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Fiore Furlano de Cividale d'Austria, delli Liberi da Premariacco (Fiore dei Liberi, Fiore Furlano, Fiore de Cividale d'Austria; born ca. 1350; died after 1409) was a late 14th century knight, diplomat, and itinerant fencing master. He is the earliest Italian master from whom an
martial arts manual Martial arts manuals are instructions, with or without illustrations, specifically designed to be learnt from a book. Many books detailing specific techniques of martial arts are often erroneously called manuals but were written as treatises. Pros ...
has survived. His ''Flower of Battle'' (''Fior di Battaglia'', ''Flos Duellatorum'') is among the oldest surviving fencing manuals.


Life

Fiore dei Liberi was born in
Cividale del Friuli Cividale del Friuli ( fur, Cividât (locally ); german: Östrich; sl, Čedad) is a town and '' comune'' in the Province of Udine, part of the North-Italian Friuli Venezia Giulia ''regione''. The town lies above sea-level in the foothills of th ...
, a town in the
Patriarchal State of Aquileia The Patria del Friuli ( la, Patria Fori Iulii, fur, Patrie dal Friûl) was the territory under the temporal rule of the Patriarch of Aquileia and one of the ecclesiastical states of the Holy Roman Empire. In 1420, the Republic of Venice acquir ...
in the
Friuli Friuli ( fur, Friûl, sl, Furlanija, german: Friaul) is an area of Northeast Italy with its own particular cultural and historical identity containing 1,000,000 Friulians. It comprises the major part of the autonomous region Friuli Venezia Giuli ...
region of modern-day Italy, the son of Benedetto and scion of a Liberi house of Premariacco.Liberi, Fiore dei (ca.1400s). ''Fior di Battaglia'' anuscript Ms. M.383. New York City: Morgan Library & Museum. ff 1r–2r.Liberi, Fiore dei (ca.1400). ''Fior di Battaglia'' anuscript Ms. Ludwig XV 13 (ACNO 83.MR.183). Los Angeles:
J. Paul Getty Museum The J. Paul Getty Museum, commonly referred to as the Getty, is an art museum in Los Angeles, California housed on two campuses: the Getty Center and Getty Villa. The Getty Center is located in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles and fea ...
. ff 1r–2r.
Liberi, Fiore dei (1409). ''Flos Duellatorum'' anuscript Pisani Dossi Ms. Italy: Private Collection. f 1rv. The term ''Liberi'', while potentially merely a surname, probably indicates that his family had
imperial immediacy Imperial immediacy (german: Reichsfreiheit or ') was a privileged constitutional and political status rooted in German feudal law under which the Imperial estates of the Holy Roman Empire such as Imperial cities, prince-bishoprics and secular pri ...
, either as part of the
Edelfrei The term ''edelfrei'' or ''hochfrei'' ("free noble" or "free knight") was originally used to designate and distinguish those Germanic noblemen from the Second Estate (see Estates of the realm social hierarchy), who were legally entitled to atonem ...
(''nobili liberi'', "free nobles"), the Germanic unindentured
knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...
ly class which formed the lower tier of
nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The character ...
in the Middle Ages, or possibly of the rising class of Imperial Free Knights.Mondschein (2011), p 11. It has been suggested by various historians that Fiore and Benedetto were descended from Cristallo dei Liberi of Premariacco, who was granted immediacy in 1110 by Emperor
Henry V Henry V may refer to: People * Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026) * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125) * Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161) * Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (c. 1173–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (1 ...
, but this has yet to be confirmed. Fiore wrote that he had a natural inclination to the martial arts and began training at a young age, ultimately studying with "countless" masters from both the Italian and German parts of the
Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars. From the accession of Otto I in 962 ...
