nline Library - 16th century

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Author, Year, "Title" - Source Citation - Description

Anonymous, c1500, "Goliath" - Biblioteka Jagiellonski
		Biblioteka Jagiellonski, Krakow - Ms. Germ. Quart. 2020, NR: 5879 1989 ROK - "Goliath" is an obscure fechtbuch recently "uncovered" and resurrected by Grzegorz Zabinski (originally in association with the Brotherhood of the Eagle's Nest, Poland - no longer active) from the archives of the Biblioteka Jagiellonski, Poland, originally part of the collection of "Die Preussische Koenigliche Staatsbibliothek" in Berlin, is dated sometime early in the 16th century, written in German. Composed of 568 pages containing images that are extraordinary, many depicting fully armoured individuals engaged using longsword, spear, pollaxe weapons and other illustrations of unarmoured techniques and knife techniques. - released November 24, 2000 <== click icon to log into the library to access Goliath
Antonio Manciolino, 1531, "Se opera nova, doue li sono tutti li documenti..." - Bibliothéque Nationale France
		Bibliothéque Nationale France R-24858 - Antonio Manciolino, Bolognais, a écrit ce manuel qui traite, á la manière de Marozzo, de toutes les armes de son époque. "New methods and all of them documented..." A fencing book written by Antonio Manciolino of Bolognais writes in the manner of Marozzo and covers all of the contemporary weapons of the period. Other copies of this treatise can be located at Biblioteca nazionale centrale di Roma, Biblioteca universitaria di Padova or Biblioteca reale di Torino. - released August 15, 2001 <== click icon to log into the library to access Antonio Manciolino
Achille Marozzo, 1536, "Opera Nova" - K.U.Leuven, Universiteitsbibliotheek
		K.U.Leuven, Universiteitsbibliotheek, 4A 938 - Opera Nova by the Bolognese master discusses single combat (offensive & defensive) with numerous weapons accompanied with 82 figures (woodcuts) depicted with & without arms of all maneuvres & guards. The fighters depicted are shown with swords, staff weapons or daggers which are described with intelligent text in a systematic manner. An interesting note is that most illustrations are signed with a monogram .b. which has been conjectured to be Francesco Barattini or Giovanni Britto though no absolute evidence supports this notion. Marozzo's treatise is comprised of 18 plates and was republished in 1568 as "Arte Dell' Armi". - released November 22, 2000
Hans Czynner, 1538, "Über die Fechtkunst und den Ringkampf" - Graz, Universitätsbibliothek
		Graz, Universitätsbibliothek - Ms.963 - The Hans Czynner manuscript which is indirectly influenced by the earlier work of Liechtenauer with respect to longsword techniques, is comprised of 170 illustrated pages that includes illustrations of armoured longsword techniques. In addition, the ringen or grappling style in keeping with the tradition of Meister Ott's emphasis on ringen is evident in the illustrations in Czynner's manuscript with respect to close-quarters combat. The most notable attributes are the emphasis on the attack to the leg in terms of lifts and throws - a clear indication of Meister Ott's ringen influence. - restricted access to AEMMA internally only (March 14, 2002)
Fabien von Auerswald, 1539, "Ringer kunst : fünff und achtzig stücke" - Graz, Universitätsbibliothek
		NA - A beautifully illustrated manuscript focused entirely on "The Art of Wrestling" which includes 80 plates describing a rather systemized approach to executing wrestling techniques. - released November 2, 2001
Paulus Hector Mair, 1510-1550, "Opus amplissimum de arte athletica..." - Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Vienna
		Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Vienna - Codex Vindobonensis Palatinus 10.825 - A relatively unknown manuscript located at the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Vienna, dated sometime in the 15th century, written in both German and Latin. Images are extraordinary, many depicting unarmoured individuals engaged using longsword, dagger, quarter-staff, dussack, pollaxe and what appears to be a sickle. - released January 29, 2001 <== click icon to log into the library to access Paulus Hector Mair
Roger Ascham, 1545, "The Schole of Shootinge"
		Bodleian Library, Oxford - In 1545, London, Ascham published the treatise Toxophilus or the Schole or Partitions of Shooting partly in defense of archery against those who found the sport unbefitting a scholar. The work was dedicated to Henry VIII who enjoyed the treatise so much that he granted Ascham a pension: ten pounds a year. Ascham was further honored by being assigned to tutor Prince Edward. - restricted access to AEMMA internally only (July 24, 2003)
Hans Lecküchner/Lebkommer, 1558, "Fechtbuch - die Ritterliche / Manniche Kunst..." - UB München
		K.U.Leuven, Universiteitsbibliotheek, 4A 514 (CD ROM) and UB München- Fechtbuch of c. 1482. W4 Art.234 (microfiche) - Hans Lecküchner/Lebkommer's (Lecküchner & Lebkommer identifies the same individual and are different due to dialectal differences) fechtbuch was published in Frankfurt in 1558 by Egenolff. The fechtbuch contains 48 pages of beautifully illustrated techniques that include the great sword, backsword/messer, dagger, unarmed techniques and quarter-staff. The manuscript is available on the CD in digitized form. Click on the CD image for more information on the CD. Click on the Die Freifechter icon to view an online modern German translation of Egenolff's publication. Click on the "griffen" shield for English translations work in progress. - released initially: CD Notification: November 22, 2000; - released internally to AEMMA internally only February 24, 2002; - public domain release March 19, 2002. <== click icon to log into the library to access Hans Lecküchner/Lebkommer
Camillo Agrippa, 1568, "Trattato di Scienza d'Arme" - PDF file (12.4MB) courtesy of William Wilson
