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{{master subsection begin
 
{{master subsection begin
 
  | title = Introduction
 
  | title = Introduction
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{{master begin
 
{{master begin
  | title = Additional cutting diagrams
+
  | title = Dagger
  | width = 100%
+
  | width = 90em
 
}}
 
}}
 
 
{{master subsection begin
 
{{master subsection begin
  | title = Lund Diagrams
+
  | title = 1570 Dagger Chapter
 
  | width = 90em
 
  | width = 90em
 
}}
 
}}
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|-
 
|-
 
! <p>Figures</p>
 
! <p>Figures</p>
! <p>{{rating|C}}<br/>by [[Jens P. Kleinau]]</p>
+
! <p>{{rating}}</p>
! <p>[[Joachim Meyers Fäktbok (MS A.4º.2)|Lund Transcription]]{{edit index|Joachim Meyers Fäktbok (MS A..2)}}</p>
+
! <p>[[Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meyer)|1570 Transcription]]{{edit index|Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meÿer) 1570.pdf}}<br/>by [[Michael Chidester]]</p>
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| {{section|Page:Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meÿer) 1570.pdf/366|1|lbl=Ⅲ.1r.1}}
 +
 
 +
|-
 +
| [[File:Meyer 1570 Dagger A.png|400px|center]]
 +
|
 +
| {{section|Page:Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meÿer) 1570.pdf/366|2|lbl=Ⅲ.1r.2}}
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 +
|-
 +
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 +
| {{section|Page:Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meÿer) 1570.pdf/368|1|lbl=Ⅲ.2r.1}}
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 +
|-
 +
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|
 +
| {{section|Page:Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meÿer) 1570.pdf/368|2|lbl=Ⅲ.2r.2}}
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
| [[File:MS A.4º.2 86r.jpg|400px|center]]
 
 
|  
 
|  
| {{paget|MS A.4º.2|86r|jpg|blk=1}}
+
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 +
| {{section|Page:Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meÿer) 1570.pdf/368|3|lbl=Ⅲ.2r.3}}
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
| [[File:MS A.4º.2 86v.jpg|400px|center]]
 
 
|  
 
|  
| {{paget|MS A..2|86v|jpg|blk=1}}
+
|  
 +
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{{section|Page:Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meÿer) 1570.pdf/368|4|lbl=Ⅲ.2r.4|p=1}} {{section|Page:Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meÿer) 1570.pdf/369|1|lbl=Ⅲ.2v.1|p=1}}
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
| [[File:MS A.4º.2 87r.jpg|400px|center]]
 
 
|  
 
|  
| {{paget|MS A.4º.2|87r|jpg|blk=1}}
+
|
 +
| {{section|Page:Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meÿer) 1570.pdf/369|2|lbl=Ⅲ.2v.2}}
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
| [[File:MS A.4º.2 87v.jpg|400px|center]]
 
 
|  
 
|  
| {{paget|MS A.4º.2|87v|jpg|blk=1}}
+
|
 +
| {{section|Page:Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meÿer) 1570.pdf/369|3|lbl=Ⅲ.2v.3}}
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
| class="noline" | [[File:MS A.4º.2 88r.jpg|400px|center]]
+
|  
| class="noline" |  
+
|  
| class="noline" | {{paget|MS A.4º.2|88r|jpg|blk=1}}
+
| {{section|Page:Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meÿer) 1570.pdf/369|4|lbl=Ⅲ.2v.4}}
  
 
|}
 
|}
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{{master subsection begin
 
{{master subsection begin
  | title = Rostock Diagrams
+
  | title = Unused Dagger Figures
 
  | width = 90em
 
  | width = 90em
 
}}
 
}}
 
{| class="master"
 
