Interpretations of the New Zealand Schools of European Martial Arts.

Below are some of our interpretations that we have been working on. They are always subject to change, but may provide usefulness to those trying to make heads or tails out of fencing treatises from Europe.

  1. Italian Martial Arts from the Middle Ages
  2. German Martial Arts from the Middle Ages

 

Our interpretation of Medieval Italian Martial Arts

This is a work in progress. The current work has been undertaken by both the Wellington and Upper Hutt schools

The works of Fiore dei Liberi are commonly known as Fiori di battaglia or the Flower of Battles

In this clip we go through the correct holding of posta di donna, one the pulsitiva positions. We have tested variants of this position to see if there is an exactness needed and our tests conclude if you do it wrong, you will be in trouble. However if you hold this position correctly you can cut correctly and with structural strength.

This clip follows directly from the previous one. We demonstrate the need to hold posta di donna correctly versus incorrect. We contend that if the agent (the one acting first) holds the position correctly, he can safely attack the patient (the one acting second.) This is primarily demonstrated via unbalancing the patient.

This clip is opposite the previous one. The agent adopts a lazy posta di donna. This position fails to unbalance the patient and actually gifts the advantage to said patient.

In this video there is a bit more smarts. The patient rather than contesting the strike, slips and counters. The agent in this case has to move to another position, in this example Posta porta di ferro mezzani to counter the patient's slip. This new position has to be held correctly as well. If so, victory can happen.

This video is the opposite of the previous one. Instead of holding posta porta di ferro mezzani correctly, the agent is lazy. As a result the advantage is passed to the patient.

This video is an entry into how to deal with a patient who does not want to fence correctly. Instead the patient simply wants to hit any opening the agent may have, without thought to his own safety. This is a common problem and we begin to offer our solution to such a problem.

This video continues to deal with the patient who does not want to fence correctly. Unlike the previous clip this time the patient keeps attacking trying to find an opening...still without any regard to his own safety.

 

Our interpretation of Medieval German Martial Arts

This is a work in progress. The current work has been undertaken by the Wellington school

The following is our interpretation of Johannes Liechtenauer and his student descendants

This video starts with a worthy oberhau or over strike being thrown from the position vom tag. The response is to take up the counter position zornhut and reply with the zornhau or wrath strike. We will build on this as time permits.