. He also writes of meeting many "false" or unworthy masters who lacked even the limited skill he'd expect in a good student, and mentions that on five separate occasions he was forced to fight duels for his honor against certain of these masters whom he described as envious because he refused to teach them his art; the duels were all fought with sharp
longsword A longsword (also spelled as long sword or long-sword) is a type of European sword characterized as having a cruciform hilt with a grip for primarily two-handed use (around ), a straight double-edged blade of around , and weighing approximate ...
s, unarmored except for
gambeson A gambeson (also aketon, padded jack, pourpoint, or arming doublet) is a padded defensive jacket, worn as armour separately, or combined with mail or plate armour. Gambesons were produced with a sewing technique called quilting. They were usual ...
s and chamois
gloves A glove is a garment covering the hand. Gloves usually have separate sheaths or openings for each finger and the thumb. If there is an opening but no (or a short) covering sheath for each finger they are called fingerless gloves. Fingerless glo ...
, and he stated that he won each without injury. He further offers an extensive list of the famous ''
condottieri ''Condottieri'' (; singular ''condottiero'' or ''condottiere'') were Italy, Italian captains in command of mercenary companies during the Middle Ages and of multinational armies during the early modern period. They notably served popes and other ...
'' that he trained, including Piero Paolo del Verde (Peter von Grünen), Niccolo Unricilino (Nikolo von Urslingen), Galeazzo Cattaneo dei Grumelli (Galeazzo Gonzaga da Mantova),"GALEAZZO DA MANTOVA (Galeazzo Cattaneo dei Grumelli, Galeazzo Gonzaga) Di Mantova. Secondo alcune fonti, di Grumello nel pavese."
. ''Note biografiche di Capitani di Guerra e di Condottieri di Ventura operanti in Italia nel 1330 – 1550''. Retrieved 2013-10-25.
Lancillotto Beccaria di Pavia, Giovannino da Baggio di Milano,Malipiero, pp 94–96. and Azzone di Castelbarco,Fiore his masters and his students
''Hans Talhoffer ~ as seen by Jens P. Kleinau.'' Retrieved 2013-10-25.
and also highlights some of their martial exploits. Based on Fiore's autobiographical account, he can tentatively be placed in Perosa (
Perugia Perugia (, , ; lat, Perusia) is the capital city of Umbria in central Italy, crossed by the River Tiber, and of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome and southeast of Florence. It covers a high hilltop and pa ...
) in 1381 when Piero del Verde likely fought a duel with Pietro della Corona (Peter Kornwald). That same year, the Aquileian War of Succession erupted as a coalition of secular nobles from
Udine Udine ( , ; fur, Udin; la, Utinum) is a city and ''comune'' in north-eastern Italy, in the middle of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, between the Adriatic Sea and the Alps (''Alpi Carniche''). Its population was 100,514 in 2012, 176,000 with t ...
and surrounding cities sought to remove the newly appointed Patriarch, Philippe II d'Alençon. Fiore seems to have sided with the secular nobility against the cardinal as in 1383 there is record of him being tasked by the grand council with inspection and maintenance on the
artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
pieces defending Udine (including large crossbows and catapults).Easton, Matt.
Fiore dei Liberi – Fiore di Battaglia – Flos Duellatorum
. London: Schola Gladiatoria, 2009. Retrieved 2013-10-25.
There are also records of him working variously as a magistrate, peace officer, and agent of the grand council during the course of 1384, but after that the historical record is silent. The war continued until a new Patriarch was appointed in 1389 and a peace settlement was reached, but it's unclear if Fiore remained involved for the duration. Given that he appears in council records five times in 1384, it would be quite odd for him to be completely unmentioned over the subsequent five years, and since his absence after May 1384 coincides with a proclamation in July of that year demanding that Udine cease hostilities or face harsh repercussions, it seems more likely that he moved on. After the war, Fiore seems to have traveled a good deal in northern Italy, teaching fencing and training men for duels. In 1395, Fiore can be placed in
Padua Padua ( ; it, Padova ; vec, Pàdova) is a city and ''comune'' in Veneto, northern Italy. Padua is on the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice. It is the capital of the province of Padua. It is also the economic and communications hub of the ...
training the mercenary captain Galeazzo Gonzaga of Mantua for a duel with the French Marshal
Jean II Le Maingre Jean II Le Maingre (Old French: Jehan le Meingre), also known as Boucicaut (28 August 1366 – 21 June 1421), was a French knight and military leader. Renowned for his military skill and embodiment of chivalry, he was made a marshal of France. ...
