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Medieval Combat in Colour: Hans Talhoffer's Illustrated Manual of Swordfighting and Close-Quarter Combat from 1467
Hans Talhoffer's professional fencing manual of 1467 illustrates the intricacies of the medieval art of fighting, covering both the 'judicial duel' (an officially sanctioned fight to resolve a legal dispute) and personal combat. Combatants in the Middle Ages used footwork, avoidance, and the ability to judge and manipulate timing and distance to exploit and enhance the sword's inherent cutting and thrusting capabilities. These skills were supplemented with techniques for grappling, wrestling, kicking and throwing the opponent, as well as disarming him by seizing his weapon. Every attack contained a defence and every defence a counter-attack. Talhoffer reveals the techniques for wrestling, unarmoured fighting with the long sword, pole-axe, dagger, sword and buckler, and mounted combat. This unparalleled guide to medieval combat, illustrated with 268 contemporary images, provides a glimpse of real people fighting with skill, sophistication and ruthlessness. This is one of the most popular and influential manuals of its kind.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1467
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 10, 2025
Excellent (and authentic) book on medieval combat - illustrations are vivid and plentiful so that you really understand the brutal nature of combat at this time. Happy to see the revival of European forms of martial arts; glad that there are dedicated practitioners who are passing this knowledge down before it is lost.
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February 23, 2023Medieval Combat by Hans Talhoffer confirmed my suspicion that swordfighting in the Middle Ages didn't much resemble its portrayal in the movies. Still, I was surprised by just how different it turned out to be. Many maneuvers, for example, called for the swordsman to grab his own blade to shorten his grip at close quarters or to shift the angle of his attack. From all the swordfights I'd ever observed on screen, or read descriptions of in novels, or seen depicted comics, it never would have occurred to me that anyone would ever willingly do that. "The blade is sharp," I objected: "you'll slice your own fucking fingers off!"
But the medieval long sword, at least as taught by Hans Talhoffer, seems to have been wielded more like a quarter staff than a rapier or fencing foil. Yes, it was sharp, but not razor-sharp; razor-sharpness would have limited its range of motion and utility as an instrument of death. As much as for its cutting power, it was the long sword's capacity to inflict blunt trauma that made it so lethal in the hands of a skilled practitioner. You bashed as well as slashed with it. And that, upon reflection, makes perfect sense in mortal combat against an opponent likely to be wearing armor.
I gave my copy of Medieval Combat to a friend years ago but wound-up sort of regretting it. If for no other reason, I miss its charmingly retro, morbidly amusing illustrations.
But the medieval long sword, at least as taught by Hans Talhoffer, seems to have been wielded more like a quarter staff than a rapier or fencing foil. Yes, it was sharp, but not razor-sharp; razor-sharpness would have limited its range of motion and utility as an instrument of death. As much as for its cutting power, it was the long sword's capacity to inflict blunt trauma that made it so lethal in the hands of a skilled practitioner. You bashed as well as slashed with it. And that, upon reflection, makes perfect sense in mortal combat against an opponent likely to be wearing armor.
I gave my copy of Medieval Combat to a friend years ago but wound-up sort of regretting it. If for no other reason, I miss its charmingly retro, morbidly amusing illustrations.
June 5, 2016
And my torrid love affair with historic manuscripts continues. Though this one contains no gold ink, the gothic script is lovely. It's by a renown German combatant... a how-to manual for the 1400's soldier or duelist. Included are tips on technique, weaponry, food & drink, herbal baths, and sadly, how to explode a tree :(
Some quotes:
————————-
Stand not still. Look what the foe could do.
Be nimble to fell a buffalo.
Keep to yourself and tell nobody what you have in mind or would do, since the World is so false.
Whatever he says unto you, do not react to it, and fight earnestly and for yourself thusly, and let him have no rest and become no threat.
Fight with the whole body - thereby you will strongly drive.
Stand fast and be not lax.