{| class="master"
|-
+
|-  
 
! <p>Figures</p>
 
! <p>Figures</p>
! <p>{{rating|C}}<br/>by [[Jens P. Kleinau]]</p>
+
! <p>{{rating}}</p>
! <p>[[Fechtbuch zu Ross und zu Fuss (MS Var.82)|Rostock Transcription]]{{edit index|Fechtbuch zu Ross und zu Fuss (MS Var.82)}}<br/>by [[Dierk Hagedorn]]</p>
+
! <p>[[Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meyer)|1570 Transcription]]{{edit index|Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meÿer) 1570.pdf}}</p>
  
|-
+
|-  
| rowspan="3" | [[File:MS Var.82 001v.png|400px|center]]
+
| [[File:Meyer 1570 Dagger B.png|400px|center]]
| <p>.A. . . . . . face line<br/>.B. . . . . . shoulder line<br/>.C. . . . . . chest line<br/>.D. . . . . . belly line<br/>.E. . . . . . hip line<br/>.F. . . . . . thigh line<br/>.G. . . . . . foot line</p>
+
|  
| {{section|Page:MS Var.82 002r.png|1|lbl=002r}}
+
|  
  
|-
+
|-  
| <p>'''Item'''</p>
+
| [[File:Meyer 1570 Dagger C.png|400px|center]]
 +
|
 +
|
  
<p>.a. . . . . . hand line<br/>
+
|-
.b. . . . . . arm line<br/>
+
| [[File:Meyer 1570 Dagger D.png|400px|center]]
.c. . . . . . upright side line or the shoulder intersection line<br/>
+
|
.d. . . . . . Parting line<br/>
+
|  
.e. . . . . . upright side or intersection line<br/>
 
.f. . . . . . arm line<br/>
 
.g. . . . . . hand line</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS Var.82 002r.png|2|lbl=-}}
 
  
|-
+
|-  
| <p>'''Item'''</p>
+
| [[File:Meyer 1570 Dagger E.png|400px|center]]
 +
|
 +
|
  
<p>.&#x0023;. . . . . . hanging or crossing line, give the arms strike</p>
+
|-
| {{section|Page:MS Var.82 002r.png|3|lbl=-}}
+
| class="noline" | [[File:Meyer 1570 Dagger F.png|400px|center]]
 +
| class="noline" |
 +
| class="noline" |
  
|-
+
|}
| rowspan="6" | [[File:MS Var.82 002v.png|400px|center]]
+
{{master subsection end}}
| <p>{{redu|u=1|b=1|The First Rule:}}</p>
+
{{master end}}
  
<p>In all bindings you should keep your blade in the outer circle, on which you should drive on his strike always fairly with yours, so no harm will come to you. Than proceed with his displacing outsind or inside the circle, so you got inside the big circle, or outside the small one a sure opening.</p>
+
{{master begin
| {{section|Page:MS Var.82 003r.png|1|lbl=003r}}
+
| title = Polearms
 
+
| width = 90em
|-
+
}}
| <p>{{redu|u=1|b=1|The Other Rule:}}</p>
+
{{master subsection begin
 
+
  | title = Staff
<p>As often as you have use in binding with the weapons, you should strike by winding inwards, so strike through the face and against the arm, the bind you should try to get again fast.</p>
+
  | width = 90em
| {{section|Page:MS Var.82 003r.png|2|lbl=-}}
 
 
 
|-
 
| <p>{{redu|u=1|b=1|The Third Rule:}}</p>
 
 
 
<p>The drawn strikes change around the head, around the leading point, change is dangerous, thus in good behavior strike with good guards.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS Var.82 003r.png|3|lbl=-}}
 
 
 
|-
 
| <p>{{redu|u=1|b=1|The 4. Rule:}}</p>
 
 
 
<p>As often you got astray, or you are misled by him, has lost your way, and you may get wounded so, the cuts learn, with “dempfen”, Backstrikes makes you healthy again, that you bring fast at time. If you get driven out of your ring the next line find you previously seek again, with strikes up and down, so that to work you come again.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS Var.82 003r.png|4|lbl=-}}
 
 
 
|-
 
| <p>{{redu|u=1|b=1|The 5. Rule:}}</p>
 
 
 
