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Hans Talhoffer

Medieval Combat: A Fifteenth-Century Illustrated Manual of Swordfighting and Close-Quarter Combat (Greenhill Military Paperbacks) Paperback – January 1, 2006

by Hans Talhoffer (Author), Mark Rector (Editor)

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This brilliant and attractive book makes one of the most influential and lavishly-drawn fencing manuals of the Middle Ages available in English for the first time. The authentic fifteenth-century techniques of master of arms Hans Talhoffer are illustrated in detail, presenting not only a unique historic record but also a visual guide for modern practitioners. Talhoffer's professional fencing manual of 1467 illustrates the intricacies of the medieval art of fighting, covering both the 'judicial duel' (an officially sanctioned fight to resolve a legal dispute) and personal combat. Combatants in the Middle Ages used footwork, avoidance, and the ability to judge and manipulate timing and distance to exploit and enhance the sword's inherent cutting and thrusting capabilities. These skills were supplemented with techniques for grappling, wrestling, kicking and throwing the opponent, as well as disarming him by seizing his weapon. Every attack contained a defense and every defense a counter-attack. Talhoffer reveals the techniques for wrestling, unarmored fighting with the long sword, pole-axe, dagger, sword and buckler, and mounted combat. This unparalleled guide to medieval combat, illustrated with 268 contemporary images, provides a glimpse of real people fighting with skill, sophistication and ruthlessness.

Print length

320 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Greenhill Books
Publication date

January 1, 2006
Dimensions

6.06 x 1 x 9.13 inches
ISBN-10

1853675822
ISBN-13

978-1853675829
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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Greenhill Books (January 1, 2006)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1853675822
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1853675829
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.1 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.06 x 1 x 9.13 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #2,335,531 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #3,801 in Conventional Weapons & Warfare History (Books)
- #5,042 in Military Strategy History (Books)
- #50,094 in European History (Books)

Customer Reviews:
86 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		69%
4 star		19%
3 star		9%
2 star 0% (0%)		0%
1 star		3%

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Tierni H. Moore

Different perspective on combat styles. Hollywood has long given ...

Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2015

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Different perspective on combat styles. Hollywood has long given us the idea of fancy rapier battles, but this is a very concise look at combat techniques far different from the big screen. The illustrations do help. I found trying to go page to page and match written information on each illustration a little difficult. There were descriptions of what each plate illustrated with each picture, but a more detailed description is found at the back. Trying to go back and forth with the kindle was more complex than turning a page would be. Other than that, this books gives clear information on using longswords, shields and maces, along with wrestling techniques. It made me realize how much more of a deadly sport knights were involved in over the years, and just how detailed the methods of offense and defense were. This book delves into the particular fighting style of the author, kept a secret during his life and only passed down to those he tutored or with whom he fought, side by side. One wouldn't want an opponent knowing one's fighting technique or he would be able to come up with a defensive move against it. It was a very helpful and interesting read.

8 people found this helpful

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citan-uzukiTop Contributor: Coloring

Medieval Martial Arts

Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2006

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Medieval scholars, martial artists, and historians will find this book to be very interesting. Usually, we associate martial arts with eastern cultures. Sometimes, we forget that the world only became orderly and civilized quite recently. Some may argue that parts of the world are still lawless today. But the important concept to remember is that during times when the rule of law is weak, or non-existent, people had to be able to defend themselves and their property. It would then make sense that part of one's education is to learn how to fight. Granted that formal training in the fighting arts were reserved for those classes of people who were selected to uphold the law and maintain peace, as well as those in the military. This book was written by a medieval military instructor, Hans Talhoffer. It reads almost like a manual, despite the lack of explanations and clarifications.

The book illustrates attacks, defenses, and counters. After reading the book, you will realize what should have been obvious: European states had a very developed martial arts during the medieval times. After all, they had a class of people who were devoted to fighting. The knights were not simple men in armor who simply hacked and slashed.

The book is a fighting manual. Therefore, a modern-day couch potato such as myself would have some difficulty understanding a lot of the concepts. Talhoffer intended his book to be read by fighting men, after all. He never could have anticipated that his book would survive hundreds of years later, to be read by people who have never had to engage in combat. The book must be evaluated with respects to the time, and the audience, for whom it was written.

