Sigmund ain Ringeck/Jörg Bellinghausen-David Rawlings LS 2001-2003

This is the beginning of the interpretation

of the Knightly Art of the Langenschwert, written down in rhymes by the grand Fechtmiester of the Medieval German school, Johannes Liechtenauer. He recorded his teachings in secret words, so that the art may not be commonly spread. These secret phrasings were later interpreted and commented on in a book by Sigmund Ringeck, at the time Fechtmiester of Albrecht, Count Palatine of Rhine and Duke of Bavaria.

Note: This is the first tenet of the long sword: learn to strike blows equally well from both sides if you want to learn to fence well.

Note: If you want to strike from the (your) right side, make sure, your left foot is forward (at the beginning); if you want to strike from the left side, the right foot must be forward.

If you strike an Oberhau from the right side then, follow the blow with your right foot.

If you do not the blow is wrong and ineffective, because your right side stays behind. Because of this the blow will fall short and cannot travel in its proper arc towards the left side.

If you strike from the left side and you do not follow the blow, it too is wrong,. That is why no matter from which side you are striking follow the blow with the same foot. So you will succeed in all techniques. This is how you shall strike all blows.

When you are closing to an opponent, do not watch his blows and do not wait for what he might use against you. Because all fencers, who just wait for their opponents blows and do not do anything else than warding them off, do not succeed very often. They are defeated very often.

Note: Always fence using all of your strength! When you're close, strike at his head and at his body, so he may not be able to change through (Durchwechseln) in front of your point. After the blow, from the bind, strike light blows at his next opening, as is described in the section about different blows and other techniques.

Note: This tenet is addressed to left-handers and right-handers. If you are a right-handed fencer and you are closing to an opponent and you think you can hit him, do not strike the first blow from the (your) left side. Because you are weak there and you cannot resist, if he binds strongly against your blade. Because of this, strike from the right side, you can work strongly "Am Schwert" ("on the sword") and you can use all techniques you like.

So, if you are left-handed, do not strike from the right side, since left-handers are usually not used to strike effectively from the right side and vice versa.

Note: Above all other things, you must understand the principles of "before" (Vor) and "after" (Nach), because the entire art of fencing is based upon it. "Before" means, preempting him with a blow or a thrust against an opening before he can hit you, so he must defend/displace (Versetzen). So, be flexible in your defence and aim with your sword at one opening after the other, so he cannot get through with his own techniques. But, if he rushes in, start wrestling.

"After" means:

If you do not succeed with the "before", wait for the "after". These are the defenses against all techniques he uses against you. So, if you have to displace him, make the displacement "simultaneously" (Indes) and from the bind, strike immediately at his nearest opening. So you win the "before" and he remains in the "after". Also, you should – during the "before" and "after" –

notice "simultaneously" (Indes) how you can "work" against the strong or the weak of his sword.

This means: The strong of the sword reaches from the crossguard to the middle of the blade, with it, you can hold opposed, if somebody binds against it. The weak reaches from the middle of the blade to the point. Here you cannot hold opposed. If you firmly understand this, you can "work" and defend yourself very well.

Princes and Lords learn to survive with this art, in earnest and in play. But if you are fearful, then you should not learn to fence. Because a despondent heart will always be defeated , regardless of all skill.

Overview of The Fighting Techniques

Note: these are the names of the main techniques of the art of the long sword, whose names are chosen in such a way that you may understand them better. There are seventeen techniques and they start with the five strikes.

1. The first strike is the strike of wrath (Zornhau)
2. The second one is the "crooked strike" (Krumphau)
3. The third one is the Zwerchhau
4. The fourth one is the squinting strike (Schielhau)
5. And the fifth one is the "parting strike" (Scheitelhau)
6. Sixth there are the four basic guards
7. Seventh there are the four techniques of displacement (Versetzen)
8. Eighth there is the Nachreissen ("Traveling after")
9. Ninth there is the Overrunning (Ueberlaufen)
10. Tenth there is the setting aside (Absetzen)
11. Number eleven is the changing through (Durchwechseln)
12. The twitching (Zucken)
13. The running through (Durchlaufen)
14. The cutting off (Abschneiden)
15. The pressing of the hands
16. The "Hanging"
17. And finally there is the Winding

The Fighting Techniques: The Strike of Wrath and the Winding

Note: When your adversary strikes at you from his right side with a strike from above (Oberhau), then hit with a strike of wrath from your right shoulder against it. Strike with your true edge and in your strong. When he is weak at the sword then, thrust into his face along his blade.

