“The Art
of Fencing, in a military sense, is undoubtedly of immense value; but I can
further, with safety, say that it is also part of a good education.”
Theory of
Fencing, with the small sword exercise, by Antoine J. Corbesier,
Washington D.D., Government Printing Office, 1873, preface
Obviously, the age of the sword as a serious military weapon,
ended well before the First World War, so why would someone today, at the
beginning of the 21st century, want to learn to use a sword in a
historically accurate way?
- Perhaps you are a military re-enactor.
- Perhaps you want to learn a martial art that originated in your own culture.
- Perhaps because you realize the
limitations of modern sport fencing.
- Perhaps you are interested in
learning a practical method of self –defense.
- Perhaps you are looking for a good
form of exercise and a little bit of fun.
“It’s
a mystery why anyone would want to learn to use a sword properly. After all, you will never fight a duel. You will never be attacked in earnest by a
skilled swordsman.”
Teach Yourself
Swordsmanship (In a Lifetime of Easy Steps), by J. Mark
Bertrand
This article is the first in a compilation of the teachings
of the masters of the late 18th to early 20th centuries
and is the introduction to The Practical Swordsman’s Compendium (yet
unpublished). This book is designed as a
study guide for those interested in learning ‘historical swordsmanship’,
specifically the system of fencing developed and taught from the late 18th
century to the early part of the 20th century, by the Anglo-American
military, for use with the broadsword and by extension, the saber,
cut-and-thrust sword and cudgel or stick.
It is hoped that by combining the 162 years of teachings of
various sword masters, from the 18th, 19th and 20th
centuries, that The Practical Swordsman’s Compendium will be more complete,
since during that time the system of swordplay evolved due to:
- Influences from the continental
school of the ‘Art of Defense’,
- Broadswords, sabers, and
cut-and-thrust swords becoming progressively lighter over time.
However, having said this, the core teachings of the
Anglo-American military swordplay, stayed remarkably consistent throughout the
18th, 19th and 20th centuries.
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“…systems have a history, a
tradition, something scientific…”
The
Walking Stick in Mandatory Palestine and Israel, by Noah Gross
In 1755, he came to London and opened Angelo’s salle
d’armes. A key to his success was his
ability to attract powerful and influential patrons at the English Court. His patrons included the Earl of Pembroke
and the Duke of Devonshire. And in 1758,
he was appointed by Agusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenberg, the Dowager Princess of
Wales, widow of Frederick Lewis, Prince of Wales, to be the fencing and riding
master to her sons, George, Prince of Wales (who later in 1760, became King
George III) and Edward, Duke of York.
Henry Angelo, Domenico’s son, who was better known as ‘Harry’,
was born in 1756, and took over the school in 1780. He was the fencing tutor for King Georges
III’s sons, George, who was later King George IV, and Frederick, Prince Bishop
of Osnabrück, who was later the Duke of York and Albany and Commander in
Chief.
In 1794 Harry Angelo took his second son, Henry, as a partner,
Henry jr. was only fourteen years old at the time, having been born in 1780.
Harry Angelo and his son Henry developed their method of
broadsword use during the years of the Napoleonic conflict. While the Angelo’s were obviously influenced
by John Gaspard Le Marchant’s, Rules and Regulations for the Sword Exercise
of the Cavalry, 1796, it appears that the greatest influences on their
method of broadsword use was the English style of
backsword play and the Scottish Highland tradition of broadsword use.
Don’t forget to come back next week for the rest of “The Practical
Swordsman’s Compendium, An Introduction, Part Two©”, where we will talk more about
English style of backsword play and the Scottish Highland tradition of
broadsword use.
I
hope that you continue to enjoy The Woodsman’s Journal Online and look for me
on YouTube at BandanaMan Productions for other related videos, HERE. Don’t forget to follow me on both The
Woodsman’s Journal Online, HERE,
and subscribe to BandanaMan Productions on YouTube. If you have questions, as always, feel free
to leave a comment on either site. I
announce new articles on Facebook at Eric Reynolds, on Instagram at
bandanamanaproductions, and on VK at Eric Reynolds, so watch for me.
That
is all for now, and as always, until next time, Happy Trails!
Sources
Amberger, J. Christoph; Officers and Gentlemen: On the
history of fencing at the U.S. Naval Academy, http://www.swordhistory.com/excerpts/corbesier.html,
accessed March 7, 2005
Bertrand, J. Mark; Teach
Yourself Swordsmanship (In a Lifetime of Easy Steps), Sword Forum, http://SwordForum.com, accessed March 7, 2005
Gross,
Noah; The Walking Stick in Mandatory Palestine and Israel, by http//www.savateaustralia.com, accessed March 7, 2005
Mitchell,
Russell; Reconstructing the Use of Medieval and Renaissance Hungarian Sabres,
[SPADA, Vol 1, 2003]
O’Rourke,
Matthew J.; A New System of Sword Exercise, with a Manual of the Sword for
Officers, Mounted and Dismounted, [New York, George R. Lockwood, 1873]
Wagner, Paul and Rector,
Mark, Highland Broadsword: Five manuals of Scottish Regimental Swordsmanship,
[Chivalry Bookshelf, 2004], p 50
