Gevaert, Bert The True Principles of Combat

An Underestimated Martial Arts Treatise from the 16th Century

The late 16th century was a time of great political and social upheaval, an era in which medieval knights, feudal armies, city militias and hired mercenaries gave way to modern military forces, pikes and firearms dominated the battlefield, and the art of sword fighting was a pastime for both nobles and commoners, often serving to settle matters of honour or learn military manners. Most students of European martial arts know the name Heinrich von Gunterrodt only as the owner of the oldest known European fencing manual from the 16th century, a manuscript from around 1300 entitled I.33, which deals with sword and buckler. However, this Saxon nobleman was himself a swordsman, soldier and fencing historian. In 1579, he wrote a short treatise on the history of fencing entitled De Veris Principiis Artis Dimicatorie (On the True Principles of Martial Arts) and dedicated it to Johan Albrecht, Duke of Mecklenburg. The text, which ostensibly traces the history of swordsmanship and wrestling back to antiquity, is also interesting because von Gunterrodt draws connections between fencing and unarmed combat and makes comparisons between what was taught in the fencing schools of his time and the lessons in Ms. I.33. For modern students of sword fighting of this period, perhaps most interesting is his sharp criticism of the Marxbruder fencing guild and the public fencing competitions, the fencing schools, which he regards as little more than crude, drunken sporting events; a criticism that, interestingly, parallels contemporary authors analysing the fencing guilds and public prize fights in England and Spain. This beautiful, full-colour edition contains a complete facsimile edition, transcription and translation of von Gunterrodt's original manuscript, as well as extensive annotations and comparisons with other texts on Renaissance martial arts. A critical analysis of the author's practical fencing advice by renowned sword fighting researcher Robert Rutherfoord (The Art and Practice of 16th c. German Rapier Fencing) is also included. Students of historical European martial arts and anyone with a general interest in the profound changes in the nature and purpose of sword fighting in the second half of the 16th century will find this essay a fascinating addition to their libraries.