Curse the vulgar.
Meditate upon the Rightful Way.
Nobody is happy when one of his comrades cuts him up with loud words.
When six weeks are past,then the judge has summoned them, whereupon shall be combat.
Whichever combatant comes out of the ring before the duel has its deadly ending, then that man shall be adjudged vanquished, or slain, for another man has conquered him.
A wise man should strike because he may strongly strike.
FOOD AND DRINK :
- Zwieback croissants and hazelnuts are minimal rations for siege.
- An herb called darnel; brew the root in wine.
- Take egg whites and pour through a funnel into a hollowed-out rutabaga. Beat the yolks therein and boil it.
AMBUSHING UNARMED CIVILIANS :
What stops the buzzing of folk in confined shelters whom you otherwise may not overcome? Take beds or cushions filled with feathers, kindle it so the smoke goes from there. Stick it to those in the confines.
MEDIEVAL SAUNA :
This bath is near a hole in the ice; the oven is outside. When resting therein, take these herbs: mugwort, wormwood, valerian, bertram, einkorn, bennet, heather, agrimony, sorrel. When one sweats in the bath, wash so may one invigorate.
SNOW-SHOES :
These are snow hoops that one should make. Thatch straw on top of these, and if the feet become “knitted together”, thus stiffened from cold, then male these also with long straw bundled together.
TREE EXPLOSION :
With a big auger bore a hole in a tree, fill that with gunpowder and seal it well-tight with a clod. Kindle it at a small hole and flee. The tree bursts asunder and makes a great uproar.
Some quotes:
————————-
Stand not still. Look what the foe could do.
Be nimble to fell a buffalo.
Keep to yourself and tell nobody what you have in mind or would do, since the World is so false.
Whatever he says unto you, do not react to it, and fight earnestly and for yourself thusly, and let him have no rest and become no threat.
Fight with the whole body - thereby you will strongly drive.
Stand fast and be not lax.
Curse the vulgar.
Meditate upon the Rightful Way.
Nobody is happy when one of his comrades cuts him up with loud words.
When six weeks are past,then the judge has summoned them, whereupon shall be combat.
Whichever combatant comes out of the ring before the duel has its deadly ending, then that man shall be adjudged vanquished, or slain, for another man has conquered him.
A wise man should strike because he may strongly strike.
FOOD AND DRINK :
- Zwieback croissants and hazelnuts are minimal rations for siege.
- An herb called darnel; brew the root in wine.
- Take egg whites and pour through a funnel into a hollowed-out rutabaga. Beat the yolks therein and boil it.
AMBUSHING UNARMED CIVILIANS :
What stops the buzzing of folk in confined shelters whom you otherwise may not overcome? Take beds or cushions filled with feathers, kindle it so the smoke goes from there. Stick it to those in the confines.
MEDIEVAL SAUNA :
This bath is near a hole in the ice; the oven is outside. When resting therein, take these herbs: mugwort, wormwood, valerian, bertram, einkorn, bennet, heather, agrimony, sorrel. When one sweats in the bath, wash so may one invigorate.
SNOW-SHOES :
These are snow hoops that one should make. Thatch straw on top of these, and if the feet become “knitted together”, thus stiffened from cold, then male these also with long straw bundled together.
TREE EXPLOSION :
With a big auger bore a hole in a tree, fill that with gunpowder and seal it well-tight with a clod. Kindle it at a small hole and flee. The tree bursts asunder and makes a great uproar.
June 29, 2012
This is a beautiful reproduction of the original Fifteenth Century illustrations rather than a "how-to" textbook in the modern sense. It's a lovely thing to own from a historical point of view, but don't expect to learn how to fight from reading it unless you have a HEMA instructor on hand!
February 7, 2017
Fantastic book that complements other hand to hand styles well. It's definitely interesting to consider the evolution of hand to hand combat in Western Civilization.
July 15, 2017
Having done mediaeval combat in the past, this book proved inavaluable. While the illustrations look very posed they are very useful.