<p>Your work drive to first to the Feeble,<br/>than to the Strength, than to the body.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS Var.82 003r.png|5|lbl=-}}
 
 
 
|-
 
| class="noline" | <p>{{redu|u=1|b=1|The End.}}</p>
 
 
 
<p>In the Feeble you can force him,<br/>
 
In the Strength you may rush him twice.<br/>
 
Between the binding displace well<br/>
 
and hard work in all engagement<br/>
 
The “Vor” and “Nach” brings wounding with it<br/>
 
In all engagements look out for the cut<br/>
 
In twichting, jerking, use the impact (thrust)<br/>
 
Stay, Thereafter Riding, finds your opening,<br/>
 
In “Vor” and “Nach” grab, grasp him well,<br/>
 
Do you break out well [right], he must let you go.</p>
 
| class="noline" |
 
{{section|Page:MS Var.82 003r.png|6|lbl=-|p=1}}<br/>{{section|Page:MS Var.82 003v.png|1|lbl=003v|p=1}}
 
 
 
|}
 
{{master subsection end}}
 
{{master end}}
 
 
 
{{master begin
 
  | title = Dagger
 
  | width = 90em
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
{| class="master"
 
{| class="master"
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
! <p>Figures</p>
 
! <p>Figures</p>
! <p>{{rating}}</p>
+
! <p>{{rating|C}}<br/>by [[Jon Pellett]]</p>
 
! <p>[[Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meyer)|1570 Transcription]]{{edit index|Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meÿer) 1570.pdf}}</p>
 
! <p>[[Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meyer)|1570 Transcription]]{{edit index|Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meÿer) 1570.pdf}}</p>
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
| [[File:Meyer 1570 Dagger A.png|400px|center]]
 
|
 
 
|  
 
|  
 +
| <p>'''The fifth and last part of this book, in which will be taught and briefly handled the fencing of the Staff, the Halberd, and the Long Spear.'''</p>
 +
 +
<p><br/>I have gathered these three weapons together in a figure, while the spear is best arranged, with its length, in the above perspective thus, as in every figure previously shown, noted with a letter, so the diligent reader should not yet leave and want thus the half staff as a foundation of all long weapons the first take for the hand and firstly advise how many the lyings thus how you the same in the work should do rightly, teach and describe.</p>
 +
| {{section|Page:Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meÿer) 1570.pdf/396|1|lbl=Ⅲ.16r}}
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
| [[File:Meyer 1570 Dagger B.png|400px|center]]
 
 
|  
 
|  
|
+
| <p>'''Of the Lyings or Guards.'''</p>
 
 
|-
 
| [[File:Meyer 1570 Dagger C.png|400px|center]]
 
|
 
|
 
 
 
|-
 
| [[File:Meyer 1570 Dagger D.png|400px|center]]
 
|
 
|
 
 
 
|-
 
| [[File:Meyer 1570 Dagger E.png|400px|center]]
 
|
 
|
 
 
 
|-
 
| class="noline" | [[File:Meyer 1570 Dagger F.png|400px|center]]
 
| class="noline" |
 
| class="noline" |
 
 
 
|}
 
{{master end}}
 
 
 
{{master begin
 
| title = Polearms
 
| width = 90em
 
}}
 
{| class="master"
 
|-
 
! <p>Figures</p>
 
! <p>{{rating|C}}<br/>by [[Jon Pellett]]</p>
 
! <p>[[Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meyer)|1570 Transcription]]{{edit index|Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meÿer) 1570.pdf}}</p>
 
 
 
|-
 
|
 
| <p>'''The fifth and last part of this book, in which will be taught and briefly handled the fencing of the Staff, the Halberd, and the Long Spear.'''</p>
 
 
 
