Un anno fa ho ripreso a studiare italiano con Duolingo, circa quindici minuti ogni giorno. Non sono ancora in grado di avere una conversazione prolungata, ma sono capace di leggere libri e articoli più facilmente. Non è un programma perfetto - ma funziona per persone che amano imparare da soli.

In the collection of the National Library of Portugal rests a 500pages long illustrated manuscript in spanish from the 17th century entitled "De la Verdadera #Destreza" - which sounds exciting for anyone fond of geometry and #HEMA (there are dozens of us !)

Wonderful article on the relation between #combat and #logic - relating Ralph Strode's Obligationes and the 14th century sword & buckler manuscript Ms. I.33 from the Royal Armouries. More academic work for #HEMA !

A new (smaller) issue of Acta Periodica Duellatorum is out - 4 articles for #HEMA enthusiasts of academic work.

Last year, I went digging through digital library catalogs and found some previously unknown #HEMA stuff : a 1618 German rapier manual (ugly hand-drawn illustrations), a 19th-century copy of a 17th-century copy of the Dürer Fechtbuch, and a 1781 French & German fencing book by Sir Vodromont.

One cannot have too many books in the #HEMA section of the library.

I'll teach both a #HEMA workshop and a conference in September in Switzerland with @heleneleblanc.bsky.social at #SwissBlades.

1/ Rester sur X n'a AUCUNE justification, même en laissant de côté l'aspect idéologique (réseau d'un néonazi organisé pour promouvoir son idéologie, etc.). #Thread D'abord "l'audience" : le ratio internautes réels & intéressants Vs Bots et faux comptes de fermes à trolls est délirant.

#HEMA in the wild - wrestling with a demon on the tympanum of the cathédrale Saint-Etienne in Bourges.

Latest addition to the library. #HEMA

Spending some time with old #HEMA friends in Nantes last week was very cool - and an opportunity to dust up an introduction workshop on Joachim Meyers' #Dussack.

The French #HEMA federation is putting together a symposium - "Entre sources, gestes et pratiques : comprendre, transmettre et expérimenter les AMHE aujourd’hui" A call to contributions is open until May 15th : www.ffamhe.fr/colloque-2026

I'm taking advantage of the publication of gunterrodt to start a short thread on the concept of Sciomachia. From the Greek σκίαμαχία, literally "shadow combat," it refers to a form of weapons training, as opposed to "serious" combat, hoplomachia. #HEMA #HistoricalFencing

The crowdfunding campaign for the physical edition of the latin transcription and french transcription of the Gunterrodt Manuscript is up - don't hesitate to share the information with your source-addicted clubmates : www.helloasso.com/associations...

A previously unknown collection of 17th century illustrations of #fencers is up for auction (thank M-O Blattlin for the notification). M. Vieillard identified a close similarity with the illustrations from Lovino. Hopefully, the #FFAMHE will be able to get a full digitization;

The book is UP ! François Siedels Sciomachia & Hoplomachia is available for free on the éditions Solstices website. An exceptional #fencing #manuscript from 1579 by Heinrich Von Gunterrodt, with a peer-reviewed translation and a documented introduction. solstices-project.com/categorie-pr...

I'm very pleased to announce that the editorial work on "Sciomachia & Hoplomachia" is almost complete, and that preorders will open soon. It contains François Siedel's translation in French from the original latin of the 1579 manuscript by Heinrich von Gunterrodt.

La conférence sur les sources de la grande #épée à deux mains donnée par Marc-Olivier Blattlin de l'association De Taille et d'Estoc lors de #Marquisattack Odyssée est disponible sur FHEMA sources - l'audio est un peu perturbé par les ateliers qui se déroulent dans le gymnase mais c'est audible.

Suite à la numérisation du manuscrit "Las cien conclusiones" de Pacheco de Navarez, l la FFAMHE enregistre une table ronde autour de la Destreza, dimanche 15 mars de 17h30 à 18h30. L'enregistrement sera disponible soit en podcast sur spotify, soit en vidéo sur youtube.

One of the things I like the most about #HEMA club is the mini-conferences we run thrice a year. It started with online courses during the Plague, and evolved into the current format. Here are pics from last Tuesday, at the Mazot cosmique, with Olivier presenting a history of the #foil. ⚔

Lors de #Marquisattack VI - Odyssée, @heleneleblanc.bsky.social d'Annecy a tenu une conférence sur la cuture et les références philosophiques mobilisée par les auteurs des livres de combat - elle est accessible librement sur youtube. #HEMA #Philo

Funny to see that #FioreDeiLiberi is part of #Altered (TCG by Equinox). The quote from the Flower of Battle is accurate. The choice of having him sport a #rapier and a Musketeer outfit is questionable, but good to see a bit of #HEMA permeating some areas of pop culture.

Un podcast passionnant sur l'histoire de l'épée à deux mains, avec l'ami @drphbas.bsky.social.

I'll be in Nantes next month for their annual #HEMA gathering, I'll teach a class on Joachim Meyer's #Dussack with a focus on hip dynamics and the flash required for XVIth century so-called "schools". Registration for the event : www.helloasso.com/associations...

