Modern fencing's origins come from the elegant, and deadly rapier of the late Italian Renaissance. Several schools of rapier fencing existed, amongst which one of the strongest and longest lasting was the Roman-Neapolitan-Sicilian School of swordsmanship (Scuola Romana-Napoletana-Siciliana ). Arising from the early, northern school, the southern school dates to the seventeenth century, in Rome, then spread throughout the south of Italy and evolved uninterruptedly until the nineteenth century, when it merged with the more modern traditions of fencing.

Historical Fencing Manual: Rapier-Fencing in the 17th and 18th Centuries, is a true, modern fencing manual for training in this tradition, written by a modern master of the art. The texts of the seventeenth- and eighteenth-century masters are broken-down, synthesized and arranged into a concise, modern pedagogy, opening a gateway to the southern Italian school for the very first time. Beginning with fundamentals of stance, footwork, attack and defence, the text also covers complex provocations, disarms and grapples, and use of the left-hand dagger-a complete course under one cover!

About the Author

Francesco Loda has sought to model his life on that of the "swordsman-scholars" of the Renaissance. As a scholar, he has PhDs in the History of Religions and in Ancient Civilization and History. He holds the rank of Maestro d'Arme (Master-at-Arms) from the Italian Fencing Federation (F.I.S) and is recognised as a trainer by the Italian Olympic Committee. As an athlete, between 2004 and 2017 he won forty gold medals, in rapier and sword tournaments throughout Europe and the USA.

Book Information
ISBN 9781937439408
Author Francesco Loda
Format Paperback
Page Count 140
Imprint FreeLance Academy Press
Publisher FreeLance Academy Press
Weight(grams) 300g
Dimensions(mm) 254mm * 178mm * 9mm