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{{infobox writer
 
{{infobox writer
| name                 = Joachim Meÿer
+
| name                   = Pseudo Ibn Akḥī Ḥizām
| image               = file:Joachim Meyer.png
+
| image                   =  
| imagesize           = 250px
+
| imagesize               =  
| caption             =  
+
| caption                 =  
 
+
| birthdate               = 10th AH/15th CE century
| pseudonym            =
+
| birthplace             = Egypt? Syria?
| birthname            =
+
| occupation             = Mamluk scribe?
| birthdate           = ca. 1537
+
| nationality             = Circassian Period (“Burjī”) Mamluk
| birthplace           = Basel, Germany
+
| influences              = {{plainlist
| deathdate            = 24 February 1571 (aged 34)
+
   | Mamluk Martial Arts Literature
| deathplace          = Schwerin, Germany
+
   | Lāchin b. ʿAbdallāh al-Ṭarablūsī
| resting_place        =
+
   | Ibn Akhī Ḥizām
| occupation           = {{plainlist | Cutler | [[Freifechter]] }}
+
}}
| language             = [[Early New High German]]
+
| genre                   = Military manual
| nationality          =
+
| language                = Arabic, Egyptian Colloquial Arabic
| ethnicity            =
+
| notableworks           =  
| citizenship          = Strasbourg
+
| manuscript(s)           = [[Kitāb al-maḫzūn ğāmi' al-funūn (MS Arabe 2824)|MS Arabe 2824]] (1470)
| education            =
+
| wiktenauer compilation by=
| alma_mater          =
 
| patron              = {{collapsible list
 
   | title = List of patrons
 
   | 1    = Johann Albrecht
 
   | 2    = Johann Casimir
 
  | 3    = Heinrich von Eberst
 
  | 4    = Otto von Sulms
 
}}
 
| period              =
 
| genre               = [[Fencing manual]]
 
| subject              =  
 
| movement            = [[Freifechter]]
 
| notableworks         = ''[[Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meÿer)|Gründtliche Beschreibung der <br/>Kunst des Fechtens]]'' (1570)
 
| manuscript(s)       = {{plainlist | [[Joachim Meyers Fäktbok (MS A.4º.2)|MS A.4º.2]] (1560s) | [[Treatises/Manuscript purgatory|Lost manuscript]] (1561) | [[Fechtbuch zu Ross und zu Fuss (MS Var.82)|MS Varia 82]] (1563-70) }}
 
| principal manuscript(s)=
 
| first printed edition= [[Jeffrey L. Forgeng|Forgeng]], 2006
 
| wiktenauer compilation by=[[Michael Chidester]]
 
 
 
| spouse              = Appolonia Ruhlman
 
| partner              =
 
| children            =
 
| relatives            =
 
| influences          = {{collapsible list
 
  | title = List of influences
 
  | 1    = [[Pseudo-Peter von Danzig]]
 
  | 2    = [[Johannes Lecküchner]]
 
  | 3    = [[Johannes Liechtenauer]]
 
  | 4    = [[Achille Marozzo]]
 
  | 5    = [[Andre Paurñfeyndt]]
 
  | 6    = [[Sigmund Schining ein Ringeck]]
 
  | 7    = [[Martin Syber]]
 
}}
 
| influenced          = {{plainlist | [[Michael Hundt]] | [[Jakob Sutor von Baden]] | [[Theodori Verolini]] }}
 
| awards              =
 
| signature            = [[File:Joachim Meyer sig.jpg|150px]]
 
| website              =
 
| translations        =
 
| below                =  
 
 
}}
 
}}
'''Joachim Meÿer''' (ca. 1537 - 1571) was a [[century::16th century]] [[nationality::German]] [[Freifechter]] and [[fencing master]]. He was the last great figure in the tradition of the German grand master [[Johannes Liechtenauer]], and in the last years of his life he devised at least three distinct and quite extensive [[fencing manual]]s. Meÿer's writings incorporate both the traditional Germanic technical syllabus and contemporary systems that he encountered in his travels, including the Italian school of side sword fencing. In addition to his fencing practice, Meÿer was a Burgher and a master cutler.
+
'''''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.
 
