Pleased to say I will be at the Royal Studies Network's Kings and Queens Conference in Paris on 27 & 28 May, where I will give a paper entitled “Gifts by the Sword: Fencing Masters, their Patrons and Gift Exchange in Early Modern Europe”

#HEMA #historicalfencing #Fencing

Rare pic of me #fencing R&D as opposed to single. I've concentrated in the latter to correct some bad habits (some taught to me back in the day).

#historicalfencing #HEMA #martialarts

I'm so proud, one of my students finally took up the gauntlet I lay down every year in my first lecture for ENGL2147 - Medieval Myths: The Origins of Modern Fantasy...

🚨Big news: come say hi at MCM Comic Con London in May, in the Meet & Greet area!
Saturday 25th of May, from 2-4pm!🤩✨

I'll have some prints available (hopefully a new limited edition too👀✨) and I'll happily sign print, books, comics and take photos!
See you there!!💖

Excellent day Tuesday at the Weapons in Society IV conference at the Royal Armouries . Privileged to be on a panel with Robert W. Jones and Katie Vernon. Some great chats with Jacob H. Deacon and the ever wonderful Dr Iason Tzouriadis among others.

Check out current postgrad researcher Rob Runacres - Renaissance Sword Club speaking at the Royal Armouries in March as a part of the Weapons in Society Conference! Looks like a great programme. Congratulations, Rob!

Next comes Katie Vernon of York CMS to detail the armed cleric in Middle English romance, juxtaposing the knightly sword and the falchion. Does our later falchion IX.5409, with its narrow elegant blade and gold decoration, blur those categories?

Rocking the new kit!

To start us off, here's something for Rob Runacres (Rob Runacres - Renaissance Sword Club) of University of Winchester History Programmes and his paper on princely swordplay in Louis XIII's court. Compare this early Italian rapier (IX.3479) with an illustration in Sainct-Didier's 1573 manual (credit: Blois Bibliothèque Municipale)

Off on honeymoon with ⚔️✨ Eren 🔜 MCM Meet & Greet: Sat 25th. 2-4pm✨⚔️

Another variation from Besnard, 1653. Next one I do will hopefully include my sexy new jacket.

#sword #fencing #HEMA #martialarts #rapier

Practising a disarm, derived from Besnard, 1653.

#historicalfencing #martialartists #HEMA

#cat

LStephen (left) and I (right) playing with a technique against disarms.

Derived from a technique described by Charles Besnard, 1653.

#sword #fencing #HEMA #martialarts #rapier #history

Some wonderful reading, thanks to ⚔️✨ Eren 🔜 MCM Meet & Greet: Sat 25th. 2-4pm✨⚔️, Marina and Alberto ❤️

One more read through and that's another chapter done.

Title doesn't really reveal much, but a good summary about the importance of Montagu in vaccinations and the fight against smallpox
theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/d…

Very sorry to learn that Prof. Robert Knecht has died. For a would-be historian, I found his books not only informative but highly enjoyable reads.