		NA - Camillo Agrippa was a theorist who simplified Marozzo's eleven guards to four. He was regarded as the man who defined rapier as a thrusting weapon as well as one to be used for cutting. He published his book "Trattato di Scienza d'Arme' (Treatise on the Science of Arms) in 1568. - released December 14, 1998 <== click icon to log into the library to access Camillo Agrippa
Achille Marozzo, 1568, "Arte Dell' Armi" - PDF file (33.8MB) courtesy of William Wilson
		K.U.Leuven, Universiteitsbibliotheek, 4A 940 - The first republication of Marozzo's "Opera Nova" (published in 1536, see above) of over 200 pages which covers several weapons disciplines including the use of the shield, pole-arms as well as many illustrations that depict unarmed defense against the knife, and some illustrations on knife-on-knife combat. - released January 21, 2000
Jeronimo de Caranza, 1569, "De la filosofia de las armas, de su destreza y de la agresion y defension Christiana" - PDF file (65 MB) courtesy of William Wilson
		Biblioteca Nacional Madrid, ES - Caranza was recognized as one of the best known masters of the famous Distreza, the Spanish method of rapier combat. Caranza was recognized as the founder of the Spanish School and wrote of it in his De La Filosofia de las Armes (1583). Narvaez quantified many of Caranza's teachings and philosophies regarding the Destreza in his Libro de las Grandezas de la Espada in 1600. For more information pertaining to the Spanish School, Maestro Ramón Martínez wrote an article entitled "The Demystification of the Spanish School" (On-line Article, in 3 parts)2000, - released January 1, 2003
Joachim Meyer, 1570, "Gründtliche Beschreibung" - Die Freifechter
		NA - Meyer's treatise roughly translated: "A Thorough Description of the Free, Knightly and Noble Art of Fencing, Showing Various Customary Defenses, Affected and Put Forth with Many Handsome and Useful Drawings" was first published in Strasbourg in 1570, by Joachim Meyer and illustrated by Tobias Stimmer with woodcuts depicting fighters wielding pollaxes, rapiers, two-handed swords, dusaks along with unarmed fighting. Click on the griffen shield to view an English translation in progress of Meyer's fechtbuch, the Die Freifechter has a letter-for-letter transcript of the original German of the rapier chapter of Meyer's treatise and Escrime Ancienne for illustrations from Meyer's treatise that covers longsword, dusack, dagger and staff. Click on the Higgins Armoury logo for an analysis of Meyer's fechtbuch. - released January 2, 2001
Henri de Saint-Didier, 1573, "Traicté contenant les secrets du premier livre sur l'éspée seule, mère de toutes les armes..." - Bibliothéque Nationale France
		Bibliothéque Nationale France RES-V-1402 - Premier traité d'escrime écrit par un Français, ce livre traite de l'utilisation de l'épée de taille et d'estoc. A la fin, un court traité de l'auteur sur le jeu de la paume, l'ancêtre de notre moderne tennis, et ses liens avec l'escrime. "Treatise containing the secrets of the first book on éspée only, mother of all the weapons..." Probably the first fencing treatise written by the French, this book discusses the use of the cut and thrust sword. Towards the end of the treatise, the author writes about exercises called the "play of the palm", a predecesor of modern tennis and who describes its relationship with fencing. The style of Henri de Sainct Didier's illustrations appear as adaptations of di Grassi, however his illustrations differ by the inclusion of geometric ground plans and numbered footprints to indicate correct sequence of movements. A unique quality are the labels assigned to the figures, 'Le Lieutenant' on the left and 'Le Prevost' on the right. At the URL jf-gilles.com, you can find a French analysis of this treatise. - released August 10, 2001 <== click icon to log into the library to access Henri de Saint-Didier
Giacomo di Grassi, 1594, "His True Arte of Defense" - PDF file (12.8MB) courtesy of William Wilson
		K.U.Leuven, Universiteitsbibliotheek, 4A 642 - The document covers two-handed sword, poll-arm, and pike, as well as rapier, and rapier with dagger, cloak , buckler, and target. First written in Italian in 1570, later translated into English and published in 1594. - released November 9, 1998 <== click icon to log into the library to access Giacomo di Grassi
Vincentio Saviolo, 1595, "His Practice" (in two books)" - NA
		NA - A conversational-oriented document between Vincentio and his friend Luke, on their discussions of rapier techniques with the dagger. - released November 9, 1998 <== click icon to log into the library to access Vincentio Saviolo
George Silver, 1599, "Paradoxes of Defense" - NA
		K.U.Leuven, Universiteitsbibliotheek, 4A 1307 - George Silver spends a fair amount of time frothing at the mouth about the folly of the newfangled Italian rapier play, as opposed to the English sword. He provides some interesting discussion on the proper use of sword and buckler, two-handed sword, dagger, various pole-arms, and pike. Probably his most valuable contribution is his dissertation on combative theory in terms of the true and false fights, the four grounds and four governors. A pdf file containing a republication of George Silver's works by George Bell and Sons, London, 1898, edited with introduction by Cyril G.R. Matthey is available for download by clicking on the Adobe image on the left. (12.2MB). Courtesy of the Linacre School of Defence.

1. fechtbuch n German word for "fight book".
2. WMA = Western Martial Arts.
3. The AEMMA shield visible in some of the entries above indicates a resource that has restricted access to AEMMA internal only for research and study, and is not available for viewing in the public domain. This is due to the fact that permission to release the material into the public domain from the source was not granted.
4. Some of the online manuscripts have an audio component indicated by the speaker icon situated next to the country flag on the library listings.