Page 7 - Fencing Booklet

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Among the nobility of Europe during the Middle Ages, the adept handling of a sword was hindered by the use of
armour, which was virtually the only means of protection. Swords were heavy and used primarily to broach the protective armour.
With the introduction of gunpowder in the 14th century, however, armour fell into disuse
(musket balls easily pierced the armour, rendering it ineffective in battle). The sword
was still the only weapon that could be worn on the body for self-defense, but the demise of armour required that the wearer learn to
manipulate a sword skillfully—a matter that grew to be of paramount importance both in times of war and in a gentleman’s daily life.
By the 15th century, guilds of fencing masters had been formed throughout Europe, the
most notable of which was the Marxbrüder (the Association of St. Marcus of Löwenberg),
which was granted letters patent by the Holy Roman emperor Frederick III in 1480. Early
fencing methods as taught by the guilds were somewhat rough-and-tumble and included
wrestling moves. The guilds jealously guarded their secret moves so that they could make use
of the unexpected to defeat an enemy. Fencing was first supported in England by Henry VIII, who, sometime before 1540, granted letters
patent to several fencing masters that allowed them to teach there. The early English style of
fighting with a cutting sword and a buckler (a small shield worn on the free arm) ultimately gave
way to the continental European rapier combat.
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