SEVERAL REMARKS ON THE
BLOßECHTEN SECTION OF CODEX WALLERSTEIN

Journal of Western Martial Art
April 2001

by Grzegorz Zabiñski

1.0 Abstract

The paper deals with selected aspects of Bloßfechten (unarmoured combat) with the longsword as depicted in one of the most renowned, yet still unpublished source of medieval swordsmanship known as Codex Wallerstein (Universitaetsbibliothek Augsburg, I. 6.4°.2). Firstly, the author deals with the very structure of the manuscripts, proving that it actually consists of two different manuals (the one from late fourteenth-early fifteenth century, the other from about mid-fifteenth century, which were later put together). Furthermore, the question of the way in which the section under analysis was accomplished is discussed: it is suggested that the images were put in first, and then provided with relevant comments. Next, the author attempts classifying the weapon presented in the section by means of comparing it to a well-known and commonly accepted typology of Robert E. Oakeshott. Moreover, several remarks concerning the functionality of such particular types of weapon are introduced. Furthermore, the author deals with several general fighting principles as presented in the manuscript, trying to affiliate them to the school of German swordsmaster Johannes Liechtenauer; however, he notices several similarities to other fencing manuals, with special regard to that of Fiore dei Liberi. Then, the comments concerning particular plates and fighting actions presented on them are provided. Next, the author attempts to show several similarities between the actions presented and those depicted in other medieval fencing manuals. Finally, conclusions and suggestions for further research (comprising in the first instance the necessity of a critical edition of the manuscript) are provided.
 

2.0 Introduction

The aim of this paper is to comment on the unarmoured long sword fighting as presented in one of the best known late medieval Fechtbuch, the Codex Wallerstein. The manuscript containing this manual is preserved in the collection of the Universitätsbibliothek Augsburg (I.6.4?.2). The codex is a paper quarto manuscript, written in Middle High German, containing 221 pages (108 numbered charts, and several unnumbered ones at the beginning), numbered every odd one in the upper right corner, starting from page 4 which is given No. 1. Page 1 contains a date 1549, a name of one of the manual's owners,[1]Vonn Baumans, and the word Fechtbuch, while pages 2 and 3 are blank. This manual seems to consist of two different Fechtbücher (for the sake of convenience called further A and B), which were put together and later given a common pagination.[2] Part A (No. 1 recto-No. 75 recto, and No. 108 verso; thus consisting of 151 pages) is probably from the second half of the fifteenth century, on account of both the representations of arms and armour on No. 1 verso (full plate armours and armets) and No. 2 recto, andthe details of costumes on No. 108 verso.[3] On the other hand, part B (No. 76 recto-No. 108 recto; 66 pages) is probably of much earlier origin, which, on account of the details of armour (bascinets without visors or bascinets with early types of visors; mail hauberks; garments worn on the cuirasses) can be dated to late fourteenth-early fifteenth century.[4]

As mentioned, it is difficult to deal extensively with the history of the codex without having the real manuscript at one's disposal-anyway, it is not the purpose of this contribution. However, it is worth noticing that this Fechtbuch belonged once to one of the most famous sixteenth-century authors of combat manuals, Paulus Hector Mair;[5] and it was he who was the author of the contents of the manuscript (No. 109 recto), and several minor remarks on the number of pages for particular sections of the manual, which were inserted on some places in the codex.

Codex Wallerstein, like many other medieval and Renaissance Fechtbücher, contains a wide range of sections devoted to particular weapons and kinds of fighting: part A comprises sections on long sword (Bloßechten), wrestling (Ringen), dagger (Degen), and falchion (Meßer), and consists of images provided with relevant comments. On the other hand, part B-comprising the long sword Bloßechten, Harneschfechten 'armoured combat' with long swords, long swords together with shields, lances and daggers, judicial shields and swords, judicial shields and maces, unarmoured wrestling-consists of images only, without any comments or explanations. This manual, as many other fighting manuals,[6] puts considerable streß on judicial duels, which is certified by several elements typical for such kind of fighting. For example, No. 1 verso and No. 2 recto,[7]present a remarkable scene of a duel on a fenced yard, with coffins already prepared for both combatants; moreover (apart from such obvious elements like judicial shields and maces), one's attention is drawn by the crosses on the garments of combatants in part B.[8]