A manual of this age would have required the person to work on all the moves inbetween to achieve the results. Unlike modern learning people were required to look and learn, nothing was for free.
A manual of this age would have required the person to work on all the moves inbetween to achieve the results. Unlike modern learning people were required to look and learn, nothing was for free.
April 29, 2011
Just fascinating.
November 21, 2018
"Manual" is a bit of a stretch. These are detailed drawings of fighters in different positions with different weapons focusing on bastard swords, but with some other interesting weapons as well. No detail about how they drilled some of these weird positions, but this is primarily an attempt to make a limited set of drawings understandable, not to be a total fighting manual for the period.
The greatest difficulty in understanding the plates is not the translation from the original Swabian, but that the original Swabian is very, very limited. Each plate has only a few words, leaving the author to analyze what is left unexplained or unclear. Some of these are easier to piece out than others.
I liked the poleaxe section. The shield sections were definitely the strangest. There's also a lengthy unarmed fighting section where some of the analysis the author makes is problematic. He is a student of historical swordplay and I like what he did here, but it looks like he doesn't practice a grappling martial art. Take those explanations with a grain of salt.
The greatest difficulty in understanding the plates is not the translation from the original Swabian, but that the original Swabian is very, very limited. Each plate has only a few words, leaving the author to analyze what is left unexplained or unclear. Some of these are easier to piece out than others.
I liked the poleaxe section. The shield sections were definitely the strangest. There's also a lengthy unarmed fighting section where some of the analysis the author makes is problematic. He is a student of historical swordplay and I like what he did here, but it looks like he doesn't practice a grappling martial art. Take those explanations with a grain of salt.
December 31, 2015
Beautifully illustrated with prints from the original plates and a thorough translation from the original high middle german.
My only complaint is that the plates make up the majority of the book but the longer descriptions are regulated to appendices. Therefore, reading this version requires a lot of flipping back and forth.
Despite this, Talhoffer offers an interesting look into the history of European martial arts.
My only complaint is that the plates make up the majority of the book but the longer descriptions are regulated to appendices. Therefore, reading this version requires a lot of flipping back and forth.
Despite this, Talhoffer offers an interesting look into the history of European martial arts.
November 10, 2010
This volume is certainly pertinent in the face of England's current situation. As the number of unmentionables continues to multiply, I find that I am employing my hand-to-hand combat skills more and more frequently than before. Brushing up on these skills is paramount to remaining a celebrated dreadful killer.
Perhaps I will hand this manual off to Georgiana when I am finished.
Perhaps I will hand this manual off to Georgiana when I am finished.
October 29, 2008
This is the first source to truly show me the image of what Medieval and Renaissance Martial Arts actually looked like. The skill, brutality, and effectiveness is amazing. I highly recommend it!
July 19, 2014
This is a must read for anyone interested in medieval swordsmanship and combat techniques - fully illustrated throughout with a detailed introduction. Well worth adding to your bookshelf.
January 2, 2018
the scholarship is dated where it exists. the treatment of the material is not exhaustive.
it's an OK hard-copy of the last and most lavish manuscript of talhoffer
it's an OK hard-copy of the last and most lavish manuscript of talhoffer
August 17, 2021
An absolute historical delight.
July 30, 2024
What a joy it was to review this title! The illustrations are great and you get a view of some of the legal system of the middle ages.
April 21, 2025
Shorter than it looks. Pretty interesting but not as helpful as a reference as I was hoping. Still super fun if you’re into history.
October 30, 2020
Hans Talhoffer ist als Fechtmeister des 15. Jahrhunderts eine der wichtigsten Figuren in der Rekonstruktion mittelalterlicher Fechtkünsten. Seine Fechtbücher, die in Tradition Johannes Lichtenauers stehen, gehören zu den meist verbreiteten Werken. Das besonders wegen den gezeichneten Abbildungen, die schnell ein Bild über die Kampfkunsttradition im Mittelalter ergeben.