When you thrust against his face from the strike of wrath and he notices this and displaces the thrust with strength, pull your sword upwards, away from his. And then strike to the head from the other side, also along his blade.

When you strike a strike of wrath and he displaces it and remains strong at the sword, hold strongly against it. With the strong of your sword, slide up to the weak (schwech) of his blade, wind the hilt in front of your head while remaining on the sword (am schwert) and thrust into his face from above.

When you thrust from the Winding as described and he displaces the thrust by lifting up his arms and his hilt, stay in the Winding and take the Ort (point or thrust) down between his arms and breast.

Note: When you engage at the sword ("binden") with strength and your adversary pulls his sword upwards and strikes at your head from the other side, then bind strongly with the true edge and strike him on the head.

You must notice immediately, if someone is weak or strong at the sword if he binds at your sword with a strike or a thrust. If you have noticed that, you shall know simultaneously, if it is better to fight him in the "before" (Nach) or the "after" (Vor). But don’t engage rashly in close-combat (Krieg), this is nothing else than Winding (Winden) at the sword.

In close-combat you should do the following: if you strike him with the strike of Wrath and he displaces it, lift up your arms and, at the sword, wind the point to the upper opening. When he displaces (Versetzen) the thrust, stay in the winding and thrust to the lower opening. If he follows your sword in the displacement (Versatzung), lead your point through under his sword (disengage under – "durchführen") and thrust to the other opening on his right side. This is how you can defeat him in close-combat.

These are the four openings you should aim at in combat. The first opening is the right side, the second opening is the left side above the belt. The other openings are the right and left side below the belt. Already pay attention to the openings when you are closing in, aim at the ones he (your adversary) exposes.

Thrust with the "long point" (Langer Ort), use the "traveling after" (Nachreissen) and all other opportunities. Don’t pay attention to what he’s up to, fence securely and you’ll hit so outstandingly, that he’ll not be able to get through with his own techniques.

Mutieren and Duplieren against the four openings:

If you want to break one of the four openings by force, then "Dupliere" at the upper opening, against the Starke (strong) of his sword, and then "Mutiere" to another opening. Against this, he cannot defend himself and he will not be able to either strike or thrust.

Duplieren:

When you strike a strike of wrath (Zornhau) or any other Oberhau and he displaces it with strength, with the left hand, immediately thrust the pommel of your sword under your right arm. With crossed hands, behind his blade and in between the blade and his body, strike him diagonally through the face. Or strike him on the head.

Mutieren:

If you bind against his sword, with an Oberhau or otherwise, wind the short edge at his sword, raise your arms and thrust at the lower opening from the outside along his blade. You can use that from both sides.

The "Krumphau": This is how you should strike the Krumphau at the hands. When he attacks you from his right side with an Oberhau or Unterhau, jump out of the strike with your right foot towards his left side and with crossed hands strike against his hands using the point.

This is how you can Absetzen ("set aside") the cuts from above with the Krumphau: If he attacks you from his right side with an Oberhau, step towards his left side with your right foot and put your point in the Schrankhut. Practice this from both sides. From the setting aside you can strike him on the head.

If you want to weaken a master, then while he strikes an Oberhau from his right side strike a Krumphau with crossed hands against his sword. When you strike him with the Krumphau against his sword, from the sword immediately strike upwards against his head with the short edge. Or after the Krumphau wind the short edge at his sword and thrust him into the breast.

Another technique from the Krumphau.

45	When it comes from above  stand back, this I shall praise.

Glosa. When you cut a Krumphau onto his sword, so cut immediately back up from the sword with the short edge, in and down from above onto his head. Or wind the Krumphau with the short edge against his sword and thrust into his breast.

Another technique from the Krumphau.

46	Do not Krump, cut short,  then see changing-through.

Glosa. When he wants to cut in from his right shoulder, pretend that you want to bind against his sword with a Krumphau. Cut short; and go through with the point under his sword and wind your hilt to your right side over your head, and stab him in the face.

How one should counter the Krumphau.

47	Krumps that foil you;  the Noble War confuses him,
48	so that he truthfully  does not know where he shall be without danger.

Glosa. When you cut against him from above or from below, from your right side; if he also cuts crookedly from him right side with crossed arms to your sword and thus foils your strike, so bind strongly with your sword. And shoot your point against his breast under the long edge of his sword.

Another counter against the Krumphau.

