Thott 290 2º - Meister Hans Thalhofer: Alte Armatur und Ringkunst
Talhoffer's "Alte Armatur und Ringkunst" or roughly translated: "Old Armament and Art of Fight" was published in Bavaria 1459 by Hans Talhoffer, scripted by Michael Rotwyler and in which Hans Talhoffer himself posed for the illustrations. The work covers a variety aspects of war, including war machines and devices, illustrations with short descriptions for the two-handed sword, sword and buckler, sword and shield, dagger, wrestling, pollaxe, judicial combat, and mounted combat. As well as some specialized forms for the judicial duel: double-ended dueling pavises used with sword or club, and man in a pit with a club, and a woman with a rock in a sock.
This textbook of art of war gives with its coloured drawings a clear idea of the use of weapons and the methods of fight in the Middle Ages. The second part, which starts from the back, contains various notes about astrology. Paper; 150 ff.; 30 x 21 cm. * Bayern 1459
HANS TALHOFFER "ALTE ARMATUR UND RINGKUNST, 1459"
An Introduction to Talhoffer's Fechtbüch (1) Notes on the Talhoffer Manuscript The digitized manuscript Hans Talhoffer "Alte Armatur und Ringkunst, 1459" available at the Royal Library, Copenhagen is one of a number of medieval manuscripts that are available online (see below for a listing). The Talhoffer manuscript was in the possession of Count Otto Thott, who was a Danish prime minister and a famous collector of books and manuscripts. This rare collection, including others in his collection were donated to The Royal Library shortly after his death in 1785. The manuscript contains 150 double-sided pages, or 300 pages of illustrations and text. When navigating the manuscript, recto and verso means the front side and the back side of a plate/leaf. The recto will always be the right "page" of two. To navigate forward or backwards through the manuscript is self-evident, however, do use the drop boxes above and below the "Previous" and "Next" buttons, which allows you to jump up to a maximum of 20 pages forwards or 20 pages back. About the presentation: Click on the image to retrieve a larger image for closer examination. Click here for details on registering with AEMMA and obtaining your Online Library electronic card. The breakdown of the manuscript is the following (All Talhoffer images on this page, courtesy of The Royal Library, Copenhagen): http://www.aemma.org/onlineResources/library_15c.htm
1.0 Text (1 recto - 10 verso) There is no known English translation of the prologue available for this manuscript directly, however, a French translation of this manuscript was created by Gustave Hergsell entitled "LIVRE D'ESCRIME DE TALHOFFER DE L'AN 1459" (code d'ambras). This was published in Prague in 1901. The prologue is primarily Liechtenauer's verse for the 17 primary techniques of the longsword, even though the longsword is not the manuscipt's primary focus. Sources for copies of this manuscript can be found by clicking on "Manuscript Sources" button at the bottom of your screen. The Library has digitized not only the text and illustrations, but also the front and back leather covers of the manuscript. The text includes the first 20 pairs of leaves, or, the first illustration appears on "11 recto". You can get to the first illustration from the home page of this manuscript and clicking on "11 recto" in the left margin.
2.0 Of Machines and Devices of War (11 recto - 48 verso) These illustrations depict preparations and devices of war, that include an illustration of an individual receiving a tattoo on his back? (11 verso), an individual with a cross-bow firing upon wolves attacking a cow (12 recto), an interesting illustration of an individual wearing the platform shoes of the day or "pattens" (13 verso), implements of discipline/punishment (14 verso), troop carrier (15 verso), and catapults (16 verso). Other devices include troops carriers with huge lids on hinges attached with large claw like implements in the edges that can be dropped across a moat, or dropped against a defence wall whereby the hooks penetrate the substrate and prevent the troops carrier from rolling backwards (17 verso) (see miniature on the right). Other variations in the manuscript of this carrier includes a lid fitted with a huge spike, which appears to provide a solid anchor point into the ground if the device was used to span a moat (19 recto). Another notable device, which appears to be a mobile covered path on wheels (20 verso) will protect the troops, presumably from an onslaught of arrows as they make there way to the end of the covered path into their target. Other fascinating devices include a variety of underwater breathing devices (45 recto) and giant "trebuchets" or sling-shots.
3.0 Ringen (Wrestling) (49 recto - 60 verso) The wrestling illustrations appear very close to the illustrations included in Talhoffer's manuscript of 1467. Most of the grappling and throws are included in the 1467 manuscript, except for the "thumbs up the nose" on 59 verso which does not appear in the 1467 manuscript.
4.0 Degen (Dolch) (Dagger) (61 recto-71 recto) Classic Talhoffer dagger illustrations, that can be mapped directly to the 1467 manuscript. For example, 64 verso depicts "the upper shield against the stab" or "Der obere Schild" which is very similar to tafel 171 in the 1467 manuscript. Other comparisons can be extended to 66 recto which depicts one's thrusts over towards the opponent, and the individual on the receiving end breaks with the left arm and seizes him with the dagger between the legs and draws him in and throws him away from himself.
5.0 Streitaxt (Pole-axe) (71 verso - 74 verso) The pole-axe illustrations are very similar to what is included in the manuscript of 1467. However, on 73 verso & 74 verso, there is an interesting illustration of a black individual on the right wielding a pole-axe.