The distribution of sections devoted to particular kinds of combat in part A is very uneven: the most prominent place is held by unarmoured wresting (No.15 recto-No.20 verso, and No.33 recto-No. 74 recto: 94 pages), followed by unarmoured long sword combat (No.3 recto-No 14 verso, and No.21 recto-No.21 verso: 26 pages), unarmoured dagger combat (No. 22 recto-No.28 verso: 14 pages), and finally, unarmoured falchion combat (No. 29 recto-No. 32 verso: 8 pages). Apart from that, section A contains an image of a man-at-arms (No. 1 recto), the scene of a judicial duel (No. 1 verso-No.2 recto), a rather ridiculous piece of advice on how to kill a peasant with a knife (No.74 verso), and the depiction of four persons in courtly costumes (No. 108 verso).[9] Although such presentation of the material is not a peculiarity of this manuscript (another example could be Talhoffer's Fechtbuch aus dem Jahre 1467, where, for example, comments on long sword unarmoured combat are divided into two sections),[10] the fact that sections on particular weapons are mixed with one another to such extent makes the researcher wonder about the way in which the manuscript was actually written. It could be tentatively suggested that the scribe proceeded gradually, writing or copying particular sections as he had acceß to relevant data, without caring about putting the material in a coherent order. Moreover, the scribe of part A was in all probability not very familiar with the Kunst des Fechtens. To support this point of view, one can refer to No. 9 verso and No. 10 recto, when the scribe simply confused the comments to two images with each other-at least, he realized his mistake and provided the images with relevant explanations. On the other hand, it could be supposed that the manuscript was first illustrated, and then provided with comments; however, the fact that the scribe confused the comments for two entirely different techniques speaks a lot about his knowledge of the subject. 

Of interest is the fact that in the first seven plates of the long sword section (No. 3 recto-No. 6 recto) there are headings with general fighting principles:[11] written just above the first line of the comments, and with a different script, they are in all probability later additions.

The aim of this contribution is to present brief remarks on the long sword section of part A of the manuscript: for the audience's convenience, the relevant pages will be referred to from now on by single numerals, without the use of recto-verso division. Thus, the numeration will be as follows:
 

-No. 1 recto: plate 1,

-No. 1 verso: plate 2,

-No. 2 recto: plate 3,

-No. 2 verso: plate 4,

-No. 3 recto: plate 5,

-No. 3 verso: plate 6,

-No. 4 recto: plate 7,

-No. 4 verso: plate 8,

-No. 5 recto: plate 9,

-No. 5 verso: plate 10,

-No. 6 recto: plate 11,

-No. 6 verso: plate 12,

-No. 7 recto: plate 13,

-No. 7 verso: plate 14,

-No. 8 recto: plate 15,

-No. 8 verso: plate 16,

-No. 9 recto: plate 17,

-No. 9 verso: plate 18,

-No. 10 recto: plate 19,

-No. 10 verso: plate 20,

-No. 11 recto: plate 21,

-No. 11 verso: plate 22,

-No. 12 recto: plate 23,

-No. 12 verso: plate 24,

-No. 13 recto: plate 25,

-No. 13 verso: plate 26,

-No. 14 recto: plate 27,

-No. 14 verso: plate 28,

-No. 21 recto: plate 41

-No. 21 verso: plate 42.


