Sword and Shield

Very little is written about medieval sword and shield, despite the great interest in the weapon form. What is taught at Stoccata: Hobart is a hybrid form, based on the 15th century sword and duelling shield material of Talhoffer (and other authors in the Liechtenauer tradition) and the remarkably similar 16th century Italian sword and shield material of authors like Marozzo and Di Grassi. Iconic evidence from the middle ages suggests that a very similar style was used in earlier centuries. The study of sword and shield is based on Stephen’s papers on the subject, Talhoffer's sword and duelling shield as a model for reconstructing Early Medieval sword and shield techniques (with Paul Wagner in Spada) and Further Thoughts on the Mechanics of Combat with Large Shields (due to be published in Spada II later this year).

Classes examine the guards used with large shields, the core concept of movement of the body around the shield, not vice versa and the use of the shield as an offensive, rather than a defensive weapon. Manipulation of the opponent’s shield to create an advantage or opening is studied in great depth.