Das Vorliegende Werk, von Dierk Hagedorn neu übersetzte Fechtbuch, von Hans Talhoffer aus dem Jahr 1467 beschäftigt sich auf über 300 Seiten mit verschiedenen Disziplinen des Zweikampfes unter anderem langes Schwert im Bloß-und Harnischfechten, Buckler-und Messerfechten und mehr.
Talhoffer verzichtet hier auf in verschlüsselten Reimen, sondern konzentriert sich auf praktische Anweisungen.
Die einzelnen Tafeln sind jeweils mit dem Originaltext und der Übersetzung versehen, sodass man sich auch leicht in das Original einlesen kann. Durch seine knappen Beschreibungen der Techniken eignet sich das Werk allerdings eher als visuelle Unterstützung zu anderen Quellen, etwa dem 44 A 8 (Peter von Danzig).
Das Vorliegende Werk, von Dierk Hagedorn neu übersetzte Fechtbuch, von Hans Talhoffer aus dem Jahr 1467 beschäftigt sich auf über 300 Seiten mit verschiedenen Disziplinen des Zweikampfes unter anderem langes Schwert im Bloß-und Harnischfechten, Buckler-und Messerfechten und mehr.
Talhoffer verzichtet hier auf in verschlüsselten Reimen, sondern konzentriert sich auf praktische Anweisungen.
Die einzelnen Tafeln sind jeweils mit dem Originaltext und der Übersetzung versehen, sodass man sich auch leicht in das Original einlesen kann. Durch seine knappen Beschreibungen der Techniken eignet sich das Werk allerdings eher als visuelle Unterstützung zu anderen Quellen, etwa dem 44 A 8 (Peter von Danzig).
November 30, 2008
This reminded me so much of a medieval German comic book. Not that I've ever seen one of those...
The drawings are interesting from both a historic and a weaponry point of view. The author clearly realizes that this is serious business, and folks get pretty mangled. I want to try out some of the dagger entrapment techniques sometime (dang it, why is it so hard to find people to stab nowadays?). The lawful fight between the man and the woman was bizarre, but historically enlightening, I suppose. If one thing came out in this book, it's that anything goes in medieval fighting.
While this book was unique, even my interest flagged after a hundred or so drawings of dudes stabbing each other. I prefer an earlier time period and strategy of fighting, but I'd recommend this for hardcore weapons people and historians.
The drawings are interesting from both a historic and a weaponry point of view. The author clearly realizes that this is serious business, and folks get pretty mangled. I want to try out some of the dagger entrapment techniques sometime (dang it, why is it so hard to find people to stab nowadays?). The lawful fight between the man and the woman was bizarre, but historically enlightening, I suppose. If one thing came out in this book, it's that anything goes in medieval fighting.
While this book was unique, even my interest flagged after a hundred or so drawings of dudes stabbing each other. I prefer an earlier time period and strategy of fighting, but I'd recommend this for hardcore weapons people and historians.
February 28, 2021
En Garde
If you are involved in martial arts, theatre or just have an interest in historical combat you will find this book interesting. The translation is clearly stated and therefore easy to understand. To participate in this method one will need a partner and ideally an instructor. But be careful.
If you are involved in martial arts, theatre or just have an interest in historical combat you will find this book interesting. The translation is clearly stated and therefore easy to understand. To participate in this method one will need a partner and ideally an instructor. But be careful.
October 11, 2011
This is an interesting book, a classic in the field. It gets the point across (pun intended) via a collection of gritty little illustrations that would be amusing in any other context. No messing around, here.
December 29, 2013
Very cool, but you can't learn the nuances of the combat from this book without additional guidance, as it is merely a series of cryptic illustrations of combat with very little text alongside, along with some explanation by the editor before and after.
December 21, 2017
Interesting as source material, but not as detailed as would have been helpful.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews