirritte e distanti dal pugnale la grossezza di una corda d'arco, nella quale distanza quando avi

se gli cacci la spada inimica essi subito volgendo la mano stringono la spada facendo presa di essa" (Which beside thnary hilts, have also two long strips of iron, four fingers length, and are distant from the dagger the thickness of astring,- this is the distance between the counter guard and the blade - into which distance, when it chances the enemrd to be driven, they suddenly strain and hold fast the sword)

acomo Di Grassi, His true Arte of Defence.how, this does not convince Di Grassi, who thinks that the technique of trapping a sword is hardly applicable in theore dell'arme (heat of a fight)!

he way we can say that all depends on the length of the arms of the guard, the inclining and the automatism of the hons. All that needs to be carefully developed, and yet we cannot forget Di Grassi and his students really used this Sc

pia for life-or-death struggle, and not us.

ct, nothing is easy to do if the duel is to the death.

ver, thanks to the dagger's design, it still remains ossibleto do this.



31/32

most important and practical thing for Di Grassi is to keep the parries in order and to drive on the left the blows warthe dagger and drive on the right the blows warded with the sword.

o the fashion of the "Pugnale" (dagger), Di Grassi just said that it must be strong and its length dependent on theenience of drawing it quickly out of the sheath.

gh Ward

first ward is divided in two stances, one with right foot before and the other with the right foot behind.

ays to deliver a thrust from the first ward "con la cresciuta del pie dinanti fermandosi in guardia bassa." (with increae right foot, settling himself in the Low ward ), that is an Affondo e imbroccata. The second guard consents to deliv

st with the increase of straight pace (passata), so ending in the same low ward.

Grassi advises the readers against the edgeblows, and calls them to first of all develop the awareness "..d'avere in marma da difendersi" (of handling a weapon to defend themselves).

e Defence of the High Ward

Maestro advises us to use the low ward with right foot in front to oppose the high ward. Then the enemy's thrust ma

ded off in three ways: the first with the dagger, the second with the sword and the third with the sword and the daggeed together.

otices:scere un passo obligo ( scanso, scarto o inquarto ) mediante il quale si viene a rimuovere dalla linea retta quella partnella quale si veniva a ferire. Quando si parer con il solo pugnale si crescer il passo et il braccio innanti ( una sortndo contenuto ) e trovata la spada ( legamento, sforzo o parata ), si ferir con la crecsiuta del passo diritto della puntarata."

increase a pace whereby that part of the body which is to be struck is voided out of the straight line. When one wardagger only, he shall increase a pace, and bear his arm forwards, and having found the enemy's sword, he shall ( wit

ease of a straight pace ) strike him with a thrust underneath, that is already prepared ".)

action can be performed as a parry and riposte, where you can parry with a forward movement and pave the way fost blow of stoccata.

si difende con la sola spada di bisogno nel fara il passo obliquo levare la spada,et portarla di fuora, overo come si ata la spada inimica ferir con il pugnale nelle tempie"

hen the student wards with his sword only, it is requisite, that making a slope pace, he lift up his sword, and bear itwards, or else, as soon as he has found the enemy's sword, that with his dagger he strike at the temples of his enemy's

")

action can be executed with a slope pace on the left parrying with the sword (in terza) and in this position (closer tomy than before) stab that side of the head with an imbroccata.

e is another solution, which provides that after parry of sword, instead of striking with the dagger, hold the sword wer and then with another pace strike with the free sword.

cento's School

'oggetto di questa scienza altro non che il riparare e il ferirele quali non potr alcuno sapere se prima non havr izione d tempi e delle misure"

stro Nicoletto Giganti SCOLA OVERO TEATRO 1606



32/32

seicento is abound in great Masters of Scrimia and they gathered the heritage of 16th century School and drove the ards new technical and stylistic conquests. Ridolfo Capoferro, Marco Docciolini, Salvatore Fabris, Francesco Alfierdi di Mazo, Morsicato Pallavicini, are some of the great Masters of the period.

letto Giganti is one of them: Master of the Art of Scrimia is the superb actor of the Rapier Fencing with Capoferro. pon carried the thrust blows to prevail over the edge blows, even though it maintained the edgeblow ability of strikence. The Rapier signed history with the practice of duel, in fact it was born not for the war, but to be carried during ian life.

Rapier, accompanied by the Manosinistra ("left-hand" is the dagger's name assumed in this period just for its

ialization) represents the perfect marriage, the synthesis and the Height of the creative expression of the Schermaompagnata.

anti is a Refined Master, who trained for 27 years in the hard school of the time, which included both the exercises aitable duels. We can see his martial competence and clevernees from what was taught in his treatise SCOLA OVERTRO (1606), dedicate to Don Cosmo de Medici, Prince of Toscana. The precise and technical enunciations are vercherma is strict, essential and strongly self-preserving.

anti teaches "stringere l'inimico" (close the enemy) with the indispensable "to find the sword" of a mortal duel; he tamy to the "obbedienza" (to force someone to parry) through a play of tocchi, cavazioni e contro-cavazioni and then a

nemy's contrarie with contra-contrarie. His stoccate di cavazione directed to the face and eyes, as the old Bolognes

ol recommended, are the sign of the required millimetric control of the point.

e experimentation it is amazing to find some concepts of the modern fencing, made of finte, parate di contro, cavazi in tempo.

se who study the matter in depth want the rapier to be held as a very expert grips the dagger. The hand easily holds pon in such a way that the Italian school calls "respirato" ("wet cloth"). Thanks to the grip the hand transmits to thepon (and conversely) the finest of sensorial information. About this particular way of "tenere" (holding) the grip,aphorically it was recommended to hold the grip as you would hold a bird: not too tight if you want it alive and not t

because it will escape.

tactile scherma of sword & dagger can be appreciated only through the practice, which doesn't allow any sketchine

mirably Science and Art are blended together, dramatic expression of practical efficiency.

hink the crude human nature ( temper), that once was decisive in a duel, is balanced by Giganti with his heartfeltctance to take part in duels without rhyme or reason. He was a valiant and gallant man, tempered by the world of mos. He loved and honored the Art, condemning those who carried the sword just for dueling.

warns us against being as who " come hanno acquistato qualche principio di questa, ponersi la spada a lato, e usar menzie, con far star, con ferire e tal volta ammazzare qualche misero, credendosi d'acquistare honore, e fama; et f, perch oltre che fanno oltraggio alla nobilt di questa, la quale non deve essere messa in uso se non con ragione,

ndono il giusto Iddio et se stessi".

Part III Coming Soon...Check Back!

Visit the Nova Scrimia Homepage!(In Italian)


circle of steel - western medieval ma

Documents