Historical martial arts are those western arts practiced prior to the 19th Century when a sword or dagger was still worn as a common sidearm. Today, when these arts are practiced it is as a reconstruction of an earlier system of defense recorded in treatises from previous centuries.
Instructor: Cecil Longino
The 'rapier', an English term adopted for a popular Continental European sword of the High Renaissance, was considered to be an essential part of a Gentleman's attire. Not only did it aid in his defense, but it was also viewed as the weapon most properly worn at the side of the "better sorts" such as noblemen, gentlemen, knights and soldiers.
The Academia offers two distinctly different rapier classes.
Spanish rapier (La Verdadera Destreza) meets on Tuesday evenings. Our methodology comes from Maestro Ramon Martinez and is supplemented by the writings of earlier Spanish fencing masters: Don Jeronimo de Carranza (1569), Don Luis Pacheco de Narvaez (1600), Girard Thibault (1628), Don Alvaro Guerra de la Vega (1681) and Don Francisco Lorenz de Rada (1705).
Our Italian rapier class meets on Friday evenings and focuses on the scientific sword play of 17th Century Italy. Students having gained a competency with the single rapier will also train with the rapier’s companion weapons, dagger and cloak.
This class is located at the Salle Saint-George. A partial list of equipment suppliers can be found here.
Instructor: Nathan Barnett
The system of George Silver presents a condensed and refined system of defense with cut and thrust sword. By focusing on Silver's core principles, students will develop an appreciation of the subtleties of swordplay as it was likely practiced during the 16th and possibly earlier centuries.
For seasonal class locations: check here. For equipment supplies: check here.
Instructor: Nathan Barnett
The Tower Fechtbuch, also known as Tower of London manuscript i.33, is Europe's oldest known fencing manual. Written by a German-speaking priest circa 1300 in ecclesiastical Latin, the manuscript portrays a sophisticated system of sword & buckler defense for unarmored combatants. Contact the instructor for details.
Manuscript copies:
For seasonal class locations: check here. For equipment supplies: check here.