When you cut in against him from above from your right side and he also cuts crookedly from his right side with crossed arms onto your sword and thus presses it down towards the ground, wind towards your right side; go with your arms up over your head. And thrust with your point from above against his breast.

If he defends himself against this, stand with your hilt in front of your head, and work deftly with the point from one opening to the other, this is called "the Noble War." With this you will confuse him so totally that truthfully he will not know where he will find himself.

Do the Zwerchau (crosswise strike) with these techniques.

49	The Zwerchau takes away  that which comes from above.

Glosa. The Zwerchau counters all strikes that cut down from above. When he cuts in from above against your head, spring with the right foot against him away from the cut, out to his left side. And as you spring turn your sword—with the hilt high in front of your head, so that your thumb comes under—and cut him with the short edge against his left side. So you catch his strike with your hilt and strike him in the head.

A technique from the Zwerchau.

50	Zwerch with the "strong";  mark well your work with this.

Glosa. This is how you shall work with the "strong" from the Zwerchau. When you cut against him with the Zwerchau, think that you shall strike powerfully with the sword's "strong" against his. Hold him thus strongly in the bind then cut with crossed arms behind his sword blade, from above against the head, or cut him with the sword to the face.

Another technique from the Zwerchau.

When you bind against his sword from the Zwerchau with your sword's "Strong"; hold him strongly, then push his sword away from you with your hilt, down and out to your right side, and strike immediately round with the Zwerchau against his right side, against the head.

Another technique from the Zwerchau.

When you bind against his sword with the Zwerchau, if he is weak in the bind, so lay the short edge against the right side of his neck and spring with the right foot behind his left; and pull him over it with the sword.

Another technique

When you bind against his sword with the Zwerchau, if he is weak in the bind, so press down on his sword with the Zwerchau; and lay the short edge behind his arms in front of his neck.

A counter against the upper Zwerchau

When you bind against his sword from the right side with an Oberhau or similar attack, if he strikes round with the Zwerchau against your other side, do the same back to him, throw a Zwerchau under his sword against his neck.

How one shall strike against the four openings with the Zwerchau.

51	Zwerch against the plough,  and strike powerfully against the ox.

Glosa. This is how you shall strike against the four openings with the Zwerchau when you go against someone. When you come against him in Zufechten; when it becomes suitable for you, spring against him and cut with the Zwerchau against the lower opening on his left side. This is called "to strike against the plough".

Another technique from the Zwerchau.

When you have cut against the lower opening with the Zwerchau, so strike immediately with the Zwerchau against the other side upwards into the head. This is called "to strike against the ox". And continue to strike quickly a Zwerchau against the ochs and another against the plough, crosswise from one side to the other. And cut him after with an Oberhau in against the head and thus draw yourself back from him.

52	He who Zwerches well with a spring, threatens the head.

Glosa. That is to say, that in all of your Zwerchau strikes you shall take a proper spring out to the side where you want to strike him. So you can strike him well in the head. And see to it in the spring that you are properly protected from above with your hilt above and in front of your head.

A further technique from the Zwerchau, and it is called the feint (Feler).

53	He who does a good feint,  strikes from below how he wishes.

Glosa. With the feint all fencers who quickly leap to the defence are mislead and defeated. When you come against him in Zufechten, pretend that you want to cut him with perhaps an Oberhau to his left side. In this manner you can strike him underneath however you want and defeat him.

Another technique from the Zwerchau, and it is called the turner (Verkehrer).

54	The turner subdues,  runs through and grapples.
55	Take the elbow certainly,  spring against him in the movement.

Glosa. When you bind against his sword with an Oberhau or Underhau, turn your sword so that your thumb comes underneath, and thrust him down from above into the face. In this way you force him to defend himself. And in the defence, grip his right elbow with your left hand and spring with your left foot in front of his right, and stab him over it. Or use the turner to rush through and grapple, in the same way that you will be told for running through.

Another technique from the feint.

56	Feint twofold,  strike him, thus do the cut.

Glosa. This is called the double feint, because in the Zufechten you shall be misleading two times. Do the first like this: when you come against him in Zufechten, take a spring with the foot against him and pretend that you will cut with a Zwerchau against the left side of his head. And change the direction of the cut, to the right side of his head.

Another technique from the feint.

57	Continue doubly with this,  step to the left and do not be slow.

Glosa. That is to say, when you have struck to the right side of his head with the first misleading—about which has just been written—so strike immediately round to the other side of the head, and go with the short edge with outstretched crossed arms over his sword: and "Imlincke", that is to say on the left side, and cut in with the long edge over the face.