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The Art of the Two-Handed Sword translates one of the
last surviving works on the use of the two-handed sword,
also called the great sword, a Renaissance descendant of
the medieval knightly weapon that was equally at home on
the battlefield, at tournaments, in the fencing academy,
or on the street. The second half of the book provides a
clear, practical, detailed guide to its use, as well as
to the theory and practice of historical fencing.
Francesco Alfieri’s 1653 Lo Spadone (The Two-Handed
Sword), translated here, provides a “missing link”
between medieval and modern martial arts. It displays
clear continuity with both medieval swordsmanship and
the still living traditions of sabre and great stick.
Beginning in the 14th Century, swords became more
sharply pointed in order to pierce the heavy plate armor
of the day, and the grip became longer to allow
two-handed use for greater power. By the end of the 15th
Century, the two-hander, as long as a man is tall, had
become a fearsome infantry weapon used to break up pike
formations and in honor guards defending the standard or
banner. It was also used in tournaments, on the field of
honor, and for civilian self-defense. This long
two-hander was known in Italy as the spadone. Its basic
methods have continued to the present day in great stick
technique. The Art of the Two-Handed Sword is the first
complete English translation of Alfieri’s book,
supplemented by related materials: the MS Riccardiano
(c. 1550) and works by Camillo Agrippa (1553), Giacomo
di Grassi (1570), and finally Guieseppe Colombani
(1711), who provides our last textual reference to the
weapon. Alfieri’s work is supplemented by Ken
Mondschein’s painstaking reconstruction and adaptation
of longsword practice for the present day. He draws on
primary sources, martial arts traditions, classical and
modern fencing theory, and extensive practical
experience to create a practical and enjoyable method
for learning and practicing the spadone under modern
conditions. Numerous photographs illustrate the
techniques that he describes. |
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