<p><br/>I have gathered these three weapons together in a figure, while the spear is best arranged, with its length, in the above perspective thus, as in every figure previously shown, noted with a letter, so the diligent reader should not yet leave and want thus the half staff as a foundation of all long weapons the first take for the hand and firstly advise how many the lyings thus how you the same in the work should do rightly, teach and describe.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meÿer) 1570.pdf/396|1|lbl=Ⅲ.16r}}
 
 
 
|-
 
|
 
| <p>'''Of the Lyings or Guards.'''</p>
 
  
 
<p>There are five principal lyings, namely the Upper Guard, straight upward before you outstretched and to both sides; the Lower Guard also to both sides; furthermore you thus also have two Near Guards and a Middle Guard; lastly the Tiller Guard.</p>
 
<p>There are five principal lyings, namely the Upper Guard, straight upward before you outstretched and to both sides; the Lower Guard also to both sides; furthermore you thus also have two Near Guards and a Middle Guard; lastly the Tiller Guard.</p>
Line 7,625: Line 7,560:
 
| {{section|Page:Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meÿer) 1570.pdf/428|1|lbl=Ⅲ.32r}}
 
| {{section|Page:Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens (Joachim Meÿer) 1570.pdf/428|1|lbl=Ⅲ.32r}}
  
 +
|}
 +
{{master subsection end}}
 +
 +
{{master subsection begin
 +
| title = Unused Polearm Figures
 +
| width = 90em
 +
}}
 +
{| class="master"
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
| [[File:Meyer 1570 Staff H.jpg|400px|center]]
 
| [[File:Meyer 1570 Staff H.jpg|400px|center]]
Line 7,651: Line 7,594:
  
