Fencing in elizabethan England

Abstract

Sword-shaped weapons have been known to mankind as far back as the Bronze Age and the Iron Age and were used in Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. In addition to being a weapon, the sword is also a symbol of war, justice, military skill and honour. In the 16th century, when the sword lost its supremacy in military conflicts, the first real distinctions between competing and practice sparring, as opposed to life and death fights developed. Towards the end of the 15* century, non-military fencing "corporations" such as "Marxbrüder" and "Federfechten" began to emerge in Germany. These corporations opened schools and organised bouts at which their students demonstrated their skills. In Italy at this time, the fundamental principles that form the basis for contemporary European fencing had already evolved and were applied in all schools. European soldiers, knights, and even burghers learned and practiced forms of self-defence using a combination of longer and shorter weapons and very effective elements of wrestling, pugilism, throwing techniques and kicks. The Elizabethan age brought a great revolution in weaponry and the distinction between military hand-to-hand combat and the art of fencing became increasingly apparent. The final goal, however, remained the same: to score a hit and to avoid taking a hit in the process - which is still also the main aim in contemporary sport fencing halls today. Elizabethan England was a paradise for fencing enthusiasts: there was an abundance of schools of various styles run by Masters, with a whole range of different weapons at their disposal, and in addition to this, it was hardly likely that there would be a lack of opponents - who either fought of their own free will, or because circumstances had forced them to.