SCHARAMUZARE

“…Scharamuzare, to skirmish or fence, may be taken either generally or particularly. Generally, for everie kind of fight. Particularly for single combat…”

Vincentio Saviolo.

The term Scharamuzare is used to distinguish the art of renaissance combat from sports fencing, classical fencing, theatrical swordplay & re-enactment.

“So much more should a man learne how to manage and use his body, his hand and his foote, and know how to defend himselfe…”

Vincentio Saviolo

 

As the great Spanish fencing master Geronimo Sanchez de Carranza observed ‘fencing begins with the body’. Scharamuzare is, in short, an exploration of the use of the body which begins with unarmed defence & progresses to the art of arms. Saviolo, as much as teaching a system of swordplay, lays down a foundation for all “the Artes Militarie” ; a grounding of techniques & principles of combat, combined with a study of body kinetics, to enable the practitioner to be able to adapt to any weapon or situation. His dialogue is set down for “Knightes, Captaines and valiant Souldiours” ; those who would “follow the wars” & it is worth recalling the words of his contemporary Giacomo di Grassi - “The soldier differeth from other men, not because he is more skilful in handling the sword or javelyn, but for that he is expert in everie occasion to know the best advantage & with judgement both to defend himselfe with anie thing whatsoever, and therewithal saflie to offend the enemie : in which & no other thing consisteth true skirmishing.”

 

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