 

3. The longswords in part A of Codex Wallerstein

With regard to the length of the long swords in section A, they seem to vary considerably: from about 110-120 cm (plates 5, 6, 7, 8, 20, 24, 25, 26, and 41), through about 130-140 cm (plates 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, and 42) to about 150 cm (plates 9, 10, and 21), or even 160-180 cm (plates 1, 2, and 3); similarly, the lengths of the hilts vary. However, this variety seems to have been caused rather by the illuminator's style (it is a well-known fact that medieval artists often did not pay much attention to issues of dimensions and proportion) than by a conscious differentiation for the purpose of particular techniques. What is important is the fact that all the long swords can be seen as belonging to one type: ridged blades without fullers, with a diamond-shaped cross-sections, and rigid, sharp points; fig-shaped pommels; simple straight cross-pieces with chappes. According to the commonly accepted typology of Robert E. Oakeshott, the blades could be classified as type XV or XVIII (the difference consist in the fact that a blade type XV has a ridge flanked with deeply hollowed faces, in the case of type XVIII the ridge rises from almost flat faces): it does not seem possible to solve this issue by looking at the images in the manuscript. Actually, one would rather opt for type XVIII, as type XV (which dates back to the thirteenth century) is in the fifteenth century accompanied by a short, one-handed grip. However, it may not be that important, as both types of blades were so similar to each other in the fifteenth century that it is sometimes hard to distinguish them from each other.[12] As regards the cross-pieces, they belong clearly to type 1;[13] the pommels represent the T family and bear the strongest resemblance to the T3 type (plates 1, 2, 3, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 41, and 42).[14]

Of course, one could ask the question whether the codex illuminator had a particular type of sword in front of his eyes when illustrating the manuscript, or he was rather presenting in general the forms of sword commonly used in his environment: the latter option is more probable. Moreover, one should not assume that he was that much interested in depicting the details of weapons which were surely well known to contemporary men. Therefore, the above attempt at classifying the swords should be rather seen as a search for analogies among the known examples of existing artifacts than as a decisive definition of the weapon's typology. 

A functional analysis of the swords presented in the manuscript is more important: this shape of the blade was universal both for cutting and thrusting, and the form of pommels allowed a comfortable operation with both hands-that was especially relevant for the purpose of winding (e.g., plates 6 or 8), and generally the techniques performedwith crossed forearms (e.g., plates 7, 9, 10 or 13), as well as hitting with the pommel (e.g., plates 22 or 25).[15]
 

4. General fighting principles

Like many other manuals, the Codex Wallerstein long sword section does not cover all the aspects of swordsmanship,[16] for example, it has been rightly noticed that there is no mention about Meisterhau 'master cuts'.[17] On the contrary, it seems to focus on some selected problems, to mention the most important ones, like:
  1. Binden an das Schwert (binding on the sword) and possible actions from that (plates 5, 6, 7, to a degree plate 8, where binding is not the point of departure, but one of consequent elements of action; 9, 10 (a situation similar to 8), 11, 12, 13, to a degree also plates 14, 15, 16, which are put as a sort of outcoming options from the action presented in plate 13;moreover, plates 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 41, 42). As one can see, almost the entire section covers the problem of binding, which could suggest that it was copied from a relevant part of another manual. Obviously, one of most natural and recommended actions from Binden are Winden (winding) techniques (of particular interest is that here they are mostly performed with the short edge) which are presented on following plates concerning Binden: 6, 7 (here winding is used not to hit the opponent but to push his blade aside), 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15 (referred to as Außerwinn 'Outerwinding'), 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 28. 

    2.  
  2. Schwertsnehmen (taking the adversary's sword): in general, these techniques result here either from binding (plates 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 42) or from other actions, like supposedly a missed thrust (plate 17).

    3.  
  3. Gewappnete Hand  (half-sword) techniques: resulting from binding, these techniques occur either in form of Legen (placing the blade at the adversary's neck), followed either by a slicing cut or a throw (plates 19, 20, 26) or Stoßen (thrusting) (plates 6, 21, 28).

    4.  
  4. Werffen(throwing or armlocks) techniques, performed usually, although not always, with the help of the blade (plates 8, 11, 18, 19, 20, 27 and 41).

    5.  
  5. Leng and Masse (length and reach, referring to proper distance and stance), as in plates 5 and 6.

