Historical Assistance?

Z

Zed

Joined
Aug 17, 2001
Messages
5
purple
Hi, I'm new here, and have a question for you sword experts. I am considering joining a sword-fighting group that re-enacts specific time periods (NOT those ones in chain mail, etc).. but my question is: in the late 1700's, early 1800's in Europe, did women ever actually receive sword fighting training?

The soppy romance novels would lead us to believe that every other woman was highly skilled with a blade, but what is reality? As a woman, am I forver stuck to the sidelines in the group, simpering and stroking male egos, or can I join the frey?

Depending on the answer to this most basic question, I will have many more. Thank you.

Zed
 
I guess it depends on the group. It seems that not to many women in those time periods actually received weapons training but let's face it we are not in that time period. Whether or not that group will allow you to participate depends on how fanatical they are about historical accuracy.
 
Do what the women of the period did...dress up as a boy/man, and take to the field!!!\

Also, if things should go badley for you, you can always get out of it, using the OTHER period trick...reveal yourself as a woman!

It seemed to work for many of the more famous lady-pirates of the time, and I don't see why it wouldn't work for you!

HTH...
 
Good points all!

Triton is correct in that there were not TOO many, but there were some.

To expand on Kalindras' comments...

In the lower socio/economic classes of the time, the only way a woman could fight would have been to disguise herself as a "boy."

There is a great deal of historical provinence of women doing exactly that, and one wonders what the lady had to do to keep her "tent mates" from revealing her secret, but it was done more often than many people would believe.

In the higher classes, it was far more common for a "Lady" to study swordsmanship, but it was looked on as "humoring a willful girl" and obviously, these ladies never set foot on a battlefield.

I would not be surprised however, to learn that a few of them made their way to the "Field of Honor" at some point though.

So in short,
Pretend to be a "boy."
Dress in men's clothing, and for historical accuracy, there may be some "Binding" required so as to present a believable appearance, but remember, it's not required to be absolutely convincing, as the practice was given a "nod and a wink" as long as the "boy" did not embarass "his" Commander.

Hope this helps!
:D
 
Thank you all for your ideas. I shall make inquiries as to how accurate this group is, and if needs be... bring on the binding wraps!

I shoot well, am a hunting instructor, and a firearms instructor... so can't see why I shouldn't be able to pass, with, as Ken said "a wink and a nod". (Besides, I am led to believe that I would be more historically accurate at 5'2" than some of today's giants - LOL)

Will keep you posted of what happens!

Zed
 
I have just finished James Reston Jr.'s book, Warriors of God: Richard the Lionheart and Saladin in the Third Crusade. It is a fascinating study of that period in history, and of particular interest in the light of recent events. In it, he frequntly mentions Christian women in full armor being brought before Saladin as prisoners of war. After Richard had beheaded a large number of Muslim prisoners captured in the fall of Acre, Saladin had reversed his usual practice of leniency toward Christian prisoners, a practice much criticized by his advisers, and had started beheading them. But the book does not say how he reacted to women prisoners in full harness who had been taken under arms. I should think amusement would have been his initial reaction, given the patriarchal nature of Arab society, but what then?

By the way, this question has been discussed many times in NetSword, in the "Miscellaneous Historical Discussions" section, and in SwordForum in various forums. You may wish to look there, as there are some very good sites that have been mentioned, one of which is this one:
http://www.lothene.demon.co.uk/others/women.html
 
Female fencing instructors reached some degree of notoreity in the middle of the 19th century in Spain, perhaps other nations. Some show up in Med/Ren manuals as well.
 
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