 Nicoletto Giganti, 1606, "Teatro" - PDF file (11.5MB) courtesy of William Wilson |
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NA - Nicoletto Giganti's text, there are 38 plates that show two combatants engaged in combat. Of these plates eight of them represent guard postures, either single sword, or sword and dagger. Thirteen plates depict thrusts of various types to the head. The remaining seventeen plates all depict various blows to the body.
- released January 15, 2003 |
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| Ridolfo Capo Ferro, 1610, "Gran Simvlacro Dell'Arte e dell'Vso della Scherma" - PDF file (38.2MB) courtesy of William Wilson |
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NA - "The Grand Simulacrum of the Art and Use of Fencing" is com prised of 137 plates of text and beautifully composed illustrations (43 plates) depicting rapier, rapier & dagger, rapier & cloak, and unusual illustrations of rapier and buckler. Published in 1610 during the height of the use of the rapier and although the works of Cavalcabo, Fabris and Giganti were also published around this time, Gran Simularcro Dell'arte e Dell'uso Della Scherma became the most highly regarded text of the time. Click the AHF logo to view more information on the joint AHF and SSI Capo Ferro Translation Project.
- released January 21, 2000 |
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 Jakob Sutor von Baden, 1612, "Neu Künstliches Fechtbuch" - PDF file (3.61MB) courtesy of Peter Valentine |
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NA - Sutor's "Neu Künstliches Fechtbuch" was originally written in Frankfurt in 1612 and then republished by Wilhelm Hoffman in Stuttgart in 1849. He begins his work with 16 pages covering the "langen schwerdt" or long sword. These include the classic guards and a few pages devoted to grappling techniques. He follows this with coverage of the "Dusaken" or dusack. It is essentially, a large, elongated "meat cleaver", one sharp edge, slightly curved blade with an integral hand grip. It has a certain resemblance to a large machete. His works concludes with ample coverage of the rapier, rapier and dagger trailing with a few pages covering pole-weapons. To view a modern German transcription of the manuscript, click on the Die Freifechter icon.
- released October 14, 1999
 <== click icon to log into the library to access Jakob Sutor |
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 Hieronyme Calvacabo, 1617, "Traité ou instruction pour tirer des armes" - Bibliothéque Nationale France |
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Bibliothéque Nationale France R-25935 - Manuel d'un maitre Bolognais, traduit par le Seigneur de Villamont. Traite d'une épée de taille et d'estoc seule ou avec une cape ou un poignard. "A Treatise or Instructions for the Deployment of Weapons". A handbook of a Maitre Bolognais, translated by the Lord of Villamont. A manuscript comprised of two parts or books, the first by Calvacabo which discusses the use of a cut and thrust sword alone or with a cape or dagger, the second part by the Patenostrier of Rome which discusses the epee only. There are in existence, two previous editions of this treatise printed in 1609 (R-25504) and 1610 (V-22944), by the same printer.
- released August 14, 2001
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| Salvatore Fabris, 1624, "Della vera pratica & scienza d'armi libri due nel primo de quali si tratta di fondament della spada sola" - PDF file (23.3MB) courtesy of William Wilson |
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NA - The entire manuscript focuses on the art of dagger and rapier play. It is also the first book with copper-engravings to be printed in Denmark. "Fabris divides his work into two books and six parts. The first book treats throughly the question of broad principles and of the more 'academic' actions with the rapier alone, or accompanied with dagger or cloak; it discusses in a very exhaustive manner the relative value of the past and present methods. The second book is one wherein is demonstrated certain rules with which it will be possible to strike the enemy from the moment the sword is drawn, without halting or waiting any time, principles which has never been treated by any master or writer" (Thimm p. 97).
- released October 28, 2004 |
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| Francesco Alfieri, 1653, "L'Arte di ben Maneggiare La Spada" - PDF file (22.3MB) courtesy of William Wilson |
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K.U.Leuven, Universiteitsbibliotheek, 4A 28 (only part 2 on CD-rom) - Alfieri's manuscript, written in 1653, describes the basic guards as it pertains to the two-handed sword (from the illustrations, they appear at least 2m long). The manuscript includes textual description of the guards, along with detailed coverage of rapier, rapier & dagger, rapier & cloak. Click on the School of the Sword logo to view Alfieri's 1640 publication online.
- released November 22, 2000 |
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| Charles Besnard, 1653, "Le maistre d'arme libéral" - Bibliothéque Nationale France |
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Bibliothéque Nationale France RES-V-1403 - Traittant de la théorie de l'art & l'exercice de l'espée seule ou fleuret, & de tout ce qui s'y peut faire & pratiquer de plus subtil, avec les principales figures & psotures et taille douce. "A Liberal Master at Arms" "A treatise on the theory of the art and training of espee or foil from all aspects to achieve a more subtle mode of fighting including the use of illustrations and postures."
- released August 14, 2001
<== click icon to log into the library to access Charles Besnard |
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| Johann Georg Paschen [Pascha], 1659, "Vollstandiges Ring-Buch" - courtesy of Dr. Eli Steenput |
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Hall in Sachsen: Melchior Oelschlegel - A 17th century book focused entirely on unarmed fighting techniques comprised of 3 parts beginning with an explaination of the concepts of the strong, half-strong and weak as they relate to the parts of the human body. The first part continues with a focus on the upper body, specifically arms with respect to strikes and counters. This is followed by the "other part" which the grapples now include the mid-section followed by the third part which looks at the lower target.
- released January 30, 2002
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 Nicolaes Petter, 1674, "Klare Onderrichtinge der Voortreffelijcke Worstel-Konst" - courtesy of Dr. Eli Steenput |
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Amsterdam: Johannes Janssonius van Waesberge - Prof. Sydney Anglo's book entitled The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe, p. 190 states Petter's book as "historically speaking, the most important treatise on unarmed combat ever printed... the finest of all wrestling books and deservedly the most famous". It was first published in 1674 and reprinted several times, including one complete plagiarism. The combination of Petter's lucid descriptions, devoid of all jargon, and de Hooge's masterful depiction of pain and violence in the engravings, elevates the book to its position of solitary eminence. It is also probably unique in presenting an effective and complete unarmed combat system in a format from which it would be actually possible to learn. Click on the icon Escrime Ancienne for another online presentation of Nicolaes Petter.
- released February 3, 2002
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 D. Nicolas Tamariz, 1696, "Cartilla y luz en la verdadera destreza, nacida de los escritos de Don Luis Pacheco de Narvaez" - PDF file (10.1MB) courtesy of William Wilson |
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NA - The manuscript focuses on Spanish destreza or rapier.
- released October 28, 2004 |
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nline Library - 17th century
Author, Year, "Title" - Source
Footnotes 
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.
Some of the online manuscripts have an audio component indicated by the speaker icon situated next to the country flag on the library listings.