    6.  
Moreover, one is able to discern some fighting principles which were typical for the "school" of swordsmanship based on Johannes Liechtenauer's teaching, for example:
  1. Schwach/Sterck (weak/strong), like in plates 7 and 8.
  2. issue of timing (Vor/Nach/Inndes-'before', 'after', 'simultaneously'),as in plates9, 10, 11, 19 and 22.
  3. Mention of Bloßn (openings)-plate 7.
  4. überlauffen (overrunning, here presented as dringe in ihn 'run in him')-plate 9 and probably 10.
With regard to the issue of guards, one can see several of these which were used in the "school" of Liechtenauer, like Pflug (middle guard-it is definitely the most common one in this section of the manuscript), depicted on plates 5, 6, 22, 25, 26; moreover (not directly, but it was surely a position of departure here) on plates 7, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 28, 41; Hengort or Langort (hanging point or long point) on plates 8, 14, 42; Ochs (hanging guard) on plates 9, 10, 11, 13, 27 (with a splendid example of hanging guard binding). The issue of interest is definitely the stance of the scale (Waage), known rather from wresting than swordfighting[18] on plates 5 and 12-on the other hand, one could assume that this principle refers rather to a principle of balanced legs and body position.[19]

The question of interest, which has provoked a debate among the fencing audience, is definitely the problem of edge-parrying.[20] Although the phrase versecz mit der kurczen sneid (deflect with the short edge) appears in the section (plates 9, and 10), instead it should beunderstood as deflecting done on the opponent's flat performed with one's own edge, although one cannot exclude an accidental edge-to-edge contact there.
 

5. Particular actions

Having dealt with selected general principles of swordsmanship, one has to consider particular fighting actions individually. Both due to the scarcity of space and on account of the fact that the author works at present on the edition of Codex Wallerstein (Volume 1 should appear at the end of this year), there would be no point in presenting the whole text of the transcription. Instead of that, short comments based on the original text are provided. As, due to copyright restrictions imposed by the source university, it was not possible to insert the images into the present page, relevant images from the website of the Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts are accessible through registering for an online library security pass.

6. Analogies and similarities

On one hand, it is extremely tempting to search for analogies from other fencing manuals in order to establish potential sources and a tentative provenence of the manuscript; on the other hand, it is a truism to say that writing was by no means a chief way of spreadingswordsmanship-on the contrary, it was done by means of personal contacts with available masters and their skills. Moreover, it is to be borne in mind that the fact that similar or even identical actions are presented in two different manuals does not necessarily mean that they are interrelated: it is a well-known feature of the martial arts that different schools and systems may independently find similar solutions to similar problems. However, in order to see these similarities, an attempt at finding relevant fencing actions from some other well-known manuals was undertaken. For the purpose of comparison, the following manuals available to the author were applied: Das Solothurner Fechtbuch, the famous manual by Fiore dei Liberi Flos Duellatorum,[21] as well as the Fechtbuch by Hans Talhoffer from 1467. With regard to these manuals, the parallels are the following: As it can be seen from the above comments, the Bloßechten section in Codex Wallerstein bears several similarities to other swordsmanship manuals, with special regard to that by Fiore dei Liberi;[27] however, it cannot be determined here whether it was caused by a direct influence of this work, mutual contacts and analogies between German and Italian swordsmanship, or by merely solving similar problems in a similar manner.
 

Suggestions for further research

The first postulate from the remarks presented in this contribution is surely the publication of Codex Wallerstein-the author works at present on a critical edition of this manuscript, whose first volume should appear at the end of 2001.

Furthermore, it is of high interest to search for analogies to other fencing manuals of that period, which would not only bring answers to the questions related directly to this manuscript, but would deepen in general the knowledge of medieval swordsmanship. With regard to the very manuscript, one should attempt to determine the existence of any governing principles common for various parts of it (the presence of Waage position both in section on long sword and wrestling was already mentioned), which would potentially connect them into a coherent fighting system.

Finally, a practical analysis of particular fighting actions should be carried out in order to check their real applicability for the purposes of combat-to a degree, such analysis was carried out by the author (here he would like to expreß his gratefulneß to his friends Bartłomiej Walczak and Rußell Mitchell for their cooperation and valuable comments), but it surely did not fully explore all of their possible implications.

