At the Sword

This page is currently considered incomplete and unfinished. There is much more information to be added.

To view a list of all known manuscripts, even those not available online, please see: All Manuscripts

This page contains only manuscripts available online. There are many more that we are aware of, but have not been able to research for various reasons.

Manuscripts are listed in order by date of publication. The author, weapon content, and online availability for each Manuscript are provided under the MS designation and the common name in the following format:

Date: MS Designation - “Common Name”
Author: First Last
Content: Weapon 1, weapon 2, weapon 3
Availability: (Link 1) (Link 2) (Link 3)

If you wish to locate a Manuscript by specific MS designation, weapon type, author, or date, please use the ‘Find’ feature (cntrl+F for windows, command+F for OS X).

13th Century

1295: MS I.33 - “The Tower Fechtbüch”
Author: Anonymous
Content: Sword and buckler
Availability: (AEMMA Members) (ARMA) (ARMA {2}) (Freywild)

14th Century

1392: Cod. HS. 3227a - “The Döbringer Hausbüch”
Author: Döbringer, et al.
Content:Unarmored longsword
Availability: (ARMA)

15th Century

c. 1400: La Jue de la Hache
Author: Anonymous
Content: Pollaxe
Availability: (ARMA)

c.1400s: KK 5013
Author: Anonymous
Content: Armored longsword, armored dagger
Availability: (ARMA Members)

1410: No designation - “Flos Duellatorum in Armis”
Author: Fiore di Liberi
Content: Unarmored longsword, wrestling, dagger
Availability: (Exiles)

1410: MS Ludwig XV 13 - “Fior di Battaglia”
Author: Fiore di Liberi
Content: Unarmored longsword, wrestling, dagger
Availability: (Exiles) (Facsimile)

1410: M.383 - “Fior di Battaglia”
Author: Fiore di Liberi
Content: Unarmored longsword, wrestling, dagger
Availability: (ARMA) (Exiles)

c. 1425: MS.Germ.Quart.16MS - “Gladiatoria”
Author: Anonymous
Content: Armored longsword, armored dagger
Availability: (ARMA) (AEMMA Members)

1430: No Designation - “Andres Lignitzer Manuscript”
Author: Andres Lignitzer
Content: Sword and Buckler
Availability: (ARMA Members)

1440: Mscr.Dresd.C487 - “Sigmund Ringeck Manuscript”
Author: Sigmund Ringeck
Content: Unarmored longsword, armored longsword, armored wrestling, wrestling, dagger
Availability: (ARMA) (AEMMA Members)

c. 1440: B 11093 - “Codex Vindobonensis“
Author: Unknown
Content: Armored spear, armored longsword, armored longsword and dagger, armored pollaxe, armored wrestling, mounted longsword.
Availability: (AEMMA Members)

1443: MS Chart. A 558 - “Gotha Manuscript”
Author: Talhoffer
Content: Unarmored longsword, armored longsword, dueling shields, pollaxe, dagger, wrestling
Availability: (ARMA Members) (Escrime Ancienne)

c. 1450: Harleian MS 3542 - “Harley Manuscript”
Author: Anonymous
Content: Unarmored longsword
Availability: (ARMA) (BFSA)

c. 1450: Cod.44A8 - “von Danzig Manuscript”
Author: Peter von Danzig
Content: Unarmored longsword, armored longsword, dagger, sword and buckler
Availability: (ARMA Members) (AEMMA Members) (Schielhau)

1459: Thott 290 2 - “Alte Armatur und Ringkunst”
Author: Talhoffer
Content: Armored longsword, dagger, wrestling, spear, mounted sword, mounted spear
Availability: (ARMA Members) (ARMA) (Facsimile)

1462: MS Chart B 1021
Author: Paulus Kal
Content: Longsword, messer, sword and buckler, dagger, and wrestling.
Availability: (ARMA Members)

1462: Cgm. 558
Author: Hughes Wittenwiller
Content: Unarmored longsword, armored longsword, spear, staff, halberd, mounted spear, mounted sword, dagger, short sword, falchion, wrestling.
Availability: (HEMAC)

