Tonight's featured avatar belongs to the team member, Marcushire,...a member of the site since 2008.








His avatar is Folio 13r from the Codex Icononografico 394a, as provided by Hans Talhoffer to Graf Eberhardt von Württemberg in 1467.







There - that's all clear as day, isn't it?

No?  Okay, allow me to explain it a bit.  Let's start with Hans Talhoffer.








From the above image, you would probably guess that Hans seemed like a typical sort of fellow.  

He wasn't.  He was a 15th century fencing master....one of a handful across Europe at the time.

We here at Arfcom discuss attending various instructional courses - available for anyone to sign up.

During this time, that was not the case.  If you were born a nobleman, it was a position that brought wealth and with that wealth, danger.

You were a prominent figure and as such, you could be called upon to fight for others as well as fight to defend what you owned.

To learn these techniques, you called upon the very best - the fencing master to instruct you in the ways of the longsword, the poleaxe, the longshield, the dagger, grappling, mounted fencing, etc.

When called upon to teach, Hans Talhoffer didn't show up for just an afternoon armed with a powerpoint presentation.  

He showed up and gave hands on, personal instruction to the noble's family in the fighting arts.

He also could present the family with an instructional manuscript - a visual aid in the training.  For this, he was handsomely rewarded by the family.  






Marcushire's avatar is Folio 13r, a page from Codex Icononografico 394a, an instructional manuscript provided in 1467 to one such family.  Upon completion of the training the manuscript stayed with the family.

Here's a couple of videos that show the images of that provided instructional document demonstrating the techniques used with various weapons.










Of course, it's one thing to look at sketches of the fighting arts - but it's entirely another to see it in motion.  








It's not the sword fighting "dance" up and down staircases that Hollywood has shown us.  Instead, it was a very brutal and obviously, an incredibly bloody way to fight.





...and now you know.  





Previously featured avatar:  Agent_Funky

Do you IM people about their avatars or scour the internet for answers?

Either way, these are always interesting reads.

Wow. That's some hardcore research.

Very impressive. I have come to enjoy these threads very much.

The person in question doesn't know that they are being featured until after the thread is posted.

There was one exception to this because I needed to get prior permission from the member to include their personal website in the feature.

I love these threads

Are you retired? ,you got some awesome skillz for Internet searches

Nice codpieces.

<snort>  You should see when I research a potential tenant.  

Tineye bro

Google images is much better.

This is a great thread idea.

Educational, enjoyable, and no bs in the thread.


Now could someone please point me toward GD, I seem to have gotten lost.

Thanks!

Cool stuff. I joined ARMA years ago and got a wooden practice sword from NSA, got a copy of Ringeck's book and was about to get started learning this stuff when I injured my back. Ten years later the practice sword is just collecting dust. Some things just don't work out the way you planned.

Can't wait till I'm featured.

That last video is awesome.  I would love to learn that type of swordplay.  Fencing?

Nice.

 Labs are dumb.  I like labs.

Spoiler alert, man!

I have to admit, this avatar is a bit better than mine.

That doesn't mean I don't still expect a breakdown of my avatar at some point...

Kudos Reno!

Thanks Johnny , I learned a little tonight .

Love these threads.

These are always interesting, but tonight it flew right over my head.

So much

As an aside, I always thought the Trojan horse was the best SF flash.

Perhaps Johnny can do a math thread next?

Good job Johnny R.  Good job indeed.

Wow! Very interesting. Good research.

Me too, but especially this one since I'm a fencer.

If anyone is interested in a rough history of sword use, fencing, dueling, Olympics, etc around the world I'd like to recommend By the Sword by Richard Cohen.

This picture from a few years ago (I'm on the left in the blue socks)...I really need to get back into the sport, I loved it when I had time/was close to a good Salle.  

I don't get it.

Admittedly, there were a few seconds of "WTF did I do??" when I saw the IM.

I am honored.

Excellent write up, BTW. Johnny_Reno hit the nail on the head.

I originally chose my avatar because A) I practice HEMA/WMA and B) I couldn't think of anything cheeky and fun.

Happy to answer any questions. HEMA are the Historical European Martial Arts aka WMA or Western Martial Arts. A few years ago I realized I was getting pudgy. I was interested in martial arts but the 'traditional' ones didn't do much for me. About that time I saw the exact video featured above. What guy doesn't like swords and bashing others, amirite? By sheer luck I found a studio in my area. At the time HEMA was virtually unknown outside of Eastern Europe. Today, the art is exploding. An excellent form of exercise and way to connect to your European heritage. It ignited a passion.

That was going on three years ago. Today I hold the rank of Fechter (Fighter) and have began instructing in my school. I NEVER would have thought of myself advancing, let alone teaching.

Bonus trivia: my avatar is of a specific technique, the 'Krumphau' or crooked strike. From the German Lichtennauer school, it is one of the 'Meister Hauen' or 'Master Cuts'.

As for AR15.com, you guys showed me how to select and build my first AR. I stumbled onto GD one day. Subsequent IQ tests show a marked decrease in intelligence. My wife doesn't understand this place so I figure you guys have to be on to something.

ETA: just goes to show, post enough nonsense and someone is bound to notice. To quote Navin Johnson, "Things are gonna start happening to me now!"

ETA X 2: I would be amiss if I didn't recognize my school Cymbrogi WMA

Thanks.

Sometimes, a really interesting one will pop up from time to time with some of our infrequent posters.

Dammit Man, now I'm late for bed!


Can't pass up a Johnny Reno Avatar thread

70 million purchase price

Cool

Hack and slashing bump.

Thank you for your research Johnny_Reno.

always a good post...