Bibliography

  1. Anglo, Sydney. The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe. New Haven and London: Yale University Preß, 2000.
  2. Clements, John. Medieval Swordsmanship: Illustrated Methods and Techniques. Boulder: Paladin Preß, 1998.
  3. Codex Wallerstein. Universitätsbibliothek Augsburg, Cod. I. 6. 4°.2 Available on the webpage of The Historical Armed Combat association (http://www.thehaca.com/pdf/CodexW.htm); and The Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts (http://www.aemma.org/library.htm)
  4. Das Solothurner Fechtbuch (1423). Edited by Charles Studer. Solothurn: Vogt-Schild AG. Available on the webpage of the Historical Armed Combatassociation (http://www.thehaca.com/pdf/Solothurner.htm)
  5. dei Liberi da Premariacco, Fiore. Flos duellatorum in armis, sine armis, equester, pedester. Edited by Franceso Novati. Bergamo: Instituto Italiano d'Arti Grafiche, 1902. Also available on the webpage of The Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts (http://www.aemma.org/liberi.htm); and The Historical Armed Combat association (http://www.thehaca.com/pdf/Liberi.htm)
  6. Dörnhöffer, Friedrich. "Quellen zur Geschichte der Kaiserlichen Haußammlungen und der Kunstbestrebungen des Allerdurchlauchtigsten Erzhauses: Albrecht Dürers Fechtbuch." Jahrbuch der Kunsthistorischen Sammlungen des Allerhöchstes Kaiserhauses 27.6 (1909): I-LXXXI. Available on the webpage of The Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts (http://www.aemma.org/library.htm).
  7. Edge, David, and John Miles Paddock, Arms and Armor of the Medieval Knight: An Illustrated History of Weaponry in the Middle Ages.New York: Crescent Books, 1991.
  8. Hils, Hans-Peter. "Hans Talhoffer: Fechtbuch." In Wertvolle Handschriften und Einbände aus der ehemaligen Oettingen-Wallersteinschen Bibliothek. Edited by Rudolf Frankenberger, and Paul Berthold Rupp, 96-98. Wiesbaden: Reichert Verlag, 1987.
  9. Hils, Hans-Peter. Meister Johann Liechtenauers Kunst des langen Schwertes. Europäische Hochschulschriften 3. Geschichte und ihre Hilfswissenschaften 257. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 1985.
  10. Houston, Mary G. Medieval Costume in England and France: the 13th, 14th, and 15th Centuries. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1996.
  11. Oakeshott, Robert E. The Archaeology of Weapons. Boydell Preß, 1964.
  12. Talhoffer, Hans.Fechtbuch aus dem Jahre 1467. Edited by Gustav Hergsell. Prague: J.G. Calve'sche K.K. Hof-und Universitäts-Buchhandlung, Ottomar Beyer, 1887. Available on the webpage of The Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts (http://www.aemma.org/library.htm); and The Historical Armed Combat association (http://www.thehaca.com/pdf/Talhoffer1443-1459Editions.htm).
  13. Talhoffer, Hans. Fechtbuch aus dem Jahre 1443. Edited by Gustav Hergsell. Prague: Selbstverlag, 1889. Available on the webpage of The Historical Armed Combat association (http://www.thehaca.com/pdf/Talhoffer1443-1459Editions.htm).
  14. Talhoffer, Hans. Fechtbuch aus dem Jahre 1459. Edited by Gustav Hergsell. Prague: Selbstverlag, 1889. Available on the webpage of The Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts (http://www.aemma.org/library.htm); and The Historical Armed Combat association (http://www.thehaca.com/pdf/Talhoffer1443-1459Editions.htm).
  15. Talhoffer, Hans. Medieval Combat: A Fifteenth Century Illustrated Manual of Swordfighting and Close-Quarter Combat. Translated and Edited by Mark Rector. London: Greenhill Books, 2000. Available onthe webpage of The Historical Armed Combat association (http://www.thehaca.com/talhoffer.htm)
  16. Wierschin, Martin. Meister Johann Liechtenauers Kunst des Fechtens. Münchener Texte und Untersuchungen zur Deutschen Literatur des Mittelalters. Kommission für Deutsche Literatur des Mittelalters der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften 13. C.H. Beck'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, München 1965.
 
