The Buckler in the Chronicle of Prussia

Universitätsbibliothek Heidelberg, Cod. Pal. germ. 367, Nikolaus <von Jeroschin>, 1415 The "Chronicle of Prussia" is a translation of the "Chronica terrae Prussiae" of Peter von Dusburg into 27,738 rhyming couplet verses in East Central German, written in 1331/41. This chronicle of particularly high source value for the years 1311-1331. Around verses 2270 he starts to …

Liechtenauer New Glosses – Preface Part 1

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 …

Analysis of the Liechtenauer Poem

The analysis of the Liechtenauer fencing poem was the first step to create a critical edition based on content and linguistic aspects. The preconditions that lead to this method of analysis had been discussed in the article entitled: The Path to the Origininal Poem of Master Liechtenauer. For the analysis of the Liechtenauer version I …

The path to the original poem of Master Liechtenauer

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 …

Interpretation in Historical Martial Arts

The former school visitor knows the interpretation under the term "What does the artist want to say to me? No text, no picture is created thoughtless and without intention. In the scientific treatise "Visualised motion: iconography of medieval and renaissance fencing books" the author of these lines briefly writes about the interpretation of images in …

Reconstruction of Historical Martial Arts

"Reconstruction is the process of creating or recreating something more or less non-existent or unknown,” as German Wikipedia defines it. In the reconstruction of an old text or image, we fill in gaps left intentionally or unintentionally by the author. In Historical Martial Arts these are movements that we recognize as necessary in order to …

1595 Meister Lorenz Römer, Freifechter

Master Lorenz Römer was already an old man, when he came to settle down. He was a Freyfechter and entitled to hold Fechtschule - the fencing school and tournament. Next to his duty as a fencing master he was catching birds and selling them. He was remembered in a poem written at his death by Bartholomäus Ringwaldt, pastor …

The meaning of sport and martial arts in a 14th century poem

The discussion about the meaning of the sporting competition for fame with medals and titles in martial arts is neither new nor completely dissolvable. We want to treat ourselves to the fun of reading the historical state of discussion from the early 15th century on the basis of the song poem "Kloster der Minne" from …

Treatises to the Long Knife (Langes Messer)

The Long Knife (Langes Messer) is a cut and thrust weapon from the Middle Ages, which enjoyed great popularity as a weapon of defense especially in the 15th and 16th centuries. There are several instructions in fencing books for the Long Knife.  In the following article I have listed most fencing books which I have …

Fast moving goal posts

When we learn and train Historical Martial Arts, we must be aware of some traps we may fall in. In a small series of articles I will point out some of the pitfalls in learning historical fencing. Being warned of traps helps us to avoid them or disarm them. These articles will aid instructores and …