Here at Historical European Martial Arts Resources (HEMA Resources / HEMAR) we have a dedicated page, Path of the Long Sword, with lists of historical source based material that teaches how to fight with a…
Zweihänder, literally translated as “two-hander”, are very large great swords that served as shock weapons for 15th-century German and Swiss mercenary forces known as landsknechte. As the name implies, the zweihänder is a large two-handed…
Within HEMA, or Historical European Martial Arts, there are many kinds of sword fighting styles studied by historical fencing enthusiasts. The long sword and the rapier are the two best known swords but the messer…
Kicking is often considered by the general public to not be a major part of Historical European sword fighting or martial arts in general. Many martial artists today even think that kicking is something invented…
Parry daggers are a companion weapon used within certain sword fighting styles and traditions, such as in side sword and rapier fencing. Unlike contemporary modern Olympic style fencing, HEMA (Historical European martial arts) fencing does…
The Gladius sword is a short double edged sword that is most popularly associated with the ancient Roman Republic and Roman Empire as a weapon used by gladiators and legionaries. There are currently no surviving…
A military saber (also spelled as sabre in British English) is a type of single edged, curved blade with a one-handed grip. The blade is characterized as a backsword, because of the triangular cross section…
Mounted horseback combat in Historical European martial arts (HEMA) practices is sometimes referred to as Historical Equestrian Martial Sports (HEMS). This practices incorporates aspects of dressage along with reconstruction of weapons-based combat techniques depicted in…
Before the invention of guns and the modern artillery, the proverbial man lived and died by the sword. People used swords to build societies, protect their homes and even display craftsmanship and artistry. This was…
This is our list of recommended historical swordsmanship and medieval martial arts treatises for those interested in learning medieval sword fighting. These are historical sources of information widely used within the HEMA (Historical European martial…