[1] Hans-Peter Hils, Meister Johann Liechtenauers Kunst des langen Schwertes (Europäische Hochschulschriften 3. Geschichte und ihre Hilfswissenschaften 257. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 1985), 28.
[2]For other posssible ways of division see: Martin Wierschin, Meister Johann Liechtenauers Kunst des Fechtens (Münchener Texte und Untersuchungen zur Deutschen Literatur des Mittelalters. Kommission für Deutsche Literatur des Mittelalters der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften 13. C.H. Beck'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, München 1965), 21 (two Fechtbücher and one Ring-or Kampfbuch, i.e., concerning wrestling and dagger fighting); H.-P. Hils, 26-27: two basic parts (I: charts 1-74, II: charts 76-108; further sub-divided), Friedrich Dörnhöffer, "Quellen zur Geschichte der Kaiserlichen Haußammlungen und der Kunstbestrebungen des Allerdurchlauchtigsten Erzhauses: Albrecht Dürers Fechtbuch," Jahrbuch der Kunsthistorischen Sammlungen des Allerhöchstes Kaiserhauses 27.6 (1909), IX-XIII, XXXIII, three parts:a Fechtbuch, a Ringbuch, and a mixture of various scenes and ways of fighting. This author point rightly to the fact that the two first parts were put together in the fifteenth century, while the present form of the codex, with the addition of the third part, is the matter of the sixteenth century; F. Dörnhoffer and H.-P. Hils attempt at dating the manuscript, referring it in general to the fifteenth century: F. Dörnhoffer claims that the third, mixed part is the oldest, originating in the mid-fifteenth century, while the two first parts are dated at about 1470; H.-P. Hils, accepting the date 1470 for the two first parts, maintains that the third part is older, originating from the mid-or even early fifteenth century-his division seems to be more justified. 
[3] See: Mary G. Houston, Medieval Costume in England and France: the 13th, 14th, and 15th Centuries (New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1996), 158-185.
[4] About the armour of this period see David Edge, and John Miles Paddock, Arms and Armor of the Medieval Knight: An Illustrated History of Weaponry in the Middle Ages (New York: Crescent Books, 1991), 69-73, 80-83.
[5] This can be said on account of the note on No. 1 recto: Uber ii Khumben Im / 1556 Jar am / 26 Januari / paulus hector / mair zugehorig.H.-P. Hils, "Hans Talhoffer: Fechtbuch," in Rudolf Frankenberger, and Paul Berthold Rupp, eds., Wertvolle Handschriften und Einbände aus der ehemaligen Oettingen-Wallersteinschen Bibliothek (Wiesbaden: Reichert Verlag, 1987), 96; id., Meister Johann, 198. See also: F. Dörnhoffer, XXXIII; H.-P. Hils, Meister Johann, 28. It is worth noticing that Augsburg was an important centre of martial arts teaching in the sixteenth century and the Universitätsbibliothek Augsburg has several fencing manuals in its collection-see: H.-P. Hils, 21-40, 189-201. It is also remarkable that Codex Wallerstein served as a source for the Fechtbuch of Albrecht Dürer (1512), see: F. Dörnhöffer, IX-XIII, XXXIII; H.-P. Hils, 27. It would be of extreme interest to research the relationship between Codex Wallerstein and Mair's works; On Mair and his manuals see Sydney Anglo, The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe (New Haven and London: Yale University Preß, 2000).
[6] For example, see Hans Talhoffer, Fechtbuch aus dem Jahre 1467. Edited by Gustav Hergsell (Prague: J.G. Calve'sche K.K. Hof-und Universitäts-Buchhandlung, Ottomar Beyer, 1887). A modern English edition which is used here: Medieval Combat: A Fifteenth Century Illustrated Manual of Swordfighting and Close-Quarter Combat. Translated and Edited by Mark Rector (London: Greenhill Books, 2000); Judicial duels are also dealt with in other manuals of Talhoffer: Fechtbuch aus dem Jahre 1443.Edited by Gustav Hergsell (Prague: Selbstverlag, 1889), and Fechtbuch aus dem Jahre 1459. Edited by Gustav Hergsell (Prague: Selbstverlag, 1889). A splendid example of such manual is Das Solothurner Fechtbuch (1423). Edited by Charles Studer (Solothurn: Vogt-Schild AG). 
