1.2 How did fencing originate?

     Swordfighting as sport has existed since ancient Egypt, and has
     been practiced in many forms in various cultures since then.
     Although jousting and tournament combat was a popular sport in
     the European middle ages, modern FIE fencing owes more to
     unarmoured dueling forms that evolved from 16th century rapier
     combat.

     Although rapier combat had a nominal military role (for thrusting
     into the chinks of heavy armour), it was most popular amongst
     civilians who used it for self-defence and dueling.  Rapiers
     were edged, but the primary means of attack was the thrust.
     Rapier fencing spread from Spain to Italy and then northwards, in
     spite of the objections of masters such as George Silver who
     preferred traditional cutting weapons such the English long
     sword.

     The original Spanish school, under masters such as Narvaez and
     Thibault, became a complicated and mystical affair whose
     geometrical theories required much practice to master.  Italian
     masters like Agrippa and Capo Ferro developed a more pragmatic
     school in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, introducing
     innovations such as linear fencing and the lunge.

     By the 18th century, the rapier had evolved to a simpler,
     shorter, and lighter design that was popularized in France as the
     small sword, or court sword.  Although the small sword often had
     an edge, it was only to discourage the opponent from grabbing the
     blade, and the weapon was used exclusively for thrusting.  The
     light weight made a more complex and defensive style possible,
     and the French masters developed a school based on subtlety of
     movement, double-time parries, and complex attacks.  When
     buttoned with a leather safety tip that resembled a flower, the
     small sword was known as a fleuret, and was identical in use to
     the modern foil (still known as le fleuret in French).  Indeed,
     the French small sword school forms the basis of most of modern
     fencing theory.

     By the mid-19th century, dueling was in decline as a means of
     settling disputes, partially because victory could lead to a jail
     term for assault or manslaughter.  Non-fatal dueling forms were
     preferred as a result, and the dueling sword, or epee, became
     popular in civilian duels.  It was used for thrusting only and
     had no edge; unless the duel got ugly or out of control, the
     duelists preferred to cripple their opponents with precise hits
     to the arm or leg and hopefully both defeat them and avoid
     criminal prosecution.  This is the basis of modern epee fencing.

     Cutting swords had been used in bloodsports such as backsword
     prizefights at least as far back as the 17th century.
     Broadswords, sabres, and cutlasses were used extensively in
     military circles, especially by cavalry and naval personell, and
     saw some dueling application in these circles as well.  Training
     was performed with wooden weapons, and stick fighting remained
     popular until Italian masters formalized sabre fencing into a
     non-fatal sporting/training form with metal weapons in the late
     19th century.  Early sport sabres were significantly heavier than
     the modern sport sabre and necessitated a strong style with the
     use of moulinets and other bold movements.  As with thrusting
     swords, the sabre evolved to lighter, less fatal dueling forms
     such as the Italian sciabola di terro and the German schlager.
     Hungarian masters developed a new school of sabre fencing that
     emphasized finger control over arm strength, and they dominated
     sabre fencing for most of the 20th century.

     Dueling faded away altogether in the early 20th century.  The
     last widely acknowledged formal duel occurred in France in
     1954, ending with a scratch to the arm.  German fraternity
     (schlager) dueling has persisted longer, and may still occur with
     some frequency.

     The first modern Olympic games featured foil and sabre fencing
     for men only.  Epee was introduced in 1900.  Single stick was
     featured in the 1904 games.  Epee was electrified in the 1936
     games, foil in 1956, and sabre in 1988.  Early Olympic games
     featured events for Masters, and until recently fencing was the
     only Olympic sport that has included professionals.  Disruptions
     in prevailing styles have accompanied the introduction of
     electric judging, most recently disrupting sabre fencing.  Foil
     fencing experienced similar upheavals for a decade or two
     following the introduction of electric judging, which were
     further complicated by the new, aggressive, athletic style coming
     out of eastern Europe at the time.

     Women's foil was first contested in the 1924 Olympic games, and
     Women's epee will only be contested for the first time in 1996,
     although it has been part of the World Championships since 1989.
     Women's sabre has a small amount of grassroots support, but has
     not made much impact yet on the national and international
     scenes.

