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{{infobox medieval text
+
{{infobox writer
<!----------Name---------->
+
| name                   = Pseudo Ibn Akḥī Ḥizām
| name                 {{=}} “Die Blume des Kampfes”
+
| image                  =  
| alternative title(s)  {{=}} ''The Flower of Battle''
+
| imagesize              =  
<!----------Image---------->
+
| caption                 =  
| image                {{=}} File:Cod.10799 287v288r.png
+
| birthdate               = 10th AH/15th CE century
| width                 {{=}} 250px
+
| birthplace              = Egypt? Syria?
| caption               {{=}}
+
| occupation              = Mamluk scribe?
<!----------Information---------->
+
| nationality             = Circassian Period (“Burjī”) Mamluk
| full title            {{=}}
+
| influences             = {{plainlist
| also known as        {{=}}
+
  | Mamluk Martial Arts Literature
| author(s)             {{=}} {{plainlist | [[Ludwig VI von Eyb]] | Unknown }}
+
  | Lāchin b. ʿAbdallāh al-Ṭarablūsī
| ascribed to          {{=}} {{plainlist | [[Nicholai de Toblem]] (?) | [[Johannes Suvenus]] (?) }}
+
  | Ibn Akhī Ḥizām
| compiled by          {{=}}
 
| illustrated by        {{=}} Unknown
 
| patron                {{=}}
 
| dedicated to          {{=}}
 
| audience             {{=}}
 
| language              {{=}} [[Early New High German]]
 
| date                  {{=}} before 1420s
 
| state of existence    {{=}} Original hypothetical; multiple incomplete copies exist
 
<!----------Manuscript Information---------->
 
| genre                {{=}} {{plainlist | [[Fencing manual]] | [[Wrestling manual]] }}
 
| series                {{=}}
 
| archetype(s)          {{=}}
 
| manuscript(s)        {{=}} {{plainlist | [[Die Blume des Kampfes (Cod.5278)|Cod. 5278]] (1420s?) | [[Wolfenbüttel Sketchbook (Cod.Guelf.78.2 Aug.2º)|Cod.Guelf.78.2 Aug.2º]] (?) (1465-80) | [[Eyb Kriegsbuch (MS B.26)|MS B.26]] (1500) | [[Bũech von fechter Vnnd Ringstückhen zũ Ross vnnd Fuoß (Cod.10799)|Cod. 10799]] (1623) }}
 
| principal manuscript(s){{=}}
 
| first printed edition {{=}}
 
| wiktenauer compilation by{{=}}[[Michael Chidester]]
 
| below                {{=}}
 
 
}}
 
}}
'''''Die Blume des Kampfes''''' (“The Flower of Battle”) is a nickname given to a group of three German manuscripts that share a common technical syllabus and set of illustrations. It might possibly be based on the tradition of 14th century Italian master [[Fiore de'i Liberi]], from whose treatise ''Fior di Battaglia'' it derives its nickname, given that his works include considerable technical overlap. It is equally likely, though, that they represent an earlier German tradition of which Fiore was himself an initiate. Fiore mentions in his prefaces that he owned books on the art and he also names two older masters in his tradition, [[Johane Suveno]] and [[Nicholai de Toblem]]; it is possible that either or both of those masters authored texts which inspired both this tradition as well as Fiore's own writings.
+
| genre                  = Military manual
 +
| language                = Arabic, Egyptian Colloquial Arabic
 +
| notableworks            =
 +
| manuscript(s)          = [[Kitāb al-maḫzūn ğāmi' al-funūn (MS Arabe 2824)|MS Arabe 2824]] (1470)
 +
| wiktenauer compilation by=
 +
}}
 +
'''''Kitāb al-makhzūn: Jāmiʿ al-funūn''''' ("The Treasure: A Work that Gathers Together Combative Arts"; colophon dated 875 AH/1470-1CE) is an Arabic language work in the classical style of Mamluk furūsīya literature. The work is attributed to the famous «father» of Islamicate martial arts literature Ibn Akhī Ḥizām (c. 250 AH/ 864 CE; given as Ibn Akhī Khuzām), yet is clearly the work of a Mamluk author. Agnès Carayon suggests that a grandee of the Circassian Mamluk (''Burjī'') court commissioned the work, potentially for Sultan Qāʾitbay (r. 1468-1496). Composite in nature, the work is most likely a summary of other, more voluminous works—such as ''Nihāyat al-suʾl wa-l-amnīya fī taʿlīm aʿmāl al-furūsīya'' ("The End of Questioning: A Trustworthy Work concerning Instruction in the Deeds of Furūsīya") by Al-Aqsarāʾī (c. 9th cent. AH/14th cent CE). Certain sections begin and then trail off, while others remain incomplete, suggesting that this work is composite in nature and was most likely a summary or copy of other works both extant and lost. The author does not cite other authors within the body of the text itself.
  