(who used the war name "Boucicaut"). Galeazzo made the challenge when Boucicaut called into question the valor of Italians at the royal court of France, and the duel was ultimately set for Padua on 15 August. Both
Francesco Novello da Carrara Francesco II da Carrara (19 May 1359 – 16 January 1406), known as Francesco il Novello ('Francesco the Younger'), was Lord of Padua after his father, Francesco I da Carrara, Francesco I il Vecchio, renounced the lordship on 29 June 1388; he was ...
, Lord of Padua, and
Francesco I Gonzaga Portrait of Francesco I Gonzaga Francesco I Gonzaga (1366 – 7 March 1407) was ruler of Mantua from 1382 to 1407. He was also a condottiero. Succeeding his father Ludovico II Gonzaga in 1382, he led a policy of balance between the nearby ...
, Lord of
Mantua Mantua ( ; it, Mantova ; Lombard and la, Mantua) is a city and '' comune'' in Lombardy, Italy, and capital of the province of the same name. In 2016, Mantua was designated as the Italian Capital of Culture. In 2017, it was named as the Eur ...
, were in attendance. The duel was to begin with
spear A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head. The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with fire hardened spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fasten ...
s on horseback, but Boucicaut became impatient and dismounted, attacking his opponent before he could mount his own horse. Cattaneo landed a solid blow on the Frenchman's
helmet A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without protect ...
, but was subsequently disarmed. At this point, Boucicaut reached for his
poleaxe The poleaxe (also pollaxe, pole-axe, pole axe, poleax, polax) is a European polearm that was widely used by medieval infantry. Etymology Most etymological authorities consider the ''poll''- prefix historically unrelated to "pole", instead mea ...
but the lords intervened to end the duel. Fiore surfaces again in
Pavia Pavia (, , , ; la, Ticinum; Medieval Latin: ) is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy in northern Italy, south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It has a population of c. 73,086. The city was the cap ...
in 1399, this time training Giovannino da Baggio for a duel with a German
squire In the Middle Ages, a squire was the shield- or armour-bearer of a knight. Use of the term evolved over time. Initially, a squire served as a knight's apprentice. Later, a village leader or a lord of the manor might come to be known as a ...
named Sirano. It was fought on 24 June and attended by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Duke of
Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
, as well as the duchess and other nobles. The duel was to consist of three bouts of mounted lance followed by three bouts each of dismounted
poleaxe The poleaxe (also pollaxe, pole-axe, pole axe, poleax, polax) is a European polearm that was widely used by medieval infantry. Etymology Most etymological authorities consider the ''poll''- prefix historically unrelated to "pole", instead mea ...
,
estoc The French estoc is a type of sword, also called a tuck in English, in use from the 14th to the 17th century. It is characterized by a cruciform hilt with a grip for two-handed use and a straight, edgeless, but sharply pointed blade of around to ...
, and
dagger A dagger is a fighting knife with a very sharp point and usually two sharp edges, typically designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon.State v. Martin, 633 S.W.2d 80 (Mo. 1982): This is the dictionary or popular-use de ...
. They ultimately rode two additional passes and on the fifth, Baggio impaled Sirano's horse through the chest, slaying the horse but losing his lance in the process. They fought the other nine bouts as scheduled, and due to the strength of their armor (and the fact that all of the weapons were blunted), both combatants reportedly emerged from these exchanges unharmed.Mondschein (2011), p 12. Fiore was likely involved in at least one other duel that year, between his final named student Azzone di Castelbarco and Giovanni degli Ordelaffi, as the latter is known to have died in 1399. After Castelbarco's duels, Fiore's activities are unclear. Based on the allegiances of the nobles that he trained in the 1390s, he seems to have been associated with the ducal court of Milan in the latter part of his career. Some time in the first years of the 15th century, Fiore composed a fencing treatise in Italian and Latin called "The Flower of Battle" (rendered variously as ''Fior di Battaglia'', ''Florius de Arte Luctandi'', and ''Flos Duellatorum''). The briefest version of the text is dated to 1409 and indicates that it was a labor of six months and great personal effort; as evidence suggests that two longer versions were composed some time before this, we may assume that he devoted a considerable amount of time to writing during this decade. Beyond this, nothing certain is known of Fiore's activities in the 15th century. Francesco Novati and D. Luigi Zanutto both assume that some time before 1409 he accepted an appointment as court fencing master to
Niccolò III d'Este Niccolò is an Italian male given name, derived from the Greek Nikolaos meaning "Victor of people" or "People's champion". There are several male variations of the name: Nicolò, Niccolò, Nicolas, and Nicola. The female equivalent is Nicole. The f ...
