 Trade In this Item for up to £3.60
Get an extra £5 when you trade in books worth £10 or more until June 30, 2012. Trade in Medieval Combat: A Fifteenth-century Illustrated Manual of Swordfighting and Close-quarter Combat for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £3.60, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Find more products eligible for trade-in.
|
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Synopsis
This attractive book is one of the most influential and lavishly-drawn fencing manuals of the Middle Ages. The authentic fifteenth-century techniques of master of arms Hans Talhoffer are illustrated in detail, presenting not only a unique historic record but also a visual guide for modern practitioners. Talhoffer's professional fencing manual of 1467 illustrates the intricacies of the medieval art of fighting, covering both the 'judicial duel' (an officially sanctioned fight to resolve a legal dispute) and personal combat. Combatants in the Middle Ages used footwork, avoidance, and the ability to judge and manipulate timing and distance to exploit and enhance the sword's inherent cutting and thrusting capabilities. These skills were supplemented with techniques for grappling, wrestling, kicking and throwing the opponent, as well as disarming him by seizing his weapon. Every attack contained a defence and every defence a counter-attack. Talhoffer reveals the techniques for wrestling, unarmoured fighting with the long sword, pole-axe, dagger, sword and buckler, and mounted combat.This unparalleled guide to medieval combat, illustrated with 268 contemporary images, provides a glimpse of real people fighting with skill, sophistication and ruthlessness.
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is an excellent and illuminating book, fascinating in the detail of its woodcuts. A word of warning though to anyone looking to learn swordplay from this manual: It consists almost entirely of reproductions of the original woodcuts with limited descriptions of the techniques being shown. This is in keeping with the purpose of these kinds of manuals, which served to supplement and reinforce technique learned in lessons.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Fascinating drawings. Demonstrates the ferocity of combat with medieval weapons, but difficult to glean much of the technique. I gather this was the idea, Talhoffer did not want people to be able to become proficient in his methods from just the manual, he wanted paying students! Some odd weapons and subjects, the illustrated judicial duel between a man and a woman illustrates a time and way of thinking it is difficult to comprehend
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
There is obviously little to no information on how to carry out these techniques in the book. This is hardly surprising though as martial artists are still working on them as we speak. The illustrations are of good quality and if Talhoffer is your thing then you will definitely want to buy this book.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
