European Martial Art Literature

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The subject of historical European martial arts as been so far addressed only marginally. These traditions disappeared and in contrast to Eastern Martial Arts, and with the sole exception of wrestling, they cannot be recreated on the base of any present combatitive sport. The Fechtschulen (fight schools) and Fechtmeisteren (fight masters) no longer exist, and we do not have anyone like the Eastern sensei who could teach us how to fight with a sword, cutlass, or halberd. The only reasonable option for the reconstruction of historical European martial arts is the study of old Fechtbucher – fighting treatises – and applying the knowledge contained therein in modern practice.

European Martial Art Literature

Fechtbucher Royal Armouries c.1280 The Dobringer Hausbuch 1389 Le Jeu de la Hache 1400 Flos Duellatorum 1409-1410 Ringgeck's Fechtbuch c.1440 Jud Lew c.1440 The Von Danzig Fechtbuch 1452 Paulus Kal 1450-1500 Hans Talhoffer 1459, 1467

De Arte Gladiatoria Dimicandi 1482-1487 Hans von Speyer 1491 Paradoxes of Defence 1499 Joachim Meyer 1570 Arte Dell' Armi 1568 His True Arte of Defense 1594 His Practise 1595 Gran Simulacro Dell'Arte e dell'uso della Scherma 1610 Della vera Practica & scienza d'arma libri due nel primo de quali si tratta di fondament della spada solla 1624