The Baron Sword (#1550)

The Baron Longsword 

Type XVIa

Whoever wants to see fencing as one beautiful song

Should study this book that the scholar Fiore has made:

Which book is called the Flower of Battle.

– Fiore dei Liberi

 

Compared to Eastern Martial Arts there exist relatively few surviving examples of historical European swordplay (sometimes called Historical European Martial Arts). Variations of incredibly well-documented Eastern arts exist across Asia, whereas the European examples are much more sparse. This is not to say that no such training existed – we do have some surviving texts, and while fencing schools typically did not stay in operation for centuries after swords fell into disuse we do have some idea of what was taught. Tragically, though, the oldest training regimes are lost to time. The exception to this is the works of Fiore dei Liberi, late 14th century knight and author of one of Europe’s oldest known fencing manual – Fior di Battaglia, The Flower of Battle.

Born in 1350 CE Italy to noble heritage, Fiore dei Liberi belonged to a family of landed knights in service of the state. From a young age Fiore showed significant prowess in the arts of martial combat, and his family paid well for him to train

under Italian and German masters. Blessed not only with skills but with no small amount of confidence, Fiore advanced to the point that his masters purportedly began asking him to train them. According to his writing Fiore defeated several of the most “unworthy” of those masters in duels with sharpened swords, and left sometime prior to 1383 CE to begin travelling and training students across the Empire.

The text of Fior di Battaglia grew out of Fiore’s experiences and expertise. Part an account of Fiore’s deeds, part instruction manual on melee combat, the book is startling in its scope and breadth. Grappling, dagger-fighting, one-handed sword, sword and buckler, spear, quarterstaff, polearms, and the two-handed sword technique that would be perfected during the Italian Renaissance. Four copies of Fiore’s manuscript survived, giving us an incredible inside look into the mind and art of one of history’s greatest swordmasters – and the foundation on which much of the great Italian school of fencing was built.

The Baron Sword is a true longsword of the early Renaissance Italian style. Growing out of the designs of the late Middle Ages, the Baron – classified a Type XVIa in Oaeshott’s typology – is exactly the kind of sword that would be used in the Italian fencing schools. The long, tapered blade comes to a sharp point suitable for the cut-and-thrust two-handed style common in the Italian schools, and has deep double fullers that are more commonly seen on later European designs. The extended cruciform guard and scentstopper pommel, also distinctly Italian from this period, give the weapon a unique appearance. And when it comes to handling, the Baron will not disappoint – the long handle and stiff blade are perfectly balanced, and to more through even the most demanding technique with ease.

Bringing together all the lessons learned during long years of the Middle Ages, combined with the talent and skills of early Renaissance Italy, Italian swordmanship is among the pinnacle of what Historical European Martial Arts can offer. The Baron Sword would be an appropriate weapon for any student of those ancient masters – perhaps even good enough for the great Fiore dei Liberi himself

Hand crafted and properly engineered for durability in combat, the Baron Sword is a very solid, responsive, and a well balanced Medieval sword. The Baron boasts a long, tapered traditional blade common to 15th Century medieval swords. 

The blade, hand forged with 5160 High Carbon Steel, is skilfully Dual Hardened for precise cutting while remaining flexible for enduring combat. In a nutshell, the Baron Longsword is a finely crafted sword that is built to last !