6.0 Spear and Sword, Knife, Pike (75 recto - 79 verso)
The spear does not appear in the 1467 manuscript, except for the section that presents the fight in the lists, that includes the spear as one of the weapons deployed. In the page 76 verso, a graphic illustration depicting the cut to the neck essentially be-heading the opponent with the sword. The opponent was armed with a pike. An interesting form of distraction illustrated in the page 77 recto shows one who tossed a hat onto the face of his opponent and then threw his dagger into the chest of the same opponent. This same opponent was armed with a spear. Page 79 recto illustrates an individual armed with a cudgel like weapon, fighting against one armed with a longsword.
7.0 Kämpfe zwischen Mann und Frau (Fight between Man and Woman) (80 recto - 84 recto) This series of bizarre illustrations depict a man positioned in a hole in the ground, armed with a edged club and engaged with a woman, who is standing and armed with what appears to be a rock in a sock. She will sling the sock, and strike the man, while the man defends himself with this club.
8.0 Kämpfe in den Schranken mit Spiess und Schwert in voller Rüstung (Fight in the Lists with Spear and Sword in Full Armor) (84 verso - 87 recto) This series of illustrations of an armoured judicial duel almost map one-to-one with Talhoffer's 1467 manuscript, down to throwing the spear in the initial portion of the engagement. The armoured judicial duel was typically held between nobles, fought in armour with the knightly weapons that include the spear, longsword and dagger, usually to the death. Essentially, the duel was a private affair and the role of the judge was only to ensure that the duel was conducted according to the formalities of the period. If a noble had to undergo a trial-by-combat to settle the issue of whose case was right or to provide evidence in support of the individual, the challenger had to wear the same clothing and armour as depicted. Not all trials were fought to the death. This was necessary only when a major offense like murder, treason, heresy etc. was put to court. In the case of a minor offense, the trial would be stopped by the judge when one of the combatants was exhausted, wounded or perceived as being clearly overwhelmed. In this case, the judge could stop the fight and ask the parties if they'd like to consider the issue settled and the point being proven. If the parties agreed, the fight would stop, if not, they would continue, but again not necessarily to the death.
9.0 Langes Schwert (The Long Sword) (87 verso - 94 recto) This fascinating series of illustrations demonstrates similar techniques, including half-sword techniques that are common in the 1467 manuscript. An interesting illustration is on page 93 verso, whereby, the individual has killed his opponent and is seen kneeling and praying for his death, and the dead individual has a small horned creature approaching the body. The final image (94 recto) of this series illustrates a pair of male individuals, lifting the body in preparation to position it into a wooden box with long carrying poles.
10.0 Schwertkämpfe zu Ross (Sword Fight on Horse Back) (94 verso - 97 recto) A collection of beautiful illustrations depicting mounted techniques, that appear more of a series of poses rather than a series of movements. However, the last illustration does depict an engagement between a pair of mounted combatants.
11.0 Gekehlte und Hackenschilde (Throated and Hewing Shield) (97 verso - 103 recto, 110 verso 117 recto) A fascinating series of illustrations that depict the bizarre hewing shields or hackenschilde. The tightly fitting garments were the compulsory gear for the trial-by-combat or kampfordal, which was a engagement than the judicial duel. Until page 101 verso, the combatants were equiped with a club. After this page, the combatants are now armed with a sword and the hewing shield. The last part of this series includes a number of illustrations that depicts a variety of shapes the shield, perhaps as a specifications page for the reader (104 recto). The images include illustrations on the training clothing (107 recto) worn when engaged with the hewing shield.
12.0 Weapons of War (104 recto - 110 recto) A collection of illustrations that depict numerous variations of the hewing shields (104 recto - 106 recto), clubs (106 verso), the "proper" attire for engagement with the hewing shield (107 recto), longswords (107 verso - 108 recto), daggers (108 verso) and pole-axe (109 recto - 110 recto).
13.0 Messer und kleiner Schild (bouclier) (Sword and small Shield (buckler)) (117 verso - 123 recto) A "Talhoffer" classic series of illustrations depicting sword and shield forms. An interesting image is an individual fending off 2 adversaries (119 recto) which is reminescent of tafel 240 in Talhoffer's 1467 publication. Some illustrations depicting the back-sword and buckler on 119 verso. The sword & buckler illustrations do appear to have some commonality with the illustrations of the I.33 manuscript.
14.0 Schwertkämpfe zu Ross (Sword Fight on Horse Back) (124 recto - 130 verso) These illustrations depict primarily sword combat on horseback, however, there are a number of images that depict mounted combat with lance/spear and lance & cross-bow (130 recto). A classic jousting illustration on 130 verso depicts a broken lance and the rider beginning to fall off the horse backwards from the thrust of the lance.
15.0 Streitaxt (Pole-axe) (131 recto - 137 verso)
These illustrations provide a unique view with clarity on the arms and armour of pole-weapons combat. Details that are rarely seen in early historical illustrations of armour from various angles of presentation, down to the straps securing the cuisses to the upper legs. The illustrations also reveals the favouritsm to "ringen" form of engagement, even when engaged with pole-axe as the illustration on 136 recto and 137 verso indicates.
16.0 Ringen (Wrestling) (138 recto - 139 verso) Classic grips and throws are detailed in these illustrations, including an interesting illustration (139 recto) whereby an individual while standing is bounded by the wrists and ankles, and the individual next to him is preparing to cut a leather belt in half.
17.0 Text (150 verso/s.1 - Back Binding) The last textual portion of the manuscript are illustrated here. An interesting view of the front and back covers/bindings of the manuscript are also presented.
