Henry de Sainct-Didier
Encyclopedia
The history of fencing in France
begins in the 16th century, with the adoption of Italian styles
of rapier
fencing.
There are medieval predecessors, such as the Burgundian Le jeu de la hache
("The Play of the Axe") of ca. 1400, but the history of the classical
French school begins with the foundation of the Académie des Maistres en faits d’armes de l’Académie du Roy (also known as the Ecole Française d’Escrime) by Charles IX of France
in December 1567.
Henry de Sainct Didier was a 16th century French fencing master, author of a 1573 treatise
, entitled
(Treatise containing the secrets of the first book on the sword alone, mother of all weapons, which are sword dagger, cappe, targe, buckler, shield, two-handed sword & two swords, with pictures, including the handweapons for defence and attack, and thrusts that can be made both attacking and defending, very useful & profitable for the nobility and adherents of Mars: refined by art, order and practice.)
Sainct Didier was from a Provençal
noble family. His treatise is dedicated to Charles IX.
Fencing in France was developed into a sport during the 17th century, with codificaion of rules and terminology and a system of teaching, by masters such as Le Perche du Coudray (1635, 1676, teacher of Cyrano de Bergerac
), Besnard
(1653, teacher of Descartes), Philibert de la Touche (1670) and Labat of Toulouse (1690).
The foil
was invented in France as a training technique in the middle of the 18th century; it provided practice of fast and elegant thrust fencing with a smaller and safer weapon than an actual dueling sword. Fencers blunted (or "foiled") its point by wrapping a foil around the blade or fastening a knob on the point ("blossom", French
fleuret). German
students took up that practice and developed the Pariser ("Parisian") thrusting small sword in Academic fencing
.
By the 18th century, the French school had become the western European standard to the extent that Domenico Angelo
, an Italian-born master teaching in England, published his L'Ecole des Armes in French in 1763. It was extremely successful and became a standard fencing manual over the following 50 years, throughout the Napoleonic period. Angelo's text was so influential that it was chosen to be included under the heading of "Éscrime" in the Encyclopédie
of Diderot.
The emergence of classical sports fencing
in the 19th century was a direct continuation of the French tradition.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
begins in the 16th century, with the adoption of Italian styles
Italian school of swordsmanship
The term Italian school of swordsmanship is used to describe the Italian style of fencing and edged-weapon combat from the time of the first extant Italian swordsmanship treatise to the days of Classical Fencing ....
of rapier
Rapier
A rapier is a slender, sharply pointed sword, ideally used for thrusting attacks, used mainly in Early Modern Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries.-Description:...
fencing.
There are medieval predecessors, such as the Burgundian Le jeu de la hache
Le jeu de la hache
Le jeu de la hache is a French manual on combat with the poleaxe dating to ca. 1400.The manuscript measures 240mm by 160mm and consists of ten vellum leaves. The text consists of a prologue Le jeu de la hache ("play of the axe") is a French manual on combat with the poleaxe dating to ca....
("The Play of the Axe") of ca. 1400, but the history of the classical
Classical fencing
Classical fencing is the styles of modern fencing as they existed during the 19th and early 20th century. According to the 19th-century fencing master Louis Rondelle,...
French school begins with the foundation of the Académie des Maistres en faits d’armes de l’Académie du Roy (also known as the Ecole Française d’Escrime) by Charles IX of France
Charles IX of France
Charles IX was King of France, ruling from 1560 until his death. His reign was dominated by the Wars of Religion. He is best known as king at the time of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre.-Childhood:...
in December 1567.
Henry de Sainct Didier was a 16th century French fencing master, author of a 1573 treatise
Fechtbuch
Martial arts manuals are instructions, with or without illustrations, detailing specific techniques of martial arts.Prose descriptions of martial arts techniques appear late within the history of literature, due to the inherent difficulties of describing a technique rather than just demonstrating...
, entitled
- Traicté contenant les secrets du premier livre sur l’espée seule, mère de toutes armes, qui sont espée dague, cappe, targue, bouclier, rondelle, l’espée deux mains & deux espées, avec ses pourtraictures, ayans les armes au poing por se deffendre & offencer à un mesme temps des coups qu’on peut tirer, tant en assillant qu’en deffendent, fort utile & profitable por adextrer la noblesse, & suposts de Mars: redigé par art, ordre & practique
(Treatise containing the secrets of the first book on the sword alone, mother of all weapons, which are sword dagger, cappe, targe, buckler, shield, two-handed sword & two swords, with pictures, including the handweapons for defence and attack, and thrusts that can be made both attacking and defending, very useful & profitable for the nobility and adherents of Mars: refined by art, order and practice.)
Sainct Didier was from a Provençal
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
noble family. His treatise is dedicated to Charles IX.
Fencing in France was developed into a sport during the 17th century, with codificaion of rules and terminology and a system of teaching, by masters such as Le Perche du Coudray (1635, 1676, teacher of Cyrano de Bergerac
Cyrano de Bergerac
Hercule-Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac was a French dramatist and duelist. He is now best remembered for the works of fiction which have been woven, often very loosely, around his life story, most notably the 1897 play by Edmond Rostand...
), Besnard
Besnard
Besnard is a surname, and may refer to:* Armand Besnard , French admiral* Aurélien Besnard* David Besnard* Marie Besnard* Paul-Albert Besnard...
(1653, teacher of Descartes), Philibert de la Touche (1670) and Labat of Toulouse (1690).
The foil
Foil (fencing)
A foil is a type of weapon used in fencing. It is the most common weapon in terms of usage in competition, and is usually the choice for elementary classes for fencing in general.- Components:...
was invented in France as a training technique in the middle of the 18th century; it provided practice of fast and elegant thrust fencing with a smaller and safer weapon than an actual dueling sword. Fencers blunted (or "foiled") its point by wrapping a foil around the blade or fastening a knob on the point ("blossom", French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
fleuret). German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
students took up that practice and developed the Pariser ("Parisian") thrusting small sword in Academic fencing
Academic fencing
Academic fencing or Mensur is the traditional kind of fencing practiced by some student corporations in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and to a minor extent in Kosovo, Estonia, Latvia, Poland and Flanders.- Technique :Modern academic fencing, the "mensur," is neither a duel nor a sport...
.
By the 18th century, the French school had become the western European standard to the extent that Domenico Angelo
Domenico Angelo
Domenico Angelo , fencing master, was born in Leghorn, Italy, as Angelo Domenico Malevolti Tremamondo.According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, "Angelo was the first to emphasize fencing as a means of developing health, poise, and grace...
, an Italian-born master teaching in England, published his L'Ecole des Armes in French in 1763. It was extremely successful and became a standard fencing manual over the following 50 years, throughout the Napoleonic period. Angelo's text was so influential that it was chosen to be included under the heading of "Éscrime" in the Encyclopédie
Encyclopédie
Encyclopédie, ou dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers was a general encyclopedia published in France between 1751 and 1772, with later supplements, revised editions, and translations. It was edited by Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d'Alembert...
of Diderot.
The emergence of classical sports fencing
Classical fencing
Classical fencing is the styles of modern fencing as they existed during the 19th and early 20th century. According to the 19th-century fencing master Louis Rondelle,...
in the 19th century was a direct continuation of the French tradition.