I.33 is a fascinating manuscript full of interesting techniques and exciting imagery. Just as exciting as the manuscript is the history and world around it. Taken at face value, the manuscript presents the depiction of a clergy member and a student partaking in combat. The leading theory of the origin of the manuscript was that it was produced by secular clergy, likely associated with a cathedral.

However, this raises the question: why? The Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 declared “Clerics to dissociate from shedding-blood” which took aim at the clergy’s involvement in single combat or duels. Furthermore, why write a manuscript at all to teach swordsmanship instead of utilizing oral teaching methods to educate students in martial arts?
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Today, we are going to discuss three books that I found to be useful when exploring the world around I.33. Through these sources, we will get a gleam of why people of I.33’s time wrote manuscripts, the secular legal structure surrounding the people, and the conflicting allegiance that a Germanic cleric in the Holy Roman Empire of 1300 may find themselves writing sources on martial arts.

But first, I would like to give a huge shout out to Taylor Hodne. We had some conversations recently on I.33 which inspired this post. Thank you again for reaching out, Taylor!

The Medieval Craft of Memory is a collection of texts and pictures that explore the trained art of memory. Much like humans today, the people of I.33’s time were also concerned with knowledge being lost to time. The various sources, ranging from the 12th century and the 15th century, explore various teaching topics such as techniques on using imagery and text together, composition connections, and examples of contemporary teaching methods from the time of I.33. This collection of primary sources shows us some of the knowledge the author, or authors, of I.33 were aware of when they sat down and asked “how do we capture these sword and buckler techniques so they can be passed down through generations.” For example, I.33 uses repeated verses and self-referencing sections, which these sources explore how best to do it for success.
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I was unaware of these sources for a long time until Keith Farrell mentioned them to me. So, a huge thank you to him for providing the additional context on why manuscripts were created in the first place.  

​The world of the Holy Roman Empire around 1300 is very different than our world today. However, what remains the same is the importance of law and its impact on individuals’ daily lives. The Saxon Mirror, written around 1220–1235, is a foundational lens into the legal world around I.33. It is a systematic written record of customary law as it was practiced among the Saxons, later recreated and written throughout the Holy Roman Empire. The manuscript covers inheritance laws for items such as weapons, which could explain how contemporary individuals studying I.33 may have received their swords and bucklers. It also includes the structuring of common judicial duels, which involved the use of sword and shield (which, based on later art, appears to be center-gripped round shields like bucklers). It even includes laws on what is to happen if a clergy member is assaulted with a weapon in a city.

​Rounding out this list, and the only non-primary source, is a book I found immensely helpful in understanding the power dynamic between the Holy Roman Empire, its people, and the Papacy. The Two Powers presents the wider world, shedding light on why the German clergy would have been banned from participating in duels by the Fourth Lateran Council, though they may have ignored that decree to celebrate their secular culture in the Holy Roman Empire. The book also sheds light on the Prince-Bishoprics that were beholden to both the emperor and the pope, and that were also hosts to many cathedrals and the beginnings of early universities.

No one can fully understand the historical context of I.33 by reading just a few books. There are entire doctorates who focus on this world, which requires lifetimes of dedication to understand. However, for us HEMA practitioners, the more historical context we can understand, the better we can comprehend the whys behind the manuscripts we study.
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So, as scholars of our arts, we seek knowledge and explore the various topics HEMA relies on. Our sources are not just an exploration of martial arts but also lenses into art history, legal history, biomechanics, and more! Whether we realize it or not, we are contributors to those fields as well through our activity and love of historical fencing.

During the first round of the tournament, I noticed that the arm strapped shield was at a serious disadvantage to the center grip shields and even the buckler I’m used to using for I.33. Using the targe, I was unable to adjust the angle of the shield to respond to off-line attacks, and it was virtually useless for locking down an opponent’s blade. In addition, it offered little to no protection for the sword hand, as nearly all attacks ended up extending beyond the shield. I lost all of my matches in that pool, including one 0-5 route.