The oldest manuscript in the ''Blume des Kampfes'' group is the [[Die Blume des Kampfes (Cod.5278)|Cod. 5278]], which dates to the late 1420s and contains only simple line drawings somewhat reminiscent of the art of Fiore de'i Liberi, though lacking many signature characteristics such as garters and crowns and generally less organized than the Friulian master's work. The second entry was completed in ca. 1500 by [[Ludwig VI von Eyb]], and while contains a significant degree of overlap with the 5278, both manuscripts also have a wealth of unique content. While the artwork, though colored, is of similar quality, Eyb's treatise improves on its predecessor by including detailed German descriptions of the devices in most of its sections. Whether this text was authored by Eyb or present in the sources upon which he based his work cannot currently be determined.
+
The text of ''Jāmiʿ al-funūn'' is by and large more classical in nature with a great deal of dialectal, Egyptian Arabic of the period. This pertains both to vocabulary (ex: ''bāṭ'' for ''ibāṭ'' "armpit" throughout; ''jawwān'' as a preposition) as well as to grammar (verbs not in gender alignment, plurality disagreements, grammatical inconsistencies of adverbial phrases etc.). An introductory phrase in Ottoman Turkish in the beginning of the text has it that on «The seventh night of Muharram, 975 AH (1567CE)” a certain “Ṣilāhdār Aǧa” Dervish (unknown) petitioned God to be among those counted as Muhammad’s companions. Likewise, the intricate title page has “The owner of this work is Derviş Ağa” crossed out in black ink. Whether or not this was a higher ranking “Arms-Bearer” of the Sultan cannot be confirmed. The version from which the following translation stems is Bibliothèque Nationale MS 2824 (another version can be found in the same collection: MS 2826). Scholars have yet to produce a critical edition of this work.
  
The final manuscript, [[Bũech von fechter Vnnd Ringstückhen zũ Ross vnnd Fuoß (Cod.10799)|Cod. 10799]], is dated 1623 and is again textless. Unlike its fellows, though, it is illustrated with watercolors of high quality; it is also the most extensive of the three by far, encompassing nearly every device from both works as well as a number of unique devices that suggest that it was either not derived directly from the other two known manuscripts or that it used additional sources currently lost to us. The two older manuscripts include [[war book]]s derived from [[Konrad Kyeser]]'s famous treatise on siege warfare ''Bellifortis'', and the artist of the 10799 also included the few ''Bellifortis'' illustrations that seem to portray knights and soldiers, perhaps indicating that he did not understand what he was copying. Aside from the ''Blume des Kampfes'' material, the 10799 also has a good deal of extra content including portrayals of laying down and taking up the sword, Germanic sash wrestling, armored dagger and buckler, and the [[sword dance]].
+
Despite its brevity in comparison to other works of the Mamluk furūsīya tradition, Jāmiʿ al-funūn provides a great deal of insight into the ways in which the Mamluks trained their troops. The illustrations featured in the work are some of the best examples of the medium. Distinct from other works in the genre with lengthy introductions, Jāmiʿ al-funūn begins with only minor benedictions, then jumps straight into a description of how to establish the training area for cavalry exercises – the nāwārd. From there, the author displays 72 bunūd or paired lance exercises – most likely inspired by al-Ṭarāblūsī’s famous 72 forms (c . 738 AH / 1337-8 CE). Following this, the author then treats issues deemed relevant to the development of a cavalier, without a particular logic to the ordering of the sections.
  
There is a fourth Germanic manuscript potentially connected to this tradition, the [[Wolfenbüttel Sketchbook (Cod.Guelf.78.2 Aug.2º)|Cod.Guelf.78.2 Aug.2º]]. This manuscript, dating to between 1465 and 1480, includes a version of [[Johannes Liechtenauer]]'s [[record]], a complete set of illustrations from [[Gladiatoria]], and a heavily-abridged version of ''Bellifortis''. Tucked away amidst these works are illustrations of fencing with sword, spear, axe, and dagger that parallel the teachings of the ''Blume des Kampfes'' but only occasionally replicate the artwork exactly. While this may simply be a case of an overambitious artist reinterpreting the illustrations he was copying, the differences are too many to include the manuscript in the concordance below.
+
Unlike other works of furūsīya, ''Jāmiʿ al-funūn'' contains several sections detailing the ways in which soldiers can train for combat on foot. Most notably, the author presents a system for training swordsmanship. The work begins with instruction on the ways in which one can execute paired exercises with cane fighting, dagger fighting, and cane and shield fighting on foot. The author details the proper ways to feint and hit, the ways in which one can parry and riposte (and disarm), and where to target with a sword. In the author’s system, training with the cane was a safe means to perfect one’s technique before moving on to using sharp swords in battle. After training with the cane, the author recommends perfecting test cutting on clay mounds as a way to develop arm strength and ensure proper edge alignment. Following  both of these methods of training, a potential cavalier would be ready to pursue test cutting on horseback.
  
