Description

Book Synopsis
First published in 1570, Joachim Meyer's _The Art of Comba__t_ is among the most important texts in the rich corpus of German martial arts treatises of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Meyer is unique in offering full recommendations on how to train for various weapons forms. He divides his book into five parts by weapon types: longsword; dusack (a practice weapon analogous to a sabre); rapier; dagger; and staff weapons. For each weapon, Meyer lays out the principles of its use and the vocabulary of techniques, and then describes a range of specific 'devices', attack combinations for use in combat. This rational approach, along with Meyer's famous and profuse woodcut illustrations, make this a crucial source for understanding the history and techniques of medieval and Renaissance martial arts. In the first ever English translation of this important work, Jeffrey Forgeng has sought to improve accessibility of the text. His Introduction is the first substantial account to be published in English of the German Fechtbuch corpus, and the Glossary likewise is the first of its kind to be published in English.

The Art of Combat: A German Martial Arts Treatise

    Product form

    A Paperback / softback by Joachim Meyer

    £21.25

    Includes FREE delivery

    RRP £25.00 – you save £3.75 (15%)

    Order before 4pm tomorrow for delivery by Wed 26 Aug 2026.

      Trusted by thousands of customers. See 2,385+ Customer Reviews

      View other formats and editions of The Art of Combat: A German Martial Arts Treatise by Joachim Meyer

      Book details

      Publisher Pen & Sword Books Ltd
      Published 8 January 2021
      ISBN-13 9781526771100
      978-1526771100
      ISBN-10 1526771101
      Also in:
      History and Archaeology

      Description

      Book Synopsis
      First published in 1570, Joachim Meyer's _The Art of Comba__t_ is among the most important texts in the rich corpus of German martial arts treatises of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Meyer is unique in offering full recommendations on how to train for various weapons forms. He divides his book into five parts by weapon types: longsword; dusack (a practice weapon analogous to a sabre); rapier; dagger; and staff weapons. For each weapon, Meyer lays out the principles of its use and the vocabulary of techniques, and then describes a range of specific 'devices', attack combinations for use in combat. This rational approach, along with Meyer's famous and profuse woodcut illustrations, make this a crucial source for understanding the history and techniques of medieval and Renaissance martial arts. In the first ever English translation of this important work, Jeffrey Forgeng has sought to improve accessibility of the text. His Introduction is the first substantial account to be published in English of the German Fechtbuch corpus, and the Glossary likewise is the first of its kind to be published in English.

      Recently viewed products

      © 2026 Book Curl

        • American Express
        • Apple Pay
        • Diners Club
        • Discover
        • Google Pay
        • Maestro
        • Mastercard
        • PayPal
        • Shop Pay
        • Union Pay
        • Visa

        Login

        Forgot your password?

        Don't have an account yet?
        Create account