For the second round of pools, I switched to a 19-inch, center held buckler made by Cold Steel that the tournament host had available as loner gear. I had an immediate improvement in results and felt far more comfortable while fencing. I was able to utilize techniques I was more familiar with, and covering off-line attacks was far easier when I was able to quickly adjust the angle and position of the shield. With both arms able to extend fully, I was also able to protect my sword hand (vital when using an arming sword) with the buckler instead of being forced to extend past the shield every time I attacked.

That’s not to say that certain limitations didn’t exist using the 19-inch shield. It was certainly much harder to attack around, and even the plastic buckler was tiring to hold extended compared to a steel 12-inch buckler and even the targe.
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I can see where arm strapped shields would be advantageous in a battle line, especially if using a spear or other polearm that would allow the hand to remain back.  However, for one-on-one sword fights (duels or street fights), a center held shield certainly seems to be far more versatile and protective. Given the choice, I’d carry a buckler before a targe or rotella. 

Kyle’s experience is one more data point we can use to continue to explore different manuscripts. George Silver’s ranking of weapon sets has always fascinated me. Thank you, Kyle, for sharing your thoughts and adding to the growing research we have in HEMA!

I’d also like to give a huge thank you to Arena Weapon Arts for hosting a fun tournament that helped us further learn about historical swordsmanship! 

When sparring or in tournaments, have you ever found yourself in an exchange where swords collide, but no hits occur, so you separate? What do we do with this time? How do we best utilize this moment of peace in a stressful situation? Checklists and not just any checklists! Checklists you can do mid-exchange to optimize your fights!
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Today, we will be discussing my advice on maximizing the calm between exchanges: mid-fight checklists. This will kick off a new series I am calling Tournament Tips, a collection of helpful tips and tricks for HEMA tournament participants. 

Before we get started, let’s talk a little bit about a tournament I was just at, Gesellen Fechten 2025! This was my first tournament back since my surgery and it was great to see people and train with old friends. Overall, my club won two medals and I finished 12th  in sword and buckler and 11th in sabre. Longsword was challenging since it was my first Tier A longsword tournament. I finished in the bottom middle of the pack but walked away with plenty of lessons learned to improve going forward.
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The tournament was well run (which I can selfishly say since I was part of the staff). Most importantly, everyone on my team had fun and learned a lot. We had a few fencers who competed in their first or second tournament and they had such a good experience that they plan to continue competing!

​A common mistake I find myself and others making is entering an exchange unprepared or already at a disadvantage. For example, I (featured on the left) started an exchange with my hands too far forward, and I threw them in front of my sword, which got them hit. 

This exchange happened towards the middle of the bout after an exchange where no one got hit. My form loosened up just enough in-between exchanges resulting in me losing the round. This is where Mid-Fight Checklists come in!

Mid-Fight Checklists are a list of quick things you can check before the next exchange. For example, when I disengage from an exchange, I run through the following checklist:

1. Get in a guard
2. Center your feet
3. Check hands

The purpose of the first item on this checklist is to ensure that I am in a fighting position in the event my opponent attacks me. The second item is to provide a foundation so I can attack my opponent. The third item is to ensure my hands are correctly positioned so they do not go ahead of my sword when I attack.

The most important detail of these mid-fight checklists is that they are quick and straightforward to execute. The second most important part is that they are tailored to the fencer. Some fencers may have an exceptional foundation in wrestling or Olympic fencing, so they never have to worry about their feet. In that case, maybe they do not need the second item and can focus on their guards and hand positioning.
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This is where practice and training come in. The goal is to minimize the number of things you need to check for yourself mid-fight. For example, at this point in sword and buckler, after a disengage, I almost always bring my sword hand behind my buckler. I do not actively check that with mid-fight checklists. However, I do have a habit of disengaging and loosening up my guards, which leads me to check still to make sure my form is correct. Funny enough, some fencers who have sparred me have seen me do this and describe it as me “calibrating live”.

Mid-Fight Checklists are not just things you write down and never think about again. They must be drilled to ensure they are automatic when the event arises. However, once you get into the habit of checking your form between exchanges, you may notice that snappy and panicky actions are reduced. Something is calming when you take the time to re-establish your form before the next bout of swords.
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So what are your ideas for mid-fight checklists? I would love to hear your thoughts and things you need to check to ensure your exchanges always end in your favor.