 
|}
 
|}
 +
{{master end}}
 +
 +
{{master begin
 +
| title = Armored Fencing
 +
| width = 100%
 +
}}
 +
{| class="master"
 +
|-
 +
! <p>Figures</p>
 +
! <p>{{rating}}</p>
 +
! <p>[[Joachim Meyers Fechtbuch (MS Bibl. 2465)|Munich Transcription]]{{edit index|Joachim Meyers Fechtbuch (MS Bibl. 2465)}}</p>
 +
 +
|}
 +
{{master end}}
 +
 +
{{master begin
 +
| title = Additional cutting diagrams
 +
| width = 100%
 +
}}
 +
{{master subsection begin
 +
| title = Lund Diagrams
 +
| width = 90em
 +
}}
 +
{| class="master"
 +
|-
 +
! <p>Figures</p>
 +
! <p>{{rating|C}}<br/>by [[Jens P. Kleinau]]</p>
 +
! <p>[[Joachim Meyers Fäktbok (MS A.4º.2)|Lund Transcription]]{{edit index|Joachim Meyers Fäktbok (MS A.4º.2)}}</p>
 +
 +
|-
 +
| [[File:MS A.4º.2 86r.jpg|400px|center]]
 +
|
 +
| {{paget|MS A.4º.2|86r|jpg|blk=1}}
 +
 +
|-
 +
| [[File:MS A.4º.2 86v.jpg|400px|center]]
 +
|
 +
| {{paget|MS A.4º.2|86v|jpg|blk=1}}
 +
 +
|-
 +
| [[File:MS A.4º.2 87r.jpg|400px|center]]
 +
|
 +
| {{paget|MS A.4º.2|87r|jpg|blk=1}}
 +
 +
|-
 +
| [[File:MS A.4º.2 87v.jpg|400px|center]]
 +
|
 +
| {{paget|MS A.4º.2|87v|jpg|blk=1}}
 +
 +
|-
 +
| class="noline" | [[File:MS A.4º.2 88r.jpg|400px|center]]
 +
| class="noline" |
 +
| class="noline" | {{paget|MS A.4º.2|88r|jpg|blk=1}}
 +
 +
|}
 +
{{master subsection end}}
 +
 +
{{master subsection begin
 +
| title = Rostock Diagrams
 +
| width = 90em
 +
}}
 +
{| class="master"
 +
|-
 +
! <p>Figures</p>
 +
! <p>{{rating|C}}<br/>by [[Jens P. Kleinau]]</p>
 +
! <p>[[Fechtbuch zu Ross und zu Fuss (MS Var.82)|Rostock Transcription]]{{edit index|Fechtbuch zu Ross und zu Fuss (MS Var.82)}}<br/>by [[Dierk Hagedorn]]</p>
 +
 +
|-
 +
| rowspan="3" | [[File:MS Var.82 001v.png|400px|center]]
 +
| <p>.A. . . . . . face line<br/>.B. . . . . . shoulder line<br/>.C. . . . . . chest line<br/>.D. . . . . . belly line<br/>.E. . . . . . hip line<br/>.F. . . . . . thigh line<br/>.G. . . . . . foot line</p>
 +
| {{section|Page:MS Var.82 002r.png|1|lbl=002r}}
 +
 +
|-
 +
| <p>'''Item'''</p>
 +
 +
<p>.a. . . . . . hand line<br/>
 +
.b. . . . . . arm line<br/>
 +
.c. . . . . . upright side line or the shoulder intersection line<br/>
 +
.d. . . . . . Parting line<br/>
 +
.e. . . . . . upright side or intersection line<br/>
 +
.f. . . . . . arm line<br/>
 +
.g. . . . . . hand line</p>
 +
| {{section|Page:MS Var.82 002r.png|2|lbl=-}}
 +
 +
|-
 +
| <p>'''Item'''</p>
 +
 +
<p>.&#x0023;. . . . . . hanging or crossing line, give the arms strike</p>
 +
| {{section|Page:MS Var.82 002r.png|3|lbl=-}}
 +
 +
|-
 +
| rowspan="6" | [[File:MS Var.82 002v.png|400px|center]]
 +
| <p>{{redu|u=1|b=1|The First Rule:}}</p>
 +
 +
<p>In all bindings you should keep your blade in the outer circle, on which you should drive on his strike always fairly with yours, so no harm will come to you. Than proceed with his displacing outsind or inside the circle, so you got inside the big circle, or outside the small one a sure opening.</p>
 +
| {{section|Page:MS Var.82 003r.png|1|lbl=003r}}
 +
 +
|-
 +
| <p>{{redu|u=1|b=1|The Other Rule:}}</p>
 +
 +
<p>As often as you have use in binding with the weapons, you should strike by winding inwards, so strike through the face and against the arm, the bind you should try to get again fast.</p>
 +
| {{section|Page:MS Var.82 003r.png|2|lbl=-}}
 +
 +
|-
 +
| <p>{{redu|u=1|b=1|The Third Rule:}}</p>
 +
 +
<p>The drawn strikes change around the head, around the leading point, change is dangerous, thus in good behavior strike with good guards.</p>
 +
| {{section|Page:MS Var.82 003r.png|3|lbl=-}}
 +
 +
|-
 +
| <p>{{redu|u=1|b=1|The 4. Rule:}}</p>
 +
 +
<p>As often you got astray, or you are misled by him, has lost your way, and you may get wounded so, the cuts learn, with “dempfen”, Backstrikes makes you healthy again, that you bring fast at time. If you get driven out of your ring the next line find you previously seek again, with strikes up and down, so that to work you come again.</p>
 +
| {{section|Page:MS Var.82 003r.png|4|lbl=-}}
 +
 +
|-
 +
| <p>{{redu|u=1|b=1|The 5. Rule:}}</p>
 +
 +
<p>Your work drive to first to the Feeble,<br/>than to the Strength, than to the body.</p>
 +
| {{section|Page:MS Var.82 003r.png|5|lbl=-}}
 +
 +
|-
 +
| class="noline" | <p>{{redu|u=1|b=1|The End.}}</p>
 +
 +
<p>In the Feeble you can force him,<br/>
 +
In the Strength you may rush him twice.<br/>
 +
Between the binding displace well<br/>
 +
and hard work in all engagement<br/>
 +
The “Vor” and “Nach” brings wounding with it<br/>
 +
In all engagements look out for the cut<br/>
 +
In twichting, jerking, use the impact (thrust)<br/>
 +
Stay, Thereafter Riding, finds your opening,<br/>
 +
In “Vor” and “Nach” grab, grasp him well,<br/>
 +
Do you break out well [right], he must let you go.</p>
 +
| class="noline" |
 +
{{section|Page:MS Var.82 003r.png|6|lbl=-|p=1}}<br/>{{section|Page:MS Var.82 003v.png|1|lbl=003v|p=1}}
 +
 +
|}
 +
{{master subsection end}}
 