This book should be a part of a medieval historian's collection. I also recommend this to anyone who is interested in the martial arts. Reading this book reminded me of the fictional character from Highlander, Connor McLeod. Surely, some of the Highlander's moves must have come from Talhoffer!

6 people found this helpful

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Mordalf

Good book For the Student of Liechtenauer!

Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2015

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Great Book! They did a wonderful job preserving the integrity of the work. Well translated and the Art well preserved.

A note about the work Its self: If you are a student of Liechtenauer, have messer experience, or are interested in Historic manuscripts for their own merit and place in history then this book will be useful to you. If you are a beginner with the longsword, messer, etc. then this is not a book for you. Talhoffer did not write the book as a step to step guide. It was more of a visual teaching aid and a "Catalog" of the knowledge that he had to offer. That being said if you have a basic understanding of the materials there is a lot to be gleaned here. If you have an interest in Trial by combat and siege weapons this book will completely enthrall you.

6 people found this helpful

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Stephen C. Hick

Superb New English Language Version of Old Classic

Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2000

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A superb English language edition of Hans Talhoffer manual of 1467. A seminal work on the German method of combat in the late middle ages and renaissance, the first of what I hope are a number of these kinds of works produced in the next few years. What an improvement not to have to find a library with a copy of Gustav Hergsell's facsimile of the last century and struggle with the 4 inch think tome, or work with muddy photo copies and rough English translations.
Well produced, the plates seem clearer than those of the German edition from whence these were drawn. Translated from the original Swabian and expanded into notes, from Gustav Hergsell's modern German transcription of the last century that was rife with errors as noted by Dr. Karl Wassmannsdorff. (If you want to check, the Swabian is added in an appendix).
What is need now is someone (Hint! Hint!) to publish a work with all the Liechtenauer's text and glossa (a different manual) to go with these superb drawings.

11 people found this helpful

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Tom

A Worthwhile Challenge

Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2007

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This reproduction of Hans Talhoffer's Close-Quarter Combat manual is an exquisite addition to a martial arts practitioner's collection or historian's library. It is composed mainly of black and white reproductions of the original fifteenth century coloured illustrations depicting several armed and unarmed fighting techniques; each of which is accompanied by a translation of the original succinct commentary on the technique by the author. By its very nature, it is not a self explanatory guide, and is not a manual for a novice, self taught practitioner of medieval martial arts. Even so, it illustrates specific instances of combat quite vividly, and can be decrypted by a more experienced martial artist to yield priceless information useful in perfecting one's technique. It should not be your first book on the subject, but it will likely be among the best. Truly a worthwhile challenge.

2 people found this helpful

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badguybuster

Disappointed

Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2020

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Ive read a lot of texts on European combat arts. I felt this one left a lot to be desired. The descriptions and illustrations were somewhat far apart.

3 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Mr M E K Brown

Initially bad, but has grown over time

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 5, 2016

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Not what I was expecting - this review is difficult, on receiving the book it would have been one or maybe two stars, but now is higher.

Simply put I was expecting more content/material/interpretation.
My other half when I had opened the amazon packaged asked why I had bought a colouring book as I flicked through the pages, and I was quite dissapointed in what I had bought.
As a pure translation of Talhoffer it is very good as you read through the captions that accompany the plates, as such it has grown on me and is a useful accompaniment to understanding or interpreting swordplay - therefore the score has increased as have gone through this more to the point where I would recommend this to anyone interested in the sword and related fighting arts.
My complaint about the layout would be that the plates with accompanying translation are laid out in landscape, these plates are then accompanied by the commentary (also divided by the two sections) which is at the end of the book in a separate section in portrait - this results in a lot of having to flick back and forth whilst twisting 90 degrees to see what the explanatory comment is. These comments could have been easily included as footnotes on the page they referred to without distracting from the image and translation. Secondarily to this, some of the notes refer to other notes by number, this is straightforward to find the corresponding note, however the plate that the note refers to is not listed meaning that you have to flick though all the pages to find the superscript reference number... and then give up as you want to continue with where you were at to keep the picture of actions in your mind. Probably what I am trying to say is that the comments section should cross-reference back to the text.

All that aside, I do like this book and would recommend as a reference for anyone studying or learning medieval sword and other weapons and the context of their practice

2 people found this helpful

paul jobson

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 15, 2017

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for me it was a really good book

Kindle user

A must have reference book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 24, 2016

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