, Marquis of Ferrara, Modena, and
Parma Parma (; egl, Pärma, ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, music, art, prosciutto (ham), cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,292 inhabitants, Parma is the second mos ...
; presumably he would have made this change when Milan fell into disarray in 1402, though Zanutto went so far as to speculate that he trained Niccolò for his 1399 passage at arms. However, while two surviving copies of "the Flower of Battle" are dedicated to the marquis, it seems more likely that the manuscripts were written as a diplomatic gift to Ferrara from Milan when they made peace in 1404. C. A. Blengini di Torricella stated that late in life he made his way to Paris, France, where he could be placed teaching fencing in 1418 and creating a copy of a fencing manual located there in 1420. Though he attributes these facts to Novati, no publication verifying them has yet been located."In 1904, a historical work by Francesco Novati, Director of the Academy in Milano and Gaffuri, Director of the graphical institute in Bergamo was published… These two prominent scholars uncovered documents, found in different archives, …''Rules for Fencing'' were printed by Fiore dei Liberi in 1420… And how could then dei Liberi have taught fencing lessons in Paris in 1418?" (translated from Norwegian by Roger Norling). See Blengini, di Torricella C. A. ''Haandbog i Fægtning med Floret, Kaarde, Sabel, Forsvar med Sabel mod Bajonet og Sabelhugning tilhest: Med forklarende Tegninger og en Oversigt over Fægtekunstens Historie og Udvikling.'' 1907. p 28. The time and place of Fiore's death remain unknown. Despite the depth and complexity of his writings, Fiore dei Liberi does not seem to have been a very influential master in the development of Italian fencing. That field was instead dominated by the tradition of his near-contemporary the Bolognese master Filippo di Bartolomeo Dardi. Even so, there are a number of later treatises which bear strong resemblance to his work, including the writings of Philippo di Vadi and Ludwig VI von Eyb of Hartenstein. This may be due to the direct influence of Fiore or his writings, or it may instead indicate that the older tradition of Johane and Nicholai survived and spread outside of his direct line.


The Flower of Battle

Four illuminated manuscript copies of this treatise survive, and there are records of at least two others whose current locations are unknown. The Ms. Ludwig XV 13 and the Pisani Dossi Ms. are both dedicated to Niccolò III d'Este and state that they were written at his request and according to his design. The Ms. M.383, on the other hand, lacks a dedication and claims to have been laid out according to his own intelligence while the Mss. Latin 11269 lost any dedication it might have had along with its prologue. Each of the extant copies of ''the Flower of Battle'' follows a distinct order, though both of these pairs contain strong similarities to each other in order of presentation. The major sections of the work include: ''abrazare'', unarmed plays (usually translated as ''
wrestling Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat ...
'' but more literally ''
grappling Grappling, in hand-to-hand combat, describes sports that consist of gripping or seizing the opponent. Grappling is used at close range to gain a physical advantage over an opponent, either by imposing a position or causing injury. Grappling ...
''); '' daga'', including both unarmed defenses against the dagger and plays of dagger against dagger; ''spada a un mano'', the use of the sword in one hand (also called "the sword without the buckler"); ''spada a dui mani'', the use of the sword in two hands; ''spada en arme'', the use of the sword in
armor Armour (British English) or armor (American English; see spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especially direct contact weapons or projectiles during combat, or f ...
