Kampfringen
Encyclopedia
Ringen is the German language
term for grappling
(wrestling
).
In the context of the German school
of historical European martial arts
during the Late Middle Ages
and the German Renaissance
, ringen refers to unarmed combat in general, including grappling techniques used as part of swordsmanship
.
The German tradition has records of a number of master-Ringer of the 15th to 16th centuries specializing in unarmed combat, frequently Jews, such as Ott Jud
and Jud Lew.
Unarmed combat was divided in two categories, sportive grappling or geselliges ringen and serious unarmed combat or kampfringen (where kampf is the Early Modern German term for "duel
").
While sportive grappling had fixed rules that prohibited dangerous techniques, usually starting in grappling hold
and ending with a throw
or submission,
kampfringen can be considered a system of unarmed self-defense
including punches, joint-locks, elbow strikes, chokehold
s, headbutt
s and (to a limited extent) kick
s.
The German tradition of ringen was eclipsed during the 17th century as the modern Baroque
understanding of nobility preculded the participation of the higher classes in wrestling matches. Wrestling continued to be practiced among the lower classes, giving rise to the various traditional styles of folk wrestling
.
Ott was a master of the early 15th century, probably from southern Germany. He is said to have developed a system of grappling to be used in combat, including joint breaks, arm locks and throws designed to cause serious injury. No treatise from Ott's own hand has survived, but his system is taught by several fencing masters of the later 15th century, including Hans Talhoffer
(1443), Peter von Danzig and Jud Lew.
Paulus Kal
counts him among the "society of Liechtenauer", saying that he was wrestling teacher to the "lords of Austria" (possibly under Frederick III
).
According to both Talhoffer and Lew, Ott was a baptized
Jew.
Welle (p. 260) cites an anecdote told by Martin Luther
in a lecture on Genesis 32 (the wrestling of Jacob
with the angel) published in 1580, according to which there was a famous Jewish wrestling master at the court of Frederick.
Jews teaching martial arts, especially ringen appear to have been not uncommon in late medieval Germany. A late 14th-century master was called Andres Jud (probably identical with Andres Lignitzer) mentioned in MS 3227a.
Hans Talhoffer
's Thott manuscript contains an abecedarium
of the Hebrew alphabet
, as well as a drawing of a Jew with the inscription "here the Jew teaches Hebrew" (meaning the alphabet, which was used to write Yiddish, not the Hebrew language).
In the later 16th century, a decree of Rudolph II forbade Christian teachers to train Jews, and competitions between Christians and Jews were forbidden around this time as well.
Other treatises that contain material both on ringen and on swordsmanship include those of Fiore dei Liberi
(c. 1410), Fabian von Auerswald (1462), Pietro Monte
(c. 1480), and Hans Wurm (c. 1500).
Wrestling fell out of fashion among the upper classes with the beginning Baroque period. A late treatise on ringen is that by Johann Georg Passchen, published in 1659.
This included closing techniques, disarms, weapon-seizures, pommel-strikes, and weapon-aided joint-locks.
Grappling techniques are particularly central to the discipline of armoured fighting (Harnischfechten).
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
term for grappling
Grappling
Grappling refers to techniques, maneuvers, and counters applied to an opponent in order to gain a physical advantage, such as improving relative position, escaping, submitting, or injury to the opponent. Grappling is a general term that covers techniques used in many disciplines, styles and martial...
(wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
).
In the context of the German school
German school of fencing
The German school of fencing is the historical system of combat taught in the Holy Roman Empire in the Late Medieval, Renaissance and Early Modern periods , as described in the Fechtbücher written at the time...
of historical European martial arts
Historical European martial arts
Historical European martial arts is a neologism describing martial arts of European origin, used particularly to refer to arts formerly practised, but having since died out or evolved into very different forms...
during the Late Middle Ages
Late Middle Ages
The Late Middle Ages was the period of European history generally comprising the 14th to the 16th century . The Late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern era ....
and the German Renaissance
German Renaissance
The German Renaissance, part of the Northern Renaissance, was a cultural and artistic movement that spread among German thinkers in the 15th and 16th centuries, which originated from the Italian Renaissance in Italy...