A digitization of Lucini fighting dwarves, featured in Sydney Anglo's #Renaissance #MartialArts, identified by @hels.bsky.social on @gallicabnf.bsky.social. Collection Marolles - ark:/12148/btv1b53266963x. Not your run-of-the-mill #historical #fencing treatise.

#HEMA in the wild - Bronze cast of a pugilist from the Ashmolean museum in Oxford (the original is in the National Museum in Rome). The cestus on the wrists, the wounds and the scarred ears make for a vivid portrait of the intensity of panhellenic combat sports.

#HEMA in the wild - #Wrestling & Acrobats performing for Romulus, on what is probably a fragment from a painted chest in 1415/17 by Apollonio di Giovanni (Oxford Ashmolean museum).

QFT

This weekend I'll be in Strasbourg for a #HEMA event around knives and poniards organized by #ELSAMHE. I'll teach dagger plays of Fiore dei Liberi to be used both in and out of armour. Enjoy the wonderful poster with the Great dreaded Hamster of Elsass.

This weekend is the annual edition of #Marquisattack, our #HEMA gathering in #Annecy - and I've got to say that I'm quite happy with the program. escrime-annecy.com/marquisattac... See you there if you're one of the lucky few who grabbed a ticket.

Excellent overview of #HEMA resources for francophones by @entrerenlice.bsky.social

#HEMA beauty shots for the exhibition "Imagine your sport in the city" in the centre Bonlieu in #Annecy. Pics by Sebt Sebt & Yan-Gaëtan O. (RAW Savoyard)

A new #HEMA digitization is up on the #FFAMHE wiki for #Destreza enthusiasts : "Las cien conclusiones" from early 17th spanish master Luis Pacheco de Narváez. More info here : tinyurl.com/bdubd4f5

The soundtrack for 2025

A new painted #fencing mask. This spooky face will go to Quebec, for a friend.

I have a new #sword and it's a very special one. A unique model of Fechtschwert closely reconstructed from the measurements of a XVIth century original kept in Rome, according to a design by Mehdi Cruchade.

La sixième édition de Marquisattack, intitulée « Odyssée », se tiendra à Annecy les 14 et 15 février prochains. L’événement s’articule autour d’un programme en trois volets, conçu pour mettre en valeur l’ensemble des dimensions des Arts Martiaux Historiques Européens (AMHE).

We're back in #Annecy for another year of #HEMA. Longsword on Monday, Rapier & Smallsword on Thursday, Other traditions on Friday. Hop in if you are around the French Alps !

This book is good - and a must-have for #Lichtenauer enthusiasts. Clear and concise summary of the interconnections of the Ainring glosses, complete transcriptions & translations of the different witnesses, and a ton of useful information for Fechtbuch nerds !

Summer training and interpretation work of Giovanni dall'Agocchie's #sword and #dagger with @heleneleblanc.bsky.social is a joy. French translation available here : drive.google.com/file/d/1OHGe...

I'm listing #HEMA related #books published in French and English, sorted by release year on my @senscritique.com account. Pick your summer reading in there - www.senscritique.com/liste/arts_m...

Random #HEMA Internet find Pt 4 - the New Academy, and lessons from Mr. Vodromont, Master of Arms, in four parts, including parries and ripostes from single to double, Explanations in Questions and Answers, how to place a student and train him in a very short time and without the slightest fatigue.

Random #HEMA finds part 3 - the #FFAMHE had the Ms.2348 , a 17th #fencing treatise by De la Fresnaye digitized in 2022. There is another manuscript by the same author in the Library of the National Museum in Prague - shelfmark XG21. Not digitized yet, AFAIK.

Random find Pt2 - an early 19th century manuscript copy of the Οπλοδιδασκαλια sive Armorvm Tractandorvm Meditatio Alberti Dvreri, by HF Massman - Ref Hs. 2264 Universitätsbibliothek Heidelberg. 100 yrs before Dörnhöffer Also contains stuff from Egenolff. digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/heidh...

There is a neat little rapier manuscript from 1618 (?), located in the Nostitz library, Praha with two illustrations that seem to have been quite crudely copied from either Fabris or Capo Ferro. It was digitized in 2023 and might have escaped your attention. new.manuscriptorium.com/hub/catalog/...

I will be in Dijon at the end of the month for the big HEMA Gathering organized by De Taille et d'Estoc. See you there ?

Springtime is cleaning time !

I had the pleasure of teaching a workshop on Hans Medl von Salzburg at the last Saint-Cergue #HEMA Gathering, organized by GAGSchola. Martin was kind enough to film the whole thing, if you want to hear me rant for nearly 3 hours : www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThFt...

The French #HEMA federation published some simplified guideline to cite and use the works of others (translations, transcriptions, articles etc.) in scientific and non-scientific communications : www.ffamhe.fr/citer-ses-so... #FFAMHE

Suite aux élections récemment tenues, je rempile pour un second mandat de deux ans au conseil d'administration de la FFAMHE, cette fois comme secrétaire. N'hésitez pas à me tagger si vous avez besoin de renseignements sur la fédération. #AMHE #FFAMHE #HEMA