(primarily techniques from the halfsword); ''azza'', plays of the
poleaxe The poleaxe (also pollaxe, pole-axe, pole axe, poleax, polax) is a European polearm that was widely used by medieval infantry. Etymology Most etymological authorities consider the ''poll''- prefix historically unrelated to "pole", instead mea ...
in armor; ''lancia'',
spear A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head. The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with fire hardened spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fasten ...
and staff plays; and mounted combat (including the spear, the sword, and grappling). Brief bridging sections serve to connect each of these, covering such topics as ''bastoncello'', or plays of a small stick or baton against unarmed and dagger-wielding opponents; plays of longsword vs. dagger; plays of staff and dagger and of two clubs and a dagger; and the use of the chiavarina against a man on horseback. The format of instruction is largely consistent across all copies of the treatise. Each section begins with a group of Masters (or Teachers), figures in golden crowns who each demonstrate a particular guard for use with their weapon. These are followed by a master called "Remedio" (remedy) who demonstrates a defensive technique against some basic attack (usually how to use one of the listed guards to defend), and then by his various Scholars (or Students), figures wearing golden garters on their legs who demonstrate iterations and variations of this remedy. After the scholars there is typically a master called "Contrario" (counter), wearing both crown and garter, who demonstrates how to counter the master's remedy (and those of his scholars), who is likewise sometimes followed by his own scholars in garters. In rare cases, a fourth type of master appears called "Contra-Contrario" (counter-counter), who likewise wears the crown and garter and demonstrates how to defeat the master's counter. Some sections feature multiple master remedies or master counters, while some have only one. There are also many cases in which an image in one manuscript will only feature a scholar's garter where the corresponding image in another also includes a master's crown. Depending on the instance, this may either be intentional or merely an error in the art.


''Fior di Battaglia'' (Ms. M.383)

The Ms. M.383, titled ''Fior di Battaglia'', is in the holdings of
the Morgan Library & Museum The Morgan Library & Museum, formerly the Pierpont Morgan Library, is a museum and research library in the Murray Hill neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It is situated at 225 Madison Avenue, between 36th Street to the south and 37th ...
in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
, NY. Novati described it as a small, thin, vellum folio, pen and ink with gold highlights, and illustrations of sword and lance combat on foot and horseback. Unlike the other surviving manuscripts, the swords and other weapons were enameled in silver, though it has since tarnished to a glossy black. This is the briefest copy of Fiore's work currently known, with only 19 folios; it has a prologue in Italian and four illustrated figures per page in the main body. The figures are accompanied by text that is often identical to that of the Ms. Ludwig XV 13 (excepting differences in spelling), but at times includes additional explanation. The Ms. M.383 is almost certainly longer when it was first written; its text makes reference to sections on poleaxe, dagger, and grappling which are not present in the book's current state. It also refers to a certain play of the sword in one hand which is likewise missing from that section. This manuscript is typically referred to as the 'Pierpont Morgan version' or simply the 'Morgan'. The known provenance of the Ms. M.383 is: * Written between 1400 and 1409. The Pisani Dossi Ms. dates to 1409 and states that the master had fifty years of experience in the martial arts; the Ms. M.383 and the Ms. Ludwig XV 13 both state that he had been training for "forty years and more", which makes them slightly older. * before 1780 – it occupied ff 241–259 of a larger collective binding titled, ''Arte di armeggiare a piedi ed acavallo'' (codex Soranzo MCCLXI) in the Biblioteca Soranzo in
Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...
(Library of Jacopo Soranzo, Venetian senator, 18th century). The other contents of this codex are unknown. * 1780–1836 – the collection of the Venetian former Jesuit Matteo Luigi Canonici (1727–c.1806) (sold
London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
,
Sotheby's Sotheby's () is a British-founded American multinational corporation with headquarters in New York City. It is one of the world's largest brokers of fine and decorative art, jewellery, and collectibles. It has 80 locations in 40 countries, an ...
, 15 June 1836, no. 40). * 1836–1903 – owned by Rev.
