Browse our Categories! Arms and Armor Celtic Lore Historical Fiction Historical Non-Fiction (A-H) Historical Non-Fiction (I-R) Historical Non-Fiction (S-Z) King Arthur Legends Miscellaneous Fiction Miscellaneous Non-Fiction

Arms & Armor The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe by Sydney Anglo $45.00 / Yale Univ. Press / 2000 For all those die-hard swashbucklers who have ever wondered why academic books on Renaissance history never address interesting subjects, The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe is a must-read. Likewise, those who already know a spadone from spaghetti will be enlightened and delighted by this well-written, thoroughly researched, and dryly witty work. Sydney Anglo, research professor of history at the University of Wales, provides the reader with a thorough grounding in the hows, whys, and wherefores of swordsmanship, wrestling, and jousting. While obviously indebted to such previous works as Arthur Wise's Art and History of Personal Combat, Dr. Anglo astutely incorporates a vast knowledge of history into his book, resulting in a work of erudition that is uncommon in any subject, let alone this somewhat arcane field. Of course, the book is not perfect. Dr. Anglo deals mainly with written evidence, and his arguments and conclusions are almost wholly derived from his examination of fighting manuals and anecdotal accounts. Sometimes, there is no substitute for personal experience. Though he is critical of Egerton Castle's Victorian-era superiority in his Schools and Masters of Fence, Dr. Anglo himself occasionally lapses into modern editorial when he discovers a construction he does not understand. This is most notable when, like many writers, he is bewildered by the Spanish school of rapier fencing. All the same, anyone looking for a serious, scholarly work on swordsmanship should look no further. The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe should be required reading for all modern medievalists and Rennaisance enthusiasts. —Ken Maondschein

Click here to order:The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe             To order Renaissance Magazine, click here. To order medieval tapestries and other period products, click here.