Australasian Historical Swordplay Federation 2005 Conference

October 1-3, 2005
Daramalan College
Canberra (Australia)
Event Website

French Smallsword as Taught by Liancour & Olivier

A general introduction to the French smallsword with an emphasis on the teachings of Olivier and Liancour, along with a few elements and techniques derived from other period texts for the weapons. All techniques will be presented with attention to absolute historical accuracy and correct mechanical execution, as well as the theory behind their use.

Instructors: Tom Leoni and Steven Reich

An Introduction to Renaissance Italian Polearms

While the sword still reigned supreme as the Queen of Weapons, there were other important combat arts in Renaissance Italy that received a good deal of attention from civilian and military martial artists. One of these arts was the use of medium-length polearms (as opposed to the long military pike or the shorter pollax) such as the halberd and the partisan. Consequently, 16th and 17th Century masters recorded a fair amount of precise, scientific and thorough, polearm instruction, allowing us to form a good idea of how these fascinating weapons were used.

In this class we will analyze the fundamental techniques of High-Renaissance Italian polearm combat. These will include the main guards, footwork, parries, thrusts, cuts and a few plays right from the old treatises - all described and taught with their accurate terminology and mechanics. Material for the class will be strictly from period literature, and each technique or concept will be offered along with the precise reference to the Italian source-treatises, greatly facilitating, the path to further investigation by the attendees.

Instructor: Tom Leoni

An Introduction to the Bolognese "Sidesword"

The Bolognese school taught a style of swordsmanship that was as beautiful and artistic as it was effective--a requisite for every gentleman as described in Baldesar Castiglione's Book of the Courtier. In this class we will analyze the fundamental techniques of the queen of weapons, including the main guards, footwork, parries, thrusts, cuts along with a look at a short assalto as given in an historic treatise. Material for the class will be wholly historic and performed as described by the masters.

Instructor: Tom Leoni