A Historical Martial Arts blog by Jens P. Kleinau
Transcriptions, translations and explanations to the manuscripts.
The probably oldest book on martial arts known to us, it is exclusively about fencing with small shields and sword. The book, which is dated by scientists to the first half of the 14th century, was created in a workshop of at least three scribes and five illustrators. The story of the book tells us … Continue reading Understanding I.33 #1: A Teacher and His Students
Gloss Liechtenauer wants the young knights to love God. As Alanus de Insula said in his Summa de arte praedicatoria relying on Ephes. 3, “Amor Dei mater est omnium virtutum, amor saeculi mater est omnium vitiorum.”, the love to God is the mother of all virtues, while the love for worldly things is the mother … Continue reading Liechtenauer New Glosses – Preface Part 1
If we compare the versions of the Zedel by Master Liechtenauer to each other, and to the poem originated by Magister Beringer we will recognize at first sight the different number of verses. Same happens in comparison of the Nürnberg Hausbuch with most of the other variants of Liechtenauer Zedel. Two simple explanations come to … Continue reading The path to the original poem of Master Liechtenauer
One of the most prominent terms in the book I.33 is the "halpshilt" or in modern German "Halbschild" translated as "half-shield". At the same time the term like many others is not explained at all. There are several approaches to getting closer to the meaning of the term. This article will put a light on … Continue reading The “Halpschilt” – Halbschild (Half-Shield)
The understanding of the terms "Vorschlag" and "Nachschlag" in the teaching of Johannes Liechtenauer is widely based on the interpretations done in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The early reception of the texts had been flavored by the modern understanding of 16th century fightbooks like those of Joachim Meyer. While Joachim Meyer himself never … Continue reading The true meaning of “Vorschlag” and “Nachschlag”
The Folios 128r-129v of the KK5126, Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria, do contain some recommendations for a participant of a mace - shield duel in a judicial court. The most interesting thing for us is that it is not absolutely expected that the fighters must die. It is asked for regulations, what will happen if someone wins … Continue reading What to do if you are called for the judicial duel with mace and shield
One of the interesting poems on sword-fighting is one that mixes Messer fighting with the longsword. It is to be found in Talhoffer Fechtbuch (MS Thott.290.2º, Copenhagen, 1r) and in Martin Siber’s Fighting of the Codex Speyer (MS M.I.29, Salzburg, 3r). In June 2011 I translated and explained the poem in the Salzburg manuscript. Today … Continue reading The Anonymous poem on Messer and Longsword of the Thott and the MI29 manuscript
This post is part of a series. It is reflecting all the plays of Hans Lecküchner, a late medieval fencing master and author of a superior fencing book. Most of the plays had been presented at various national and international events in workshops by the author of this blog. To promote the plays to a wider … Continue reading Lecküchner’s Messerfechten: The Krieg (folios 9v-14r)
This post is part of a series. It is reflecting all the plays of Hans Lecküchner, a late medieval fencing master and author of a superior fencing book. Most of the plays had been presented at various national and international events in workshops by the author of this blog. To promote the plays to a wider … Continue reading Lecküchner’s Messerfechten: The Zornhau (folios 3r-9r)
This post is part of a series. It is reflecting all the plays of Hans Lecküchner, a late medieval fencing master and author of a superior fencing book. Most of the plays had been presented at various national and international events in workshops by the author of this blog. To promote the plays to a wider … Continue reading Lecküchner’s Messerfechten: The Preface (folios 1r-2v)