Walter Sneyd Lieutenant-Colonel Walter Sneyd (11 February 1752 – 23 June 1829), of Keele Hall was an English politician who served in the Parliament of Great Britain and as High Sheriff of Staffordshire. Early life Sneyd was born on 11 February 1752 in ...
of Bagington Rectory,
Coventry Coventry ( or ) is a city in the West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its city status until the Middle Ages. The city is governed b ...
(sold London, Sotheby's, 19 Dec. 1903, no. 720). * 1903–1909 – owned by Tammaro de Marinis (catalog 8, 1908, plate 9). * 1909–1913 – owned by
John Pierpont Morgan John Pierpont Morgan Sr. (April 17, 1837 – March 31, 1913) was an American financier and investment banker who dominated corporate finance on Wall Street throughout the Gilded Age. As the head of the banking firm that ultimately became kno ...
. * 1913–1924 – owned by John Pierpont Morgan, Jr. (donated 1924). * 1924–present – held by the Morgan Library & Museum. The contents of the Ms. M.383 are as follows: * Prologue (ff 1r–2r) * Mounted combat (ff 2v–8r) * Spear vs. cavalry (ff 8r–8v) * ''Lanza'' plays (ff 9r–9v) * ''Spada en arme'' stances (ff 10r–10v) * ''Spada en arme'' plays (ff 10v–11v) * ''Spada a dui mani'' stances (ff 12r–13r) * ''Spada a dui mani'' wide plays (ff 13v–14v) * ''Spada a dui mani'' close plays (ff 15r–16v) * Sword vs. dagger play (f 17r) * ''Spada a un mano'' plays (f 17v) * Longsword against spear/spear and dagger against spear (f 18r) * Sword vs. dagger plays (ff 18r–18v) * ''Spada a un mano'' play (f 19r)


''Fior di Battaglia'' (Ms. Ludwig XV 13)

The Ms. Ludwig XV 13, also titled ''Fior di Battaglia'', is currently in the holdings of the
J. Paul Getty Museum The J. Paul Getty Museum, commonly referred to as the Getty, is an art museum in Los Angeles, California housed on two campuses: the Getty Center and Getty Villa. The Getty Center is located in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles and fea ...
in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
, CA. Its prologue, format, illustrations, and text are all very similar to the Ms. M.383, though it's largely free of silver enamel. The text takes the form of descriptive paragraphs set in poor Italian verse, which are nevertheless fairly clear and informative. Despite its shared characteristics with the Ms. M.383, there are important differences, not the least of which is the vastly different order of the information. This is the longest and most comprehensive of the four manuscripts of ''Fior di Battaglia''. This manuscript is typically referred to as the 'Getty version'. The known provenance of the Ms. Ludwig XV 13 is: * Written between 1400 and 1409. The Pisani Dossi Ms. dates to 1409 and states that the master had fifty years of experience in the martial arts; the Ms. M.383 and the Ms. Ludwig XV 13 both state that he had been training for "forty years and more", which makes them slightly older. * before 1474 – owned by
Nicolò Marcello His tomb Nicolò Marcello (c. 1399 – 1 December 1474) was the 69th Doge of Venice, elected in 1473. He held office for a short period, from 13 August 1473 to 1 December 1474. Said to have been inspired by a previous painting dating from the 15 ...
of Venice. * ca. 1699 – gifted to Apostolo Zeno (1668–1750), who created a copy of the preface. * before 1825 – owned by Luigi Celotti (sold
London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
,
Sotheby's Sotheby's () is a British-founded American multinational corporation with headquarters in New York City. It is one of the world's largest brokers of fine and decorative art, jewellery, and collectibles. It has 80 locations in 40 countries, an ...
, 1825)). * 1825–1966 – the Ms. 4202 in the collection of
Thomas Phillipps Sir Thomas Phillipps, 1st Baronet (2 July 1792 – 6 February 1872), was an English antiquary and book collector who amassed the largest collection of manuscript material in the 19th century. He was an illegitimate son of a textile manufacture ...
