RECOMMENDED BOOKS

 

The Swordsman's Companion: A Modern Training Manual for the Medieval Longsword
by Guy Windsor

Secrets of German Medieval Swordsmanship: Sigmund Ringeck's Commentaries on Liechtenauer's Verses
by Christian Henry Tobler

 

Fighting with the German Longsword
by Christian Henry Tobler

Medieval Sword and Shield: The Combat System of Royal Armouries Ms I.33
by Paul Wagner & Stephen Hand 

Medieval Combat: A Fifteenth-century Manual of Swordfighting and Close-quarter Combat
by Hans Talhoffer, Mark Rector (Editor)

English Martial Arts
by Terry Brown

Sigmund Ringeck's "Knightly Art of the Longsword"
by David Lindholm, Peter Svard

By the Sword
by Richard Cohen

Would you like to give other recommendations? Click here to email us.

ONLINE RESOURCES

The British Federation for Historical Swordplay (BFHS)

The BFHS is a national, non political, umbrella group for individual UK societies involved in the research, study and practice of historical fencing and the European Martial Arts.

- Comprehensive lists of original treatises available to buy for a nominal fee.
- Links and contacts details for other groups across the UK.

Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts (AEMMA)

The mission of AEMMA is to resurrect the combat skills, philosophies and principles of an accomplished European Medieval martial artist and to achieve a state which would be consistent with that of a medieval warrior in both technology and ideals.

- Multi-media Library demonstrates techniques and drills.
- Online Library section contains historical manuscripts, treatises and other relevant material with practitioners and schollers who study historical European martial arts.
- And much more (an excellent resource site).

The Duellist

The intended purpose of The Duellist is to provide a useful UK resource for all those interested in European swordsmanship. Quite simply this means, providing information about UK societies interested in swordsmanship, retailers and manufacturers of swords; armour and period accessories, events, contests, study aids, history, texts, treatises, articles and entertainment.

- Links to other UK school and organisations.
- Article "What is Classical Fencing/Historic Swordsmanship?"
- Article How to study Classical fencing/Historical Swordsmanship.

The Sword Forum

Sword Forum International, Inc. was founded in June 1998 and serves the international community as an academic organisation and conservation society promoting history and culture through the study of swords and swordsmanship.

- Numerous discussion forums from some of the leading figures in WMAs.
- Practice partner finder - click here

LIST OF TREATISES

Although the martial art has been in a state of suspended animation for the past 500 years, the European masters recorded the skills, techniques and their practice of swordsmanship in documents known as treatises. The earliest known treatise was written in 1280. Some of the notable treatises studied include, but are not limited to:

• Johannes Liechtenauer, c1389, "Kunst die fechten"
• Fiore dei Liberi, 1410, "Flos Duellatorum"
• Sigmund Ringeck, c1440, "Commentaries on Liechtenauer"
• Hans Talhoffer, 1459, "Alte Armatur und Ringkunst"
• Hans Talhoffer, 1467, "Fechtbuch aus dem Jahre 1467"
• Unknown, c1470, "Das Solothurner Fechtbuch"
• Camillo Agrippa, 1568, "His Treatise on the Science of Arms"
• Giacomo di Grassi, 1594, "His True Arte of Defense"
• Vincentio Saviolo, 1595, "His Practice" (in two books)
• George Silver, 1599, "Paradoxes of Defense"
• Jakob Sutor, 1612, "Künftliches Fechtbuch"