KDF Leeds
The Royal Armouries, West Yorkshire

Seminar 1.33: Sword & Buckler, Leeds


Saturday 12th May 2018

(Please note timetable details may be subject to change)
09:00 - 09:30
Registration and Introduction
09:30 - 11:00
Understanding 1.33:
Basic concepts, ideas
& techniques

Herbert Schmidt
(Newsroom)
A practical
introduction to
Sword & Buckler

Lars Lind
(Dojo)
1.33 Manuscript
Viewing

Stuart Ivinson
(Meet outside library,
1st Floor)
11:15 - 12:45
Quattuor partes:
Four Blows with
Buckler Support

Antti Ijäs
(Newsroom)
Messer Workshop
Adam Roylance
(Dojo)
Handling Session 1
Henry Yallop
(Meet outside library,
1st Floor)
12:45 - 13:15
Lunch
13:15 - 14:45
Principles from
Lignitzer's
Sword and Buckler

Dean Davidson
(Newsroom)
Round Shield Fighting
Tradition of the
Viking Age

Rolf Warming
(Dojo)
Handling Session 2
Henry Yallop
(Meet outside library,
1st Floor)
15:00 - 16:30
Putting the
Right Foot Forward

Dave Rawlings
(Newsroom)
Introduction to
Posture and Footwork

Cornelius Berthold
(Dojo)
1.33 Manuscript
Viewing

Stuart Ivinson
(Meet outside library,
1st Floor)
16:30 - 17:00
Review and Close

Sunday 13th May 2018

(Please note timetable details may be subject to change)
09:00 - 09:30
Registration and Introduction
09:30 - 11:00
Round Shield Fighting
Tradition of the
Viking Age

Rolf Warming
(Newsroom)
Footwork and the
Tread Through

Dave Rawlings
(Dojo)
A practical
introduction to
Sword & Buckler

Lars Lind
(Wellington)
11:15 - 12:45
Lectures

Before the Buckler: Shields and Fighting Traditions - Rolf Warming
The Buckler in a nutshell: History, typology, usage - Herbert Schmidt
'Septem partes': the system behind MS 1.33 - Antti Ijäs

(The Bury Theatre, Ground Floor)
12:45 - 13:15
Lunch
13:15 - 14:45
Superior ligacio
semper vtilior erit

Cornelius Berthold
(Newsroom)
Principles from
Lignitzer's
Sword and Buckler

Dean Davidson
(Dojo)
Messer Workshop
Adam Roylance
(Wellington)
15:00 - 16:30
Sword & Buckler
Free Play and
Open Sparring

Various Instructors
(Newsroom)
Quattuor partes:
Four Blows with
Buckler Support

Antti Ijäs
(Dojo)
Tactics of 1.33:
Underlying principles
& tactical approaches

Herbert Schmidt
(Wellington)
16:30 - 17:00
Review and Close

Understanding the I.33 – Basic concepts, ideas and techniques

Herbert Schmidt

The Ms. I.33 is a complex and highly evolved fighting system. It hinges on the understanding of fundamental concepts and techniques. In this workshop we have a look at the underlying principles and how to apply them in a fight. Suitable for all levels from absolute beginner to advanced.

A practical introduction to Sword & Buckler

Lars Lind

Although no experience of Sword & Buckler is needed for this workshop, the more knowledgeable would still benefit from a deeper understanding of the importance of this weapons combat system. As an introduction to Sword & Buckler, this workshop will concentrate on weapons characteristics, fight logic and body mechanics. Historical manuals will play a secondary role to the importance of martial principles in this session.

Equipment Required: An open mind, although with a Sword & Buckler would be preferable.

Quattuor partes: Four Blows with Buckler Support

Antti Ijäs

Blows delivered from two high guards and two low guards with follow-ups, based on MS I.33. This workshop is beginner friendly.

Equipment Required: Sword and buckler, mask optional.

Principles from Lignitzer’s Sword & Buckler

Dean Davidson

During this workshop we will explore the importance of flow, control of bind and exploit the openings presented by our opponent. Lignitzer gives us six plays to build a fundamental understanding of the mechanics in Sword & Buckler. Some extracts of these plays provide an insight in to principles such as the ‘paired shield’, structured winding and how to control our opponent’s options. We will also consider different ways of holding our own sword and how this opens opportunities linked with blade alignment and bind control. This session is accessible to all levels, those with more experience will be stretched accordingly.

Equipment Required: Sword and Buckler. For those with more experience Masks and Gloves would be useful.

The Round Shield Fighting Tradition of the Viking Age

Rolf Warming

This workshop will focus on the basic principles of fighting with a Viking Age round shield and an axe or a sword. The participants will explore the disadvantages and advantages of shield binds and shield strikes, and learn how to use the shield actively in both defensive and offensive situations.

Introduction to posture and footwork

Cornelius Berthold

Both the illustrations in MS. I.33 and many contemporary marginal miniatures of buckler fighters show a forward bend from the hip and a wide stance. Instead of dismissing these patterns as artistic licence, we will have a look at the bio-mechanics which make this posture work. This will include quite a bit of footwork and body movements which benefit from the peculiar stance. And it will look like strange Tai Chi.

Equipment: None, walking barefoot or in shoes with thin soles will help.

Before the Buckler: Shields and Fighting Traditions

Rolf Warming

This lecture will examine the different shield types and their combative use in Northern Europe in the period 900-1250 AD, providing a historical context for the buckler tradition of the High Middle Ages. To this end, the speaker will discuss historical and archaeological evidence for shield constructions and their uses, drawing upon the most recent findings from two research projects on Early Medieval shields. The buckler stands both in contrast to and in accordance with these other shield traditions.

The Buckler in a nutshell: History, typology, usage and further insights

Herbert Schmidt

The buckler has a long and very interesting history. This talk will cover the history, typology as well as questions regarding construction and usage. We will have a look at some noteworthy bucklers which will allow us some insights in regards to the usage.

'Septem partes': the system behind MS 1.33

Antti Ijäs

The written monuments of swordplay from before the seventeenth century have often been considered to be collections of individual tricks instead of representing a coherent system. Before making any such judgment, a distinction must be made between the system and its description. In my presentation, I will touch upon this relationship in MS I.33 and discuss what seems to be the common thread in the various plays and admonitions recorded in the codex, with an emphasis on how the text itself refers to the system described therein.

Superior ligacio semper vtilior erit

Cornelius Berthold

The text in MS. I.33 says that binds can be left and right and that you can be superior or inferior. Unfortunately, the presence of the buckler makes this less symmetrical than e. g. in rapier, but having one's own blade over the opponent's is still a solid indicator of dominance in the bind. We will try to explore why that is the case and how we can use it to our advantage – and how we can do this as easy-going as possible.

Equipment Required: We will start empty-handed and later use sword simulators and bucklers; if enough masks are around, we can stab each other, but this is not a must.

Tactics of the I.33 – Underlying principles, tactical approaches and tricks

Herbert Schmidt

The I.33 offers some unique tactics to put the opponent under pressure while staying flexible oneself. We will have a look at the tactical approach of the I.33 and how to incorporate them in our own fencing. Suitable for levels from intermediate to advanced. Beginners are welcome but will find it difficult.