{{master end}}
 
{{master end}}
  

Revision as of 20:42, 5 July 2021

Joachim Meyer
Born ca. 1537
Basel, Germany
Died 24 February 1571 (aged 34)
Schwerin, Germany
Spouse(s) Appolonia Ruhlman
Occupation
Citizenship Strasbourg
Patron
  • Georg Johann Ⅰ
  • Heinrich von Eberst
Movement Freifechter
Influences
Influenced
Genres Fencing manual
Language Early New High German
Notable work(s) Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des
Fechtens
(1570)
Manuscript(s)
First printed
english edition
Forgeng, 2006
Concordance by Michael Chidester
Translations
Signature Joachim Meyer sig.jpg

Joachim Meyer (ca. 1537 - 1571)[1] was a 16th century German cutler, Freifechter, and fencing master. He was the last major figure in the tradition of the German grand master Johannes Liechtenauer, and in the later years of his life he devised at least four distinct and quite extensive fencing manuals. Meyer's writings incorporate both the traditional Germanic technical syllabus and contemporary systems that he encountered in his travels, including Italian rapier fencing.[2] In addition to his fencing practice, Meyer was a Burgher and a master cutler.[3]

Meyer was born in Basel,[4] 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 Meyer 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.[5]

Records show that by 4 June 1560 he had settled in Strasbourg, where he married Appolonia Ruhlman (Ruelman)[1] and was granted the rank of master cutler. His interests had already moved beyond smithing, however, and in 1561, Meyer 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;[6] the 1568 petition is the first extant record in which he identifies himself as a fencing master.

Meyer probably wrote his first manuscript (MS Bibl. 2465) in 1561 for Georg Johann Ⅰ, Count Palatine of Veldenz, and his second (MS A.4º.2) in 1568 for Otto, Count von Sulms, Minzenberg, and Sonnenwaldt.[7] Both of these manuscripts contain a series of lessons on training with long sword, dussack, and rapier; the 1561 also covers dagger, polearms, and armored fencing. His third manuscript (MS Var.82), written between 1563 and 1571 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 ain Ringeck, pseudo-Peter von Danzig, and Martin Syber, and also includes a brief outline by Meyer himself on a system of rapier fencing based on German Messer teachings.

Finally, on 24 February 1570, Meyer completed an enormous treatise entitled 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.[8] It contains all of the weapons of the 1561 manuscript apart from fencing in armor, and dramtically expands his teachings on each.

Unfortunately, Meyer's writing and publication efforts incurred significant debts (about 1300 crowns), which Meyer pledged to repay by Christmas of 1571.[1] Late in 1570, Meyer accepted the position of Fechtmeister to Duke Johann Albrecht of Mecklenburg at his court in Schwerin. There Meyer hoped to sell his book for a better price than was offered locally (30 florins). Meyer sent his books ahead to Schwerin, and left from Strasbourg on 4 January 1571 after receiving his pay. He traveled the 800 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 Meyer died. The cause of his death is unknown, possibly disease or pneumonia.[6]

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 Meyer’s guardian; it politely reminded the Duke who Joachim Meyer was, Meyer’s publishing efforts and considerable debt, requested that the Duke send Meyer’s personal affects and his books to Appolonia, and attempted to sell some (if not all) of the books to the Duke.[1]

