Introduction

INTRODUCTION

Fencing, both as a sport and a form of warfare, has been in existence for 4,000 years. An early sporting match was captured in a relief carving in the temple of Madinet-Habu at Luxor, Egypt. The weapons are shown to have blunted tips, and the fencers are wearing masks. The carving also shows the spectators, officials, and a scorekeeper.

During the Middle Ages, the swords grew into heavy and clumsy weapons to bludgeon one's opponent into submission.

The rapier developed the effective use of the point of the weapon and with it more refined footwork, including the lunge. Since the rapier was a rather long weapon and unwieldy at closer quarters, the other hand used a dagger, which provided much of the defense while the rapier was going for the hit.

In the seventeenth century, the French developed the shorter court sword, which every gentleman wore, ready to defend his or his lady's honor at the slightest provocation. The court sword replaced the rapier and in so doing also made the dagger obsolete because the shorter court sword could be controlled more easily both offensively and defensively.

Masks were not in general use until the end of the eighteenth century. The invention of the mask made even more complex movements possible without great danger of injury.