Paulus Kal Fechtbuch (M.A.M. Kal MS)

Paulus Kal Fechtbuch
Private Collection Italy
(No scans available)
Hagedorn Leng —
Wierschin — Hils —
Type	Fencing manual
Date	ca. 1470 - 1500
Language(s)	Renaissance Latin or Middle Italian
Author(s)	Paulus Kal
Scribe(s)	Unknown
Illustrator(s)	Unknown
Size	at least 5 leaves
Format	Double-sided; one illustration per side with single-word captions
Script	Blackletter

The Gotti MS is an illuminated manuscript created in the late 1400s based on Paulus Kal's German fencing manual of ca. 1470. It was sold at auction as single leaves in Italy in the 20th century; only five pages are currently known to exist, but the original total is unknown, as are the locations of any other leaves from the text. It is unique among the versions of Kal's treatise in that it has single-word captions in Latin or Italian instead of the original Early New High German text. The illustrations are elaborately painted but show less technical precision than the archetype, suggesting that Kal was not involved in its creation.

Kal's treatise consists of a partial redaction of the writings of Johannes Liechtenauer on Kampffechten, Roßfechten, and Bloßfechten, as well as Kal's own teachings on a variety of other weapons. It differs from the works of other followers of Liechtenauer in that instead of offering extensive glosses of the high master's verses, Kal explains them with detailed illustrations.

Contents

Folio	Section
1	Sword and Buckler by Paulus Kal (fragment)
2 - 5	Longsword by Paulus Kal (fragment)