[8] Like in Talhoffer (1467), plate 69, 104-169; Talhoffer (1443), plates 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 27, 28, 29, 31, 35, 37, 39-47 and 55; Talhoffer (1459), plates 1, 15, and 16; Das Solothurner Fechtbuch, plates 59-71. See also M. Rector's comments, Talhoffer (1467), 10-11, as well as the remarks of Ch. Studer, Das Solothurner Fechtbuch, 8-13.
[9] This sums up to 147 pages, not to 151, as there are 4 empty pages in that part: No. 2 verso, No. 34 verso, No. 75 recto (with an unfinished sentence) and No. 75 verso.
[10] Talhoffer (1467), plates 1-67 and 74-78.
[11] See F. Dörnhöffer, LXXVI-LXXVII. The transcription of revelant section of Codex Wallerstein, made by this author, was a helpful aid for the purposes for this article.
[12] Robert E. Oakeshott, The Archaeology of Weapons (Boydell Preß, 1964), 306-309, 313, and plates 16, 19, and 20 between pp.184-185.
[13] Ibid., 232.
[14] Ibid., 314-315.
[15] See also M. Rector's remarks in Talhoffer (1467), 15-16; John Clements, Medieval Swordsmanship: Illustrated Methods and Techniques (Boulder: Paladin Preß, 1998), 38-39, 181-185.
[16] For example, as it was pointed by M. Rector, the manual of Talhoffer was not devised as a 'teach-yourself' handbook-it was rather to fulfil a sort of declaration of his competence, and was destined for men already posseßing a certain amount of skills and knowledge, Talhoffer (1467), 9-10.
[17] Remarks to Codex Wallerstein on the webpage of The Historical Armed Combat association (http://www.thehaca.com/pdf/CodexW.htm).
[18] Remarks on Codex Wallerstein on the webpage of The Historical Armed Combat association (http://www.thehaca.com/pdf/CodexW.htm).
[19] This stance also appears in the section on wrestling in Codex Wallerstein, No. 15 recto.
[20] J. Clements, 211, correctly underlines the purposeleßneß of edge-to-edge parrying as easily damaging the edge and probably leading to the blade breaking.
[21] Fiore dei Liberi da Premariacco, Flos duellatorum in armis, sine armis, equester, pedester. Edited by Franceso Novati (Bergamo: Instituto Italiano d'Arti Grafiche, 1902).
[22] Remarks on Codex Wallerstein on the webpage of the Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts (http://www.aemma.org).
[23] The editor claims that the action depicted is a deflection (Absetzen) of the attack of the swordsman on the left; however, the cut into the attacker's neck is clearly visible.
[24] According to the editor, the swordsman on the left attempts at pushing aside with his cross-piece the blade of his adversary, who tries to hit his lower openings. Regretfully, due to the lack of space, a thorough polemics with the editor's interpretations is not possible; however, it should be mentioned that this way of dealing with the opponent's Oberhau does not make much sense.
[25] It simply describes the action as Ain überfallen, which means 'a sudden attack'.
[26] According to the editor, the swordsman on the left probably wants to show his opponent how to hold the sword properly.
[27] Of interest is also the fact that long swords presented in this section of Codex Wallerstein show similarities to those in dei Liberi's manual. A similarity to Italian-style long swords has been mentioned on the webpage of the Historical Armed Combat association (http://www.thehaca.com/pdf/CodexW.htm).

Journal of Western Martial Art

About the author: , who currently resides in Hungary, is a historian of the Middle Ages, with special reference to social and economic issues and military history, enthusiast and practicioner of medieval martial arts. He is currently working on a Ph.D. project concerning a functional analysis of sixteenth century comments to the teachings of Johannes Liechtenauer.