Hotspur School of Defence – Sword fighting feature

This is the feature I wrote for the press journalism course I'm currently on.

Sadly it is not going to be published but I've posted it here so some people (both of you) at least get to read it. 

All pictures are copyright Paul Norris and NCJ Media in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.

“And all I need to do from here is twist my wrist and I’d cut your belly open.”

In any circumstance those words would be threatening, but when the blade of a medieval longsword is resting on your stomach they become particularly terrifying.

Fortunately the blade is blunt and the man holding it is Rob Brooks, 41, a keen hobbyist and the teacher at this Hotspur School of Defence session.

I went along to St Nicholas Parish Hall in Gosforth for a night to find out more about the world of medieval swordplay, what enthusiasts call historical fencing.

Many of us would probably expect this to look a bit like Hollywood battles – big lunging movements that involve heavy swords and epic amounts of muscles.

But Rob says this depiction simply isn’t realistic.

“None of the research supports what people see in films because if you make big movements you simply won’t be able to defend yourself.

“You’ll end up being killed pretty quickly.”

Instead the people at Hotspur practice skills that come straight from the time, using newly discovered manuscripts from the 14th and 15th centuries to better understand warfare.

They even use the original German and Italian terms as Rob and his students drill different methods of attacking and defending.

The first step was footwork, using Italian terms to advance and retreat and learn about body position.

Feet and body positioning would have been vital in combat as a way to gain an advantage over your opponent.

It was made very clear that even a slight slip or showing too much of your chest could have proved fatal.

After that the blades, specially made by experienced swordsmiths in Europe and blunted for people’s safety, started to make an appearance.

It wasn’t long before the rasp of metal hitting metal fills the hall as the group began to duel.

True to what was said earlier, the style used was nothing like a Hollywood portrayal.

Footwork was based on the balls of the feet, meaning that mobility was easy.

With the hands, a lose grip and swift but small wrist movements ensured the swords, which weigh only a couple of pounds, sliced through the air cleanly and quickly.

The end result was that, far from oafish heaving and panting, the movements were graceful, rapid and almost dance-like as the members moved across the hall.

Clearly though this was the result of years of study and practice, something I as a mere beginner could only watch and aspire to.

The School is very welcoming to newcomers and its structure allows them to progress through different types of weapon, becoming proficient in various types of medieval weaponry.

Complete beginners started with a broadsword and then go on to the messer, a German sword with a curved ending that was the most commonly used weapon of the period.

Members progressed through other weapons, such as the spear, pollaxe, and dagger and also learn unarmed wrestling, known in German as 'ringen' and in Italian as 'abrazzare'.

Rob said that holding onto these skills was vital.

“These are martial arts, and they represent a real link to our past.

“Like any martial art we learn discipline control, but we also learn about the history, science and the culture of the period.”

The amount of knowledge they had in the period was made all too clear when I faced up to Rob and his blade rested on my neck.

“Just six millimetres below your skin there are nerves that control your heart rate and your diaphragm.

“Cut there and your enemy hasn’t got a chance.

“People back then knew how important the neck and torso were and there are hundreds of methods outlined in attacking opponents to ensure a quick victory.

“Barely anyone concentrates on attacking the legs as all you do is leave yourself open to attack.

“Why go for someone’s legs when they get a clear strike on your head?”

Time to gulp and reflect on the detail and finesse involved and the brutal time Rob was talking about.

Warfare was common in the medieval period and noblemen could expect exposure to training and even battle from a young age.

One of the most prolific was Tancred, a Norman knight on the First Crusade who was famous for killing 40 men in combat by his 15th birthday.

Another fighter, Harry Percy, nicknamed “Hotspur” by the Scots (and from whom the School gets its name), took part in the siege of Berwick aged only 14.

The School is however for over-18s only because of the danger involved, though they have an unblemished safety record over their ten-year history.

Rob says that the methods used by historical fencers creates a much more realistic atmosphere for learning.

The main sources for historical fencing are recently studied 14th and 15th century books written in old dialects of Italian and German.

English sources would be used but, perhaps surprisingly given a long history of border battles, crusading and rebellion, there are very few manuscripts from the period.

Rob says that armed with this new academic research, interest in the martial art is growing.

“The whole area of research has grown massively in the last three decades, and we know so much more now then when I started in the 1990s.

“This has meant there is a renewed understanding of the whole area.

“The historical fencing community has grown from a handful of practitioners during the early 1990s to many thousands of enthusiasts today, spread across Europe, North America and Australasia.”

Having seen the group practice and had a go myself I was tired out and sweaty but certainly understood the interest and felt inspired by their efforts.

Backed up by good quality research they all have a passion to ensure important skills aren’t lost, even if they are currently misunderstood and misrepresented.

Watching them count out the moves and responding to orders in old German, I can only say I admire their efforts and interest.

Perhaps it’s best I say that though, I don’t want Tancred paying me a visit.

You can find out more on the Hotspur School of Defence by emailing hotspurschool@aol.com or by searching for them on Facebook.

Sidebar:

Hotspur School of Defence is part of the growing movement known as historical fencing.

The group particularly focuses on the works of the Italian master Fiore dei Liberi, who wrote “Fior de Battaglia” (Flower of Battle) around 1409.

“De Arte Gladiatoria Dimicandi” (On the Art of Swordsmanship) by Filippo Vadi of Pisa, written between 1482 and 1487, is also used during their training.

German manuals are also consulted, especially the tradition and teachings of the 14th century grand-master Johannes Liechtenauer, though others, all original sources from the 15th century, are frequently used.

Diagrams found in Liberi's manual.....

....and another from a 15th century work by Hans Talhoffer.