The Fencing Grounds
By Chris VanSlambrouck
The Fencing Grounds Jun 04, 2021
Wappen of the Marxbruder and Federfechter pt01
Today on the Fencing Grounds Kevin Maurer and Chris VanSlambrouck spoke about the Brotherhood of Saint Mark (est.1487), again. This time they focus on the most powerful fencing guild during the life time of master Joachim Meyer by exploring the Wappen or coat of arms of the fencing guilds. This is part one, up next is the second part on the Federfechter (est.1607). LivingMeyer on Patreon & Instagram
Mauracus Scabius 1559
A sensational story that is retold this morning on The Fencing Grounds: In 1559 a foreign Freyfechter held a public fencing event in Straßburg while a "Mauracus Scabius" ran amuck.
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Marxbruder, Meyer and Early Modern Mayhem
On the Fencing Grounds yesterday morning Kevin Maurer and Chris VanSlambrouck chat about the Marxbruder. oh and if you don't know who the Brotherhood of St. Mark were here is an excerpt from Chris's up coming workbook of all things Meyer:
"On August 10th, 1487 Emperor Friederich III (1415-93) dramatically increased the renown and honor of being a member of the Brotherhood of Saint Mark by granting them the Imperial Privilege to teach fencing and certify masters of the sword in two hands. This made the Marxbrüder the undisputable gatekeepers of the Fechtkunst in the Empire. Being recognized as “Marxbrüder approved” carried some societal clout in the Holy Roman Empire, because it gave such a powerfully backed preference. I imagine that frustrated the masters of defense (Schirrmeister) unaffiliated with the now privileged Brüderschaft (Brotherhood) some of them were surely members or students of the Liechtenauer Tradition."
1491 Augsburger Fechtordnung (Cod.I.6.2º.5, 1v-5v)
1491 Frankfurter Fechtordnung (Cod.I.6.2º.5, 6v-20v)
1546 Solothurn Fechtordnung (Mandatenbuch 1, pp358-59)
Christoff Rösener’s (1579) Ehren Tittel und Lobspruch der Ritterlichen Freyen Kunst der fechter
The Veldenz Manuscript 1561
Historical Fencing 1999 with Greg Mele
Hello everyone! Good news, today on the Fencing Grounds over coffee Chris spoke with Greg Mele of The CSG and Freelance Academy Press. Greg shares a personal rendition of a most interesting Historical Fencing journey. In doing so, we are gifted with a vivid picture of WMA and it's development. As bonus we are told tale of the state of affairs in that all too turbulent period at the end of the 1990s. Stay tuned for part two! Train hard, be Hard
Back Your Stuff Up People!
Happy sweetheart's day on Saint Valentines day. I spoke with Sara about why historical fencing is cool to her.
A Not So Sordid Origin Story: Wiktenauer part one
On the Fencing Grounds today our guest, Michael Chidester, who is, if one does not know the Editor-in-Chief of Wiktenauer, a Research Scholar of the Meyer Freifechter Guild, a founding member of SHEMAS (the Society for Historical European Martial Arts Studies), a Lifetime Member of the HEMA Alliance and a member of the Western Martial Arts Coalition (WMAC). Michael gives a first person review of the early years of the HEMA Alliance and it's blooming from the group formerly known as HACA. I hope everyone was as engaged as I during the tale. Have a great week;
Train hard, be Hard- Chris
All of Fencing is a Continuum
On the fencing grounds today with Dr. Walter G. Green III of the Salle Green, Olympic and Classical fencing master and author. Check out the Classical Academy of Arms and Walter's recommended books on fencing: Modern Library:
This Is Fencing by Ziemek Wojciechowski, Epee 2.5 by Johan Harmenberg, Understanding Fencing by Zbigniew Czajkowski, and Sabre Fencing by John Kardoss
Adolphe Corthey was mentioned at some point.
Nik in the Morning- B-reel
Are you a Sword nerds of Master Joachim Meyer system? If so this B-reel podcast is for you! Much love from the midwest of the US !
Train hard, be Hard
Introductions with Kevin Maurer
A Happy New Year to everyone... part two! On the first I had several conversations with Kevin Maurer the Head of Research for the Meyer Freifechter Guild. Still testing everything out, but welcome to the table. Our talk that day was one of sentimentalists with a mind for researching.
Train hard, be Hard
With the Witch Doctor Again
Welcome back to our friend Charles Murdock
Happy New Year & Good Riddance
New year, new start. I speak today with long time fencing fellow Kevin Maurer of the Meyer Freifechter Guild.
Historical Fencing
Today over coffee with Kevin Maurer we spoke of so very much, that this is a place holder to add links and references to at a later time.
Meyer's Poem Part 01
Hello everyone! Good news, here is a bonus track, a little something I made for my online LivingMeyer Study Group. I am happy to share this here as well.
On the Fencing Grounds with Charles Murdock
For those of us who have met him, Charles Murdock, have experienced an interaction with a HEMA "Witch-doctor", life long martialist, a coach and advisor. My fellow Meyer Freifechter Guild brother tells us tale of his martial arts journey up to and into his experiences with Historical Fencing and HEMA Sport fencing. Not only does he shares his story, Charles gives training advise, and some remembrances of our organization's now reposed leader, Mike Cartier-whose birthday if we recall is today.
Mike had a passion for history and martial arts, and an unwavering love for his family. Mike’s first great discovery was history, and he had the good fortune to see it first hand through his many travels as a child. Those things he could not witness in the world, he explored through books. One book that touched him most deeply was “The Sword and the Centuries;” and it was this book that fed his second appetite, martial arts. In fact, it drove him to study with HACA (1999), and use these skills to create his own guild, Meyer Freifechter Guild (MFFG). He held the vision of the club as a fellowship of scholars in brotherhood and fighters earnestly seeking to understand the teachings of Meyer and rebuild the tradition that he represented.
Train hard, Be Hard
Chris VanSlambrouck