FATE GLI FATTI CHE PAROLE NON ANO LOCO: The One-Handed Sword of Fiore dei Liberi Paperback – April 4, 2026

The Flower of Battle by Fiore dei Liberi is considered to be the earliest true fencing treatise originating in Italy. Composed in the early 15th century, it encompasses a wide array of fighting scenarios and weapons: from unarmed grappling to the use of the dagger, the sword, the spear, the poleaxe - whether in armor or without, on foot or mounted.This volume presents an in-depth analysis of all one-handed sword techniques, each drawn from the four extant manuscripts that we are aware of at the present day (Getty, Morgan, Pisani Dossi, and Bibliothèque Nationale de France collections). For the first time, these sources are gathered, compared, and examined from a technical standpoint, employing – where necessary – modern and universally recognized terminology. Alongside the original illustrations, contemporary photographs are provided to support and clarify the interpretations. Read more