1.1 What sports and martial arts comprise fencing?

     The Olympic sport of fencing is comprised of three weapons: foil,
     epee, and sabre.  All are fenced on a long rectangular strip, and
     electronic scoring aids are normally used to assist in the
     detection of touches.  The rules governing these three weapons
     are determined by the FIE (Federation Internationale d'Escrime).
     Briefly, the FIE weapons are described as follows:
 
     Foil:  Descended from the 18th century small sword, the foil has a
        thin, flexible blade with a square cross-section and a small
        bell guard.  Touches are scored with the point on the torso of
        the opponent, including the groin and back.  Foil technique
        emphasizes strong defense and the killing attack to the body.
 
     Epee:  Similar to the duelling swords of the mid-19th century,
        epees have stiff blades with a triangular cross section,
        and large bell guards.  Touches are scored with the point,
        anywhere on the opponent's body.  Unlike foil and sabre, there
        no rules of right-of-way to decide which attacks have precedence,
        and double hits are possible.  Epee technique emphasises timing,
        point control, and a good counter-attack.
 
     Sabre:  Descended from naval and cavalry swords of the late 19th
        century, sabres have a light, flat blade and a knuckle guard.
        Touches can be scored with either the point or the edge of the
        blade, anywhere above the opponent's waist.  Sabre technique
        emphasises speed, feints, and strong offense.
 
     The most popular of eastern fencing techniques is kendo, the Japanese
     "Way of the Sword".  Kendo is fought with a bamboo shinai, intended
     to resemble a two-handed Japanese battle sword.  Combatants wear
     armour, and strike to the top or sides of the head, the sides of the
     body, the throat, or the wrists.  Accepted technique must be
     observed, and judges watch for accuracy, power, and spirit.  See the
     Japanese Sword Arts FAQ for more information.
 
     Other martial arts that include elements of swordsmanship are:
 
     Aikido -- self defence against armed and unarmed attackers.  Includes
        using and defending oneself against Japanese sword techniques.
     Arnis, Escrima -- stick fighting.
     Iaido -- the Japanese art of the draw.
     Kenjutsu -- the unadulterated Japanese martial art of the sword.
     Kung-fu -- a Chinese martial art that includes many sword techniques.
     Modern Pentathlon -- the "soldier's medley", a sport that recreates
        demands placed on a pre-20th century military messenger:  running,
        swimming, shooting, equestrian jumping, and epee fencing.
     Single Stick -- an ancestor of sabre fencing, fought with a
        basket-hilted wooden rod.
     SCA -- the "Society for Creative Anachronism", an organization that
        attempts to re-create the lifestyle of Medieval Europe, including
        jousts and tourneys.  Emphasizes heavy weapon and shield
        techniques, the use of armour, Florentine fencing, and fencing
        in the round.  Additional info on the SCA can be found in the
        newsgroup rec.org.sca.
     Tai Chi -- another Chinese martial art that includes many sword
        techniques.

1.3 Which is the best weapon?

 
     Such a question is an open invitation to religious warfare.
     Everybody loves to participate, but nothing is ever settled.
 
     If the question means "what kind of fencing is the most fun?" then
     the answer is: it depends what aspects of fencing you enjoy the most.
     If you are fascinated by technique, bladework, and tactics, you will
     probably get a lot of satisfaction from foil fencing.  More visceral
     fencers who want to experience the adrenaline rush of a fast,
     agressive sword fight will want to try some sabre.  Most epee fencers
     consider themselves practical, no-nonsense sword fighters who rely on
     as few artificial rules as possible.  Enthusiasts of more medieval
     combat styles, involving armour and heavy weapons, should consider
     joining the SCA or a kendo dojo.
 
     On the other hand, if the question means "which weapon is the most
     deadly?"  the answer will depend on a lot of factors, not the least
     of which are the skill of the combatants, the presence of armour, the
     military and cultural context, and the rules of the fight (ie. is
     this a street fight, a gentlemen's duel, or open field warfare?).
     Most swords are highly optimized for performance in a specific
     environment, and will not perform well outside it.  Comparing two
     swords from completely different historical contexts is therefore
     extremely difficult, if not downright silly.
 
     Then again, perhaps the question means "which style of fencing is
     the most realistic?"  It must be said that questions of realism have
     little relevance to an activity that has almost no practical
     application in the modern world other than sport and fitness.
     Historically, however, epees have the closest resemblance (among FIE
     weapons) to real duelling swords, and the rules closely parallel
     those of actual duels (sometimes being fought to only a single
     point).  Other martial arts with a high realism factor include
     kenjutsu and some aspects of SCA fighting.