([[Die Blume des Kampfes|Read more]]...)
+
([[Pseudo-Ibn Akḥī Ḥizām|Read more]])
  
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Latest revision as of 02:46, 11 March 2025

Pseudo Ibn Akḥī Ḥizām
Born 10th AH/15th CE century
Egypt? Syria?
Occupation Mamluk scribe?
Nationality Circassian Period (“Burjī”) Mamluk
Influences
  • Mamluk Martial Arts Literature
  • Lāchin b. ʿAbdallāh al-Ṭarablūsī
  • Ibn Akhī Ḥizām
Genres Military manual
Language Arabic, Egyptian Colloquial Arabic
Manuscript(s) MS Arabe 2824 (1470)

Kitāb al-makhzūn: Jāmiʿ al-funūn ("The Treasure: A Work that Gathers Together Combative Arts"; colophon dated 875 AH/1470-1CE) is an Arabic language work in the classical style of Mamluk furūsīya literature. The work is attributed to the famous «father» of Islamicate martial arts literature Ibn Akhī Ḥizām (c. 250 AH/ 864 CE; given as Ibn Akhī Khuzām), yet is clearly the work of a Mamluk author. Agnès Carayon suggests that a grandee of the Circassian Mamluk (Burjī) court commissioned the work, potentially for Sultan Qāʾitbay (r. 1468-1496). Composite in nature, the work is most likely a summary of other, more voluminous works—such as Nihāyat al-suʾl wa-l-amnīya fī taʿlīm aʿmāl al-furūsīya ("The End of Questioning: A Trustworthy Work concerning Instruction in the Deeds of Furūsīya") by Al-Aqsarāʾī (c. 9th cent. AH/14th cent CE). Certain sections begin and then trail off, while others remain incomplete, suggesting that this work is composite in nature and was most likely a summary or copy of other works both extant and lost. The author does not cite other authors within the body of the text itself.

The text of Jāmiʿ al-funūn is by and large more classical in nature with a great deal of dialectal, Egyptian Arabic of the period. This pertains both to vocabulary (ex: bāṭ for ibāṭ "armpit" throughout; jawwān as a preposition) as well as to grammar (verbs not in gender alignment, plurality disagreements, grammatical inconsistencies of adverbial phrases etc.). An introductory phrase in Ottoman Turkish in the beginning of the text has it that on «The seventh night of Muharram, 975 AH (1567CE)” a certain “Ṣilāhdār Aǧa” Dervish (unknown) petitioned God to be among those counted as Muhammad’s companions. Likewise, the intricate title page has “The owner of this work is Derviş Ağa” crossed out in black ink. Whether or not this was a higher ranking “Arms-Bearer” of the Sultan cannot be confirmed. The version from which the following translation stems is Bibliothèque Nationale MS 2824 (another version can be found in the same collection: MS 2826). Scholars have yet to produce a critical edition of this work.

Despite its brevity in comparison to other works of the Mamluk furūsīya tradition, Jāmiʿ al-funūn provides a great deal of insight into the ways in which the Mamluks trained their troops. The illustrations featured in the work are some of the best examples of the medium. Distinct from other works in the genre with lengthy introductions, Jāmiʿ al-funūn begins with only minor benedictions, then jumps straight into a description of how to establish the training area for cavalry exercises – the nāwārd. From there, the author displays 72 bunūd or paired lance exercises – most likely inspired by al-Ṭarāblūsī’s famous 72 forms (c . 738 AH / 1337-8 CE). Following this, the author then treats issues deemed relevant to the development of a cavalier, without a particular logic to the ordering of the sections.

Unlike other works of furūsīya, Jāmiʿ al-funūn contains several sections detailing the ways in which soldiers can train for combat on foot. Most notably, the author presents a system for training swordsmanship. The work begins with instruction on the ways in which one can execute paired exercises with cane fighting, dagger fighting, and cane and shield fighting on foot. The author details the proper ways to feint and hit, the ways in which one can parry and riposte (and disarm), and where to target with a sword. In the author’s system, training with the cane was a safe means to perfect one’s technique before moving on to using sharp swords in battle. After training with the cane, the author recommends perfecting test cutting on clay mounds as a way to develop arm strength and ensure proper edge alignment. Following both of these methods of training, a potential cavalier would be ready to pursue test cutting on horseback.

(Read more…)

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