Frank Carlson Library

In From Medieval Manuscript to Modern Practice, renowned historical swordsman Guy Windsor demystifies one of the greatest martial arts books of all time, Fiore dei Liberi's Il Fior di Battaglia (The Flower of Battle). In the late 14th century dei Liberi, an Italian knightly combat master, wrote Il Fior di Battaglia (The Flower of Battle). This magnificent, illustrated manuscript described how to fight on foot and on horseback, in armour and without,...

The warriors, knights and duellists of old depended on their skill at arms for their lives. You can learn their techniques and tactics too. From renowned swordsman and teacher Guy Windsor comes an indispensable resource for anyone interested in martial arts, swordsmanship, and history. Through this book Guy will teach you how to train your mind and body to become an expert in historical martial arts. It includes the seven principles of mastery,...

Guy Windsor has been training historical fencers for over twenty years. For many swordsmen and swordswomen, expert freeplay (also called sparring or fencing) is the pinnacle of the art; both desirable and hard to attain. In this book he describes the step-by-step process he uses to take students from absolute beginner to expert fencer. This is system can be applied to any style of fencing, because it is not about the specifics of technique. It is...

A ground-breaking and enduringly popular guide to medieval Italian knightly combat. This book, first published in 2004, started a generation of swordsmen along their path to martial expertise. It includes instruction on both theory and practice, background material about the great swordsmen Fiore dei Liberi and Philippo Vadi, and advice on what equipment to purchase. Essential reading for anyone interested in swords, martial arts, or history!

NOTE: THIS EDITION DOES NOT INCLUDE A FACSIMILE OF THE MANUSCRIPT From the late fifteenth century comes a detailed manuscript on knightly combat, written by Philippo Vadi. Dedicated to one of the most famous Italian condottiere of the age, Guidobaldo, Duke of Urbino, this book covers the theory of combat with the longsword, as well as dozens of techniques of the sword, the spear, the pollax, and the dagger. The Art of Sword Fighting in Earnest includes...

This fifth installment of The Swordsman's Quick Guide will help anyone who wants to start teaching basic classes, in any martial art. It covers everything from safety, to planning classes, to making corrections in class, to how to get your own training done while you're teaching.

Complete your basic training! With this 80+ page workbook you can complete your knowledge of Capoferro's rapier plays, building a strong foundation on which to construct your fencing skills. The book is organised through the Rapier Footwork Form, with each chapter adding steps to the Form, first as pair drills, and then practised solo. This ensures that you will have little difficulty remembering the new material. The book is illustrated with extracts...

This book is for beginners who want to practise swordsmanship, and need to know what kind of sword to buy. It covers what to look for in safe training weapons, as well as the ideal range of length, weight and other specifications for each major European sword type, including: Falchion, Arming Sword, Longsword, Sidesword, Rapier, Backsword, and Smallsword. It also covers choosing a supplier. Guy Windsor is a professional researcher and teacher of historical...

This book raises and answers the following questions:When is it ok to stab someone in the face with a sword? What is the one thing you find most useful about swordsmanship training outside the salle? How important is history to you in your practise of swordsmanship? Can a duel settle a matter of honour? Can violence be beautiful? To what extent is the practice of swordsmanship the cultivation of virtue? Is the study of ethics necessary for martial...

Guy Windsor's Swordfighting offers insight into this magnificent historical European martial art: you will find answers to your burning questions about swordsmanship, its theory and practice. This carefully crafted book provides essential information on diverse topics with piercing clarity. New York Times bestselling and multi-award-winning author Made up of a selection of Guy's essays and articles, with a great deal of brand new material, this engaging...