lucyinthesky
14-01-2012, 18:34
The MS I.33 is the oldest known manuscript that we have depicting the European fighting arts. It is a record of German sword and buckler fighting in the 13th century. It is dated to approximately 1295, though some think it may be a little older, and some think it may be a little younger. It is written in the manner of a Priest teaching a student or Scholar how to correctly fight with a sword and a buckler. In various places we are given statements that a common man will do one type of an action, but the Priest teaches the use of a different action. At the end of the manuscript we have a woman by the name of Walpurgis who may be the same person as a German, Catholic Saint named Walburga. (Brian Hunt, Guards of the I.33 or Tower Fechtbuch (http://www.thearma.org/Manuals/I33-guards.html))
http://www.aemma.org/onlineResources/restricted/i33/i33text.pdf
http://www.aemma.org/onlineResources/restricted/i33/i33text.pdf