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The history and art of personal combat
More men have gone to their deaths in personal combat with the sword than with all other weapons put together, according to the author of this comprehensive history of classical and historical swordsmanship. Arthur Wise examines the sword's many uses and varieties, including the broadsword, two-hander, and rapier as well as the dagger, bayonet, and halberd. Historic engravings, line art, photographs, and other illustrations complement nearly every page of this fascinating study.
Starting with the earliest extant accounts, this survey traces the development and theory of personal combat through the elaborate formality of the sword fight to the modern methods of commando raids and gang warfare, including the use of rifles and handguns. Despite the discussions of science and technique, this volume offers no coverage of sport fencing, focusing only on fights to the death. Readers interested in swordsmanship and weapons combat will find it a valuable source of information from dozens of historic manuals and period sources.
Starting with the earliest extant accounts, this survey traces the development and theory of personal combat through the elaborate formality of the sword fight to the modern methods of commando raids and gang warfare, including the use of rifles and handguns. Despite the discussions of science and technique, this volume offers no coverage of sport fencing, focusing only on fights to the death. Readers interested in swordsmanship and weapons combat will find it a valuable source of information from dozens of historic manuals and period sources.
- GenresHistory
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1971
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 25, 2020
A bold attempt to outline a given definition of "personal combat" and dive through its experience. Heavily focused on European swordplay (and knifework), Mr. Wise includes substantial sections of renaissance swordplay illustrations, though primarily as representations of the style of the era, not as an instruction manual.
The two substantial lacunae in this text are unarmed combat and non-European/colonized American combat. Considering that most combat in any era has been unarmed, he gives surprisingly short shrift to those disciplines, merely touching briefly on bare-knuckle boxing. Additionally, Samurai weaponry and styles are referred to briefly, but no mention is made of Chinese arts, Mongolian wrestling, Zulu warfare, Filipino Kali, or any of a myriad combative styles (that also feature in local artistic representations).
The bibliography alone is well worth it for anyone interested in Western Martial Arts- it would likely be 5-stars but for the chauvinism/bizarre choice of including WW2 aerial combat as an example of "personal combat" but not non-European combat sports or dueling traditions.
For a fight choreographer, this is not rich in technique that's readily minable unless you already know your swordplay quite well, but there are some good stories that illustrate the mindset (and madness) of dueling.
The two substantial lacunae in this text are unarmed combat and non-European/colonized American combat. Considering that most combat in any era has been unarmed, he gives surprisingly short shrift to those disciplines, merely touching briefly on bare-knuckle boxing. Additionally, Samurai weaponry and styles are referred to briefly, but no mention is made of Chinese arts, Mongolian wrestling, Zulu warfare, Filipino Kali, or any of a myriad combative styles (that also feature in local artistic representations).
The bibliography alone is well worth it for anyone interested in Western Martial Arts- it would likely be 5-stars but for the chauvinism/bizarre choice of including WW2 aerial combat as an example of "personal combat" but not non-European combat sports or dueling traditions.
For a fight choreographer, this is not rich in technique that's readily minable unless you already know your swordplay quite well, but there are some good stories that illustrate the mindset (and madness) of dueling.
June 20, 2012
Excellent overview of the historical progress of weapons for personal combat.
May 7, 2016
The text is meh and more than once erroneous, but there is a very nice selection of images. I also enjoyed the brief section on pistol dueling, as it's new territory for me.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews