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History of Fencing...the Weapons, Duelling, and all of that |
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Written by Chris Stonestreet
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Saturday, 08 April 2006 11:22 |
History of Fencing… the Weapons, Dueling, and all of that.
The story really begins with the age of the knights. In 1066 William Duke of Normandy laid claim to the throne of England. King Harold, the Saxon King, opposed this claim to the throne. This of course is the typical historical power-struggle that one sees throughout many histories of the world. But what makes this story different is an innovation in warfare. King Harold had the typical warriors of the day. Men in chain mail armed with shields and large battle axes. William, however, had bowmen and heavily mounted warriors that were taught to use the lance, the cavalry charge, and broadswords.  Bayeux tapestry record of the Battle of Hastings. With his mounted knights, William succeeded in winning the Battle of Hastings. Over the next decade, William conquered the rest of what is now the United Kingdom. The knights had proved their worth in battle and now became the key guardians during what would later be called the Middle Ages. The age of the knights lasted around 500 years. What brought about their decline were advancements in military technology. The development of the gun and cannon altered warfare forever. Actually, when one thinks of knights, one thinks of men in full armor. Full plate armor was during the closing phases of the knightly era near to the time of the Renaissance. Yet, even with thicker plate armor, bullets were able to penetrate, and the sword became less vital as a primary weapon. The knightly class did not disappear, they became minor lords and land owner over the next decades. The broadsword was a symbol of rank, and these “gentlemen” still wanted recognition in public. The broadsword weighed between 5 to 9 lbs., and one can see that wearing this in everyday dress would be uncomfortable. What developed was a slimmer and more agile sword… the Rapier.  Rapier During the Renaissance, the military and upper gentry class (males) wore rapiers as a sign of their class, and for personal defense. Occasionally arguments would arise between men of this class… land disputes, women, and reputations. It then became accepted that these men of stature would be allowed to defend themselves and their honor under certain conditions… thus dueling! Dueling was a very intricate process. Unlike the movies, there was a specific etiquette. Lets give an example… Lord John gets drunk and calls the wife of his “friend” Duke William a “fat warthog!” Duke William is insulted at his own party/ball in front of other men… honor must be persevered (even though she might be a fat warthog!) After the party, and the next day or so, Duke William sends a trusted servant or friend which is officially called his “Second.” The Second delivers a challenge to meet behind the old church at noon a week hence. There will be a doctor present as a witness, and the Seconds for both parties involved would accompany their respective friend. In a week, both men arrive at the church on time… Now, here comes the intricate part. “By the Rules” if had both men had been friends it would serve honor for the insulter to apologize and the challenger (if he believes he is truthfully sorry) to accept. If this is not the case, then both men may agree for “quarter” or mercy after a first injury (sort of…who draws blood first wins). Yet, if the injury/insult is sufficient, then they may duel with “no quarter” to the death. So there are three levels generally accepted in traditional dueling.  Early 1600s This “to the death” part is what led many young men of stature during the Renaissance to seek specialized training. Here we have a new weapon that is in modern fencing that can trace its roots back to this specialized training… the Foil! The modern foil’s target area is the chest and back. Notice that this is a “kill zone” of vital organs (heart, lungs, stomach, etc.). By training to specifically attack these areas, one would be better to survive a serious duel should it arise!  The Modern Foil One might ask at this “point,” is the foil the actual descendent of the Rapier of old? Actually no, there is a weapon in modern fencing that can be considered a descendent of the rapier… it is the Epee. Unlike the foil that specifically targets the chest area, the epee’s target area is the entire body (head to toe). Some consider the epee the purest weapon because in a battle, if one injured an opponent in the arm, head, or leg it would still give you an advantage.  The Modern Epee Now for the last weapon and its roots… the Sabre! Mounted warriors survived the knightly era also. Until World War II, there still existed a branch in the military of many countries called the “Cavalry.” Below is a picture of an American cavalryman about the time of the Civil War:  Around 1862 Notice what he is holding in his hand. A long curved blade sword. The reason for the curvature is simple, to be able to draw the sword while in the saddle and at the gallop. Also notice the guard around the handle. This fancy guard protects his hand should he run into other cavalrymen with the same weapon. Now if one thinks about attacking a man on foot, and you are in the saddle like this chap pictured above, where do you think you might strike your opponent? That is right, from the head to maybe his mid-section (if you are stretching down from your charging horse).  The last cavalry charge in World War II
(Note the planes in the background!) The modern saber’s target area is the head, arms, and torso just as if you were still mounted on a horse.  The modern fencing saber! Fencing truly has its roots in history. It is an exciting sport that holds on to a rich heritage past down through many generations. I hope that you have enjoyed this brief history of the weapons, and will try them out at our academy. - C.S. 2006
Chris Stonestreet holds a masters degree in History from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and is a professor of history at Mooresville Senior High School and Central Piedmont Community College. In addition, Professor Stonestreet also teaches fencing at CPCC as well as the Charlotte Fencing Academy.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 18 September 2007 13:32 |
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