Hans Talhoffer
Hans Talhoffer was a fencing-master in southern Germany in the 15th century. He is the author several Fechtbücher, illustrated treatises describing methods of fighting with various weapons, including unarmed combat (grappling), dagger, long sword, pole weapons and mounted combat. He is a contemporary of fencing-master Paulus Kal (whose manuscript may contain hints of professional rivalry between the two). Talhoffer taught within the tradition of Johannes Liechtenauer.
Talhoffer is the best-known of the 15th century german fencing-masters. There are half a dozen surviving illustrated Fechtbücher, some of them of considerable draftsmanship, documenting a span of three decades of his activity. Talhoffer's name appears in the records of Zürich, documenting how he was teaching near the Rathaus (city council) in 1454 (a fight broke out among his students, resulting in various fines).
A list of the Fechtbücher by Hans Talhoffer:
- (1) MS Chart. A 558, Gotha, 151 folia, 178 drawings, 41 pages of text, 1443.
- (2) HS XIX. 17-3, Königsegg, 73 folia, ca. 1450.
- (3) P 5342 B (Cod. Nr. 55 Ambras). Copy of (2)
- (4) 78 A 15, Berlin, 77 folia., before 1459.
- (5) Thott 290 2, Kongelige Bibliothek, Copenhagen, Hans Talhoffers Alte Armatur und Ringkunst, 150 folia, 1459
- (6) Cod. icon. 394, 137 folia, 1467.
- (7) Cod. Vindob. Ser. Nov. 2978 276 folia, 16th century copy of (6).
See also German school of swordsmanship, Historical European Martial Arts.
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Close-quarter fighting with rondel daggers from
Talhoffers Fechtbuch, a 15th Century manual of combat |