 
Meÿer was born in Basel, where he presumably apprenticed as a cutler. He writes in his books that he traveled widely in his youth, most likely a reference to the traditional Walz that journeyman craftsmen were required to take before being eligible for mastery and membership in a guild. Journeymen were often sent to stand watch and participate in town and city militias (a responsibility that would have been amplified for the warlike cutlers' guild), and Meÿer learned a great deal about foreign fencing systems during his travels. It's been speculated by some fencing historians that he trained specifically in the Bolognese school of fencing, but this doesn't stand up to closer analysis.
 
 
 
Records show that by 4 June 1560 he had settled in Strasbourg, where he married Appolonia Ruhlman (Ruelman) and joined the Cutler's Guild. His interests had already moved beyond knife-smithing, however, and in 1561, Meÿer petitioned the City Council of Strasbourg for the right to hold a [[Fechtschule]] (fencing competition). He would repeat this in 1563, 1566, 1567 and 1568; the 1568 petition is the first extant record in which he identifies himself as a fencing master.
 
 
 
Meÿer wrote his first manuscript ([[Joachim Meyers Fäktbok (MS A.4º.2)|MS A.4º.2]]) in either 1560 or 1568 for Otto Count von Sulms, Minzenberg, and Sonnenwaldt. Its contents seem to be a series of lessons on training with [[longsword]], [[dussack]], and [[side sword]] ([[rapier]]). His second manuscript ([[Fechtbuch zu Ross und zu Fuss (MS Var.82)|MS Var.82]]), written between 1563 and 1570 for Heinrich Graf von Eberst, is of a decidedly different nature. Like many fencing manuscripts from the previous century, it is an anthology of treatises by a number of prominent German masters including [[Sigmund Schining ein Ringeck]], [[pseudo-Peter von Danzig]], and [[Martin Syber]], and also includes a brief outline by Meyer himself on a system of side sword fencing based on German [[Messer]] teachings. Finally, on 24 February 1570 Meÿer completed (and soon thereafter published) an enormous multiweapon treatise entitled ''[[Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meÿer)|Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens]]'' ("A Thorough Description of the Art of Combat"); it was dedicated to Johann Casimir, Count Palatine of the Rhine, and illustrated at the workshop of [[Tobias Stimmer]].
 
  
Unfortunately, Meÿer's writing and publication efforts incurred significant debts (about 1300 crowns), which Meÿer pledged to repay by Christmas of 1571. Late in 1570, Meÿer accepted the position of Fechtmeister to Duke Johann Albrecht of Mecklenburg at his court in Schwerin. There Meÿer hoped to sell his book for a better price than was offered locally (30 florins). Meÿer sent his books ahead to Schwerin, and left from Strasbourg on 4 January 1571 after receiving his pay. He traveled the 500 miles to Schwerin in the middle of a harsh winter, arriving at the court on 10 February 1571. Two weeks later, on 24 February, Joachim Meÿer died. The cause of his death is unknown, possibly disease or pneumonia.
+
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.
  
Antoni Rulman, Appolonia’s brother, became her legal guardian after Joachim’s death. On 15 May 1571, he had a letter written by the secretary of the Strasbourg city chamber and sent to the Duke of Mecklenburg stating that Antoni was now the widow Meÿer’s guardian; it politely reminded the Duke who Joachim Meÿer was, Meÿer’s publishing efforts and considerable debt, requested that the Duke send Meÿer’s personal affects and his books to Appolonia, and attempted to sell some (if not all) of the books to the Duke.
+
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.
  
Appolonia remarried in April 1572 to another cutler named Hans Kuele, bestowing upon him the status of Burgher and Meÿer's substantial debts. Joachim Meÿer and Hans Kuele are both mentioned in the minutes of Cutlers' Guild archives; Kuele may have made an impression if we can judge that fact by the number of times he is mentioned. It is believed that Appolonia and either her husband or her brother were involved with the second printing of his book in 1600. According to other sources, it was reprinted yet again in 1610 and in 1660.
+
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.
  
([[Joachim Meÿer|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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