1467: Cod. icon. 394 - “Fencing Book of the Year 1467″
Author: Talhoffer
Content: Unarmored longsword, armored longsword, spear, dueling shields, sword and buckler, dagger, messer, fighting on horseback
Availability: (AEMMA Members) (ARMA) (Schielhau)

c. 1470: Cod.I.6.40.2 - “Codex Wallerstein”
Author: Anonymous
Content: Longsword, wrestling, dagger, falchion.
Availability: (AEMMA Members) (ARMA)

c. 1470: Cod. S554 - “Solothurner Fechtbüch”
Author: Anonymous
Content: Armored longsword, armored wrestling, armored dagger.
Availability: (ARMA)

c. 1475: Cod. Guelf.78.2Aug.20
Author: Anonymous
Content: Longsword.
Availability: (ARMA Members)

1482: Cgm. 582
Author: Johannes Lecküchner
Content: Messer.
Availability: (ARMA Members) (Transcription)

1482: Cpg. 430
Author: Johannes Lecküchner
Content: Messer.
Availability: (Facsimile)

c. 1485: Codice 1324 - “De Arte Gladitotia Dimicandi”
Author: Fillipo Vadi
Content: Longsword, spear, dagger, and wrestling.
Availability: (ARMA)

c. 1490: Cottonian MS Titus A. XXV - “Cotton Titus Manuscript”
Author: Anonymous
Content: Unarmored longsword.
Availability: (HEMAC) (BFSA)

c. 1491: M.I.29 - “Hans von Speyer Manuscript”
Author: Hans von Speyer
Content: Longsword, messer, short sword, wrestling, mounted longsword, and jousting.
Availability: (AEMMA Members) (ARMA) (Schielhau)

16th Century

1500: Lib Pic A 83
Author: Anonymous
Content: Unknown
Availability: (ARMA Members)

c. 1500s: Cod.Guelf.1074 Novi - “Fechtbuchleinn”
Author: Anonymous
Content: Unknown
Availability: (HEMAC)

c. 1510: MS. 2020 - “Goliath”
Author: Anonymous
Content: Unknown
Availability: (ARMA)

c. 1515: Cod. 1246 - “Albrecht Dürer Fechtbuch“
Author: Albrecht Dürer
Content: Unknown
Availability: (ARMA) (ARMA Members)

1531: No designation - “Egenolffsches Fechtbuch”
Author: Christian Egenolph
Content: Messer
Availability: (ARMA Members)

1536: No designation - “Opera Nova”
Author: Achille Marozzo
Content: Early rapier or “cut and thrust” sword.
Availability: (ARMA) (ARMA Members)

1538: No designation - “Hans Czynner Manuscript”
Author: Hans Czynner
Content: Armored longsword and dagger.
Availability: (ARMA Members)

c. 1540: Add. MS 39564 - “Ledall Manuscript”
Author: J. Ledall
Content: Unarmored longsword
Availability: (ARMA) (BFSA)

1542: Cod.Vindob.10825/26
Author: Paulus Hector Mair
Content: Unarmored longsword, staff, dagger, polearm.
Availability: (ARMA)

1552: No designation - “Fechten und Ringen”
Author: Martinus von Heemskerck
Content: Unarmored longsword, “cut and thrust” sword, and wrestling.
Availability: (ARMA Members)

1553: Schätze 82 Reichsstadt
Author: Paulus Hector Mair
Content: Unarmored longsword, staff, dagger, polearm.
Availability: (ARMA Members)

1553: No designation - “Treatise on the Science of Arms and the Dialoque on the Same Theme”
Author: Camillo Agrippa
Content: Rapier.
Availability: (ARMA)

1556: CGM 3712
Author: Jörg Wilham
Content: Armored longsword, unarmored longsword, sword and buckler, messer, spear, mounted combat.
Availability: (ARMA Members)

1570: No designation - “His True Arte of Defense”
Author: Giacomo di Grassi
Content: Rapier, longsword, and polearms.
Availability: (ARMA) (ARMA Members)

1570: No designation - “Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens”
Author: Joachim Meyer
Content: Longsword, dussack, “cut and thrust” sword, staff, dagger, wrestling.
Availability: (ARMA)

1587: No designation - “Regole do Molti Cavagliereschi Esserciti”
Author: Frederico Ghisliero
Content: Rapier.
Availability: (ARMA)

1591: Cod.Guelf.83.4Aug.40
Author: Anonymous
Content: Longsword, dussack, halberd, wrestling, dagger, staff.
Availability: (ARMA Members)

1594: No Designation - “His Practice in Two Books”
Author: Vicentio Saviolo
Content: Rapier.
Availability: (ARMA Members)

1599: No Designation - “Paradoxes of Defense”
Author: George Silver
Content: Staff, dagger, single sword with dagger and buckler.
Availability: (ARMA) (ARMA Members)