, ringen refers to unarmed combat in general, including grappling techniques used as part of swordsmanship
Swordsmanship
Swordsmanship refers to the skills of a swordsman, a person versed in the art of the sword. The term is modern, and as such was mainly used to refer to smallsword fencing, but by extension it can also be applied to any martial art involving the use of a sword...
.
The German tradition has records of a number of master-Ringer of the 15th to 16th centuries specializing in unarmed combat, frequently Jews, such as Ott Jud
Ott Jud
Ott Jud was a 15th century Austrian martial arts master, specialized on grappling .The version of his treatise in Codex Lew states that he was a baptized Jew....
and Jud Lew.
Unarmed combat was divided in two categories, sportive grappling or geselliges ringen and serious unarmed combat or kampfringen (where kampf is the Early Modern German term for "duel
Duel
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two individuals, with matched weapons in accordance with agreed-upon rules.Duels in this form were chiefly practised in Early Modern Europe, with precedents in the medieval code of chivalry, and continued into the modern period especially among...
").
While sportive grappling had fixed rules that prohibited dangerous techniques, usually starting in grappling hold
Grappling hold
A grappling hold is a grappling, wrestling, judo or other martial arts term for a specific grip that is applied to an opponent. Holds are principally used to control the opponent, and to advance in points or positioning...
and ending with a throw
Throw (grappling)
A throw is a martial arts term for a grappling technique that involves off-balancing or lifting an opponent, and tossing them to the ground in Japanese martial arts referred to as nage-waza, 投げ技, "throwing technique"...
or submission,
kampfringen can be considered a system of unarmed self-defense
Self-defense
Self-defense, self-defence or private defense is a countermeasure that involves defending oneself, one's property or the well-being of another from physical harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in times of danger is available in many...
including punches, joint-locks, elbow strikes, chokehold
Chokehold
A chokehold or choke is a general term for grappling hold that critically reduces or prevents either air or blood from passing through the neck of an opponent. The restriction may be of one or both and depends on the hold used and the reaction of the victim...
s, headbutt
Headbutt
A headbutt is a strike with the head, typically involving the use of robust parts of the cranium as areas of impact. Effective headbutting revolves around striking a sensitive area with a less sensitive area, such as striking the nose of an opponent with the forehead...
s and (to a limited extent) kick
Kick
In combat sports and hand-to-hand combat, a kick is a physical strike using the foot, leg, or knee . This type of attack is used frequently, especially in stand-up fighting...
s.
The German tradition of ringen was eclipsed during the 17th century as the modern Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
understanding of nobility preculded the participation of the higher classes in wrestling matches. Wrestling continued to be practiced among the lower classes, giving rise to the various traditional styles of folk wrestling
Folk wrestling
A folk wrestling style is a traditional wrestling discipline which may or may not be codified as a modern sport. Most human cultures have developed their own sort of grappling style unique from other styles practiced...
.
History
One of the primary men to have shaped kampfringen at the dawning of the Renaissance appears to have been Austrian master Ott Jud.Ott was a master of the early 15th century, probably from southern Germany. He is said to have developed a system of grappling to be used in combat, including joint breaks, arm locks and throws designed to cause serious injury. No treatise from Ott's own hand has survived, but his system is taught by several fencing masters of the later 15th century, including Hans Talhoffer
Hans Talhoffer
Hans Talhoffer was a Fechtmeister , employed as 'master of arms' to the Swabian knight Leutold von Konigsegg, a feudatory of Count Eberhardt the Bearded of Württemberg in southern Germany...
(1443), Peter von Danzig and Jud Lew.
Paulus Kal
Paulus Kal
Paulus Kal was a 15th century German fencing master. In 1460, he wrote a combat manual describing the art of fencing .-Literature:...
counts him among the "society of Liechtenauer", saying that he was wrestling teacher to the "lords of Austria" (possibly under Frederick III
Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick the Peaceful KG was Duke of Austria as Frederick V from 1424, the successor of Albert II as German King as Frederick IV from 1440, and Holy Roman Emperor as Frederick III from 1452...