Appolonia remarried in April 1572 to another cutler named Hans Kuele, bestowing upon him the status of Burgher and Meyer's substantial debts. Joachim Meyer 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.[9][10]

Contents

Treatises

Joachim Meyer's writings are preserved in three manuscripts prepared in the 1560s: the 1561 MS Bibl. 2465 (Munich), the 1568 MS A.4º.2 (Lund), and the MS Var. 82 (Rostock), which Meyer may have still been working at the time of his death in 1571. Dwarfing these works is the massive book he published in 1570 entitled "A Thorough Description of the Free, Chivalric, and Noble Art of Fencing, Showing Various Customary Defenses, Affected and Put Forth with Many Handsome and Useful Drawings". Meyer's writings purport to teach the entire art of fencing, something that he claimed had never been done before, and encompass a wide variety of teachings from disparate sources and traditions. To achieve this goal, Meyer seems to have constructed his treatises as a series of progressive lessons, describing a process for learning to fence rather than merely outlining the underlying theory or listing the techniques. In keeping with this, he illustrates his techniques with depictions of fencers in courtyards using training weapons such as two-handed foils, wooden dussacks, and rapiers with ball tips.

The first section of Meyer's treatise is devoted to the long sword (the sword in two hands), which he describes as the foundational weapon of his system, and this section devotes the most space to fundamentals like stance and footwork. His long sword system draws upon the teachings of Freifechter Andre Paurñfeyndt (via Christian Egenolff's reprint) and Liechtenauer glossators Sigmund ain Ringeck and Lew, as well as using terminology otherwise unique to the brief Recital of Martin Syber. Not content merely to compile these teachings as his contemporary Paulus Hector Mair was doing, Meyer sought to update—even reinvent—them in various ways to fit the martial climate of the late sixteenth century, including adapting many techniques to accommodate the increased momentum of a greatsword and modifying others to use beats with the flat and winding slices in place of thrusts to comply with street-fighting laws in German cities (and the rules of the Fechtschule).

The second section of Meyer's treatises is designed to address new weapons gaining traction in German lands, the dussack and the rapier, and thereby find places for them in the German tradition. His early Lund manuscript presents a more summarized syllabus of techniques for these weapons, while his printed book goes into greater depth and is structured more in the fashion of lesson plans.[11] Meyer's dussack system, designed for the broad proto-sabers that spread into German lands from Eastern Europe in the 16th century,[12] combines the old Messer teachings of Johannes Lecküchner and the dussack teachings of Andre Paurñfeyndt with other unknown systems (some have speculated that they might include early Polish or Hungarian saber systems). His rapier system, designed for the lighter single-hand swords spreading north from Iberian and Italian lands, seems again to be a hybrid creation, integrating both the core teachings of the 15th century Liechtenauer tradition as well as components that are characteristic of the various regional Mediterranean fencing systems (including, perhaps, teachings derived from the treatise of Achille Marozzo). Interestingly, Meyer's rapier teachings in the Rostock seem to represent an attempt to unify these two weapon system, outlining a method for rapier fencing that includes key elements of his dussack teachings; it is unclear why this method did not appear in his book, but given the dates it may be that they represent his last musings on the weapon, written in the time between the completion of his book in 1570 and his death a year later.

The third section of Meyer's treatise is omitted in the Lund manuscript but present in the Munich and the 1570, and covers dagger, wrestling, and various pole weapons; to this, the Munich adds several plays of armored fencing. His dagger teachings, designed primarily for urban self-defense, seem to be based in part on the writings of Bolognese master Achille Marozzo[13] and the anonymous teachings in Egenolff, but also include much unique content of unknown origin (perhaps the anonymous dagger teachings in his Rostock manuscript). His staff material makes up the bulk of this section, beginning with the short staff, which, like Paurñfeyndt, he uses as a training tool for various pole weapons (and possibly also the greatsword), and then moving on to the halberd before ending with the long staff (representing the pike). As with the dagger, the sources Meyer based his staff teachings on are largely unknown.