).
According to both Talhoffer and Lew, Ott was a baptized
Religious conversion
Religious conversion is the adoption of a new religion that differs from the convert's previous religion. Changing from one denomination to another within the same religion is usually described as reaffiliation rather than conversion.People convert to a different religion for various reasons,...
Jew.
Welle (p. 260) cites an anecdote told by Martin Luther
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
in a lecture on Genesis 32 (the wrestling of Jacob
Jacob
Jacob "heel" or "leg-puller"), also later known as Israel , as described in the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud, the New Testament and the Qur'an was the third patriarch of the Hebrew people with whom God made a covenant, and ancestor of the tribes of Israel, which were named after his descendants.In the...
with the angel) published in 1580, according to which there was a famous Jewish wrestling master at the court of Frederick.
Jews teaching martial arts, especially ringen appear to have been not uncommon in late medieval Germany. A late 14th-century master was called Andres Jud (probably identical with Andres Lignitzer) mentioned in MS 3227a.
Hans Talhoffer
Hans Talhoffer
Hans Talhoffer was a Fechtmeister , employed as 'master of arms' to the Swabian knight Leutold von Konigsegg, a feudatory of Count Eberhardt the Bearded of Württemberg in southern Germany...
's Thott manuscript contains an abecedarium
Abecedarium
An abecedarium is an inscription consisting of the letters of an alphabet, almost always listed in order. Typically, abecedaria are practice exercises....
of the Hebrew alphabet
Hebrew alphabet
The Hebrew alphabet , known variously by scholars as the Jewish script, square script, block script, or more historically, the Assyrian script, is used in the writing of the Hebrew language, as well as other Jewish languages, most notably Yiddish, Ladino, and Judeo-Arabic. There have been two...
, as well as a drawing of a Jew with the inscription "here the Jew teaches Hebrew" (meaning the alphabet, which was used to write Yiddish, not the Hebrew language).
In the later 16th century, a decree of Rudolph II forbade Christian teachers to train Jews, and competitions between Christians and Jews were forbidden around this time as well.
Other treatises that contain material both on ringen and on swordsmanship include those of Fiore dei Liberi
Fiore dei Liberi
Fiore Furlano de Civida d'Austria delli Liberi da Premariacco was a Medieval master of arms and the earliest Italian master from whom we have an martial arts manual...
(c. 1410), Fabian von Auerswald (1462), Pietro Monte
Pietro Monte
Pietro Monte was a Spanish master of arms who lived in Italy in the late 15th century. He was a contemporary of Leonardo da Vinci, and is said to have taught da Vinci to play darts. Monte was versed in many fields; he was a warrior, a scholar, and a theologian who wrote numerous books,...
(c. 1480), and Hans Wurm (c. 1500).
Wrestling fell out of fashion among the upper classes with the beginning Baroque period. A late treatise on ringen is that by Johann Georg Passchen, published in 1659.
Grappling techniques in swordsmanship
Many manuals combine fencing and wrestling into a specialized branch of kampfringen called ringen am schwert ("grappling at the sword"), designed to be used during armed combat.This included closing techniques, disarms, weapon-seizures, pommel-strikes, and weapon-aided joint-locks.
Grappling techniques are particularly central to the discipline of armoured fighting (Harnischfechten).
Mounted grappling
Several manuscripts detail grappling techniques for mounted combat or rossfechten.See also
- Historical European Martial ArtsHistorical European martial artsHistorical European martial arts is a neologism describing martial arts of European origin, used particularly to refer to arts formerly practised, but having since died out or evolved into very different forms...
- German school of fencingGerman school of fencingThe German school of fencing is the historical system of combat taught in the Holy Roman Empire in the Late Medieval, Renaissance and Early Modern periods , as described in the Fechtbücher written at the time...
- History of wrestling
- GrapplingGrapplingGrappling refers to techniques, maneuvers, and counters applied to an opponent in order to gain a physical advantage, such as improving relative position, escaping, submitting, or injury to the opponent. Grappling is a general term that covers techniques used in many disciplines, styles and martial...
- Hand-to-hand combat