(sold London, Sotheby's, 1966). * 1966–1983 – the Ms. Ludwig XV 13 in the collection of Peter and Irene Ludwig. * 1983–present – the Ms. Ludwig XV 13 in the J. Paul Getty Museum. The contents of the Ms. Ludwig XV 13 are as follows: * Prologue (ff 1v–2v) * (ff 3r–5v – blank pages) * ''Abrazare'' stances (f 6r) * ''Abrazare'' plays (ff 6v–8r) * ''Bastoncello'' plays (f 8v) * ''Daga'' stances (f 9r) * ''Daga'' intro (ff 9v–10r) * ''Daga'' plays (ff 10v–18v) * Sword vs. dagger plays (ff 19r–20r) * ''Spada a un mano'' plays (ff 20r–21v) * ''Spada a dui mani'' intro (ff 22r–22v) * Four strikes of the sword (f 23r) * ''Spada a dui mani'' stances (ff 23v–24v) * ''Spada a dui mani'' wide plays (ff 25r–27v) * ''Spada a dui mani'' close plays (ff 27v–30v) * Longsword against spear/spear and dagger against spear (ff 31r–31v) * The seven swords (f 32r) * ''Spada en arme'' stances (ff 32v–33r) * ''Spada en arme'' plays (ff 33r–35r) * ''Azza'' stances (ff 35v–36r) * ''Azza'' plays (36v–37v) * ''Daga'' plays (ff 38r–38v) * ''Lanza'' plays (ff 39r–40r) * (ff 40v – blank page) * Mounted combat plays (ff 41r–45v) * Spear vs. cavalry (f 46r) * Mounted combat plays (f 46v) * Closing (ff 46v–47r)


''Flos Duellatorum'' (Pisani Dossi Ms.)

The Pisani Dossi Ms., titled ''Flos Duellatorum'', was believed to have been lost in
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
and only resurfaced in a private collection in Italy in 2005. Novati described this manuscript as an unbound collection of leaves, covered with a cardboard folder with a marbled paper cover. The Pisani Dossi Ms. is the only manuscript in the series that includes a date, claiming to be completed on 10 February 1409 after six months of effort. It consists of 36 folia and possesses two different prologues, one in Renaissance Latin and one in Italian. The body of the text consists of four to six illustrations per page, each with only a brief couplet or quatrain to explain it. This manuscript is typically referred to as either the 'Novati' or 'Pisani Dossi version'. The Pisani Dossi Ms. was published in facsimile by Francesco Novati in 1902, including the only reproductions of a copy of ''the Flower of Battle'' that are clearly in the public domain. However, it is unclear how accurate this facsimile is as evidence suggests that Novati may have hired an artist to create a tracing of the original manuscript rather than reproducing it directly. This would have provided ample opportunity for errors to creep into the images, and might also account for the significant divergences from the artistic style of the Getty and the Morgan. The known provenance of the Pisani Dossi Ms. is: * Completed by Fiore de'i Liberi on 10 February 1409. Though it was dedicated to Niccolò III d'Este, there is no evidence that it ever passed into his library. * before 1663 – belonged to Schier de' Prevosti da Valbregaglia, passed into the library of the Sacchi da Bucinigo family (purchased before 1902, Carlo Alberto Pisani Dossi). * before 1902–present – owned by the Pisani Dossi family. The contents of the Pisani Dossi Ms. are as follows: * Latin Prologue (f 1r) * Italian Prologue (ff 1r–1v) * (ff 2r–2v – blank pages) * ''Abrazare'' stances (f 3r) * ''Abrazare'' plays (ff 3v–4v) * ''Bastoncello'' plays (f 4v) * ''Daga'' intro (f 5r) * ''Daga'' plays (ff 5r–11v) * Four strikes of the sword (ff 11v–12r) * ''Spada a un mano'' plays (ff 12r–13v) * ''Lanza'' plays (ff 14v–15v) * Longsword against spear/unarmed against spear (f 15r) * The seven swords (f 16v) * ''Spada a dui mani'' stances (ff 16r–18r) * ''Spada a dui mani'' wide plays (ff 19v–20v) * ''Spada a dui mani'' close plays (ff 21r–23v) * ''Spada en arme'' stances (ff 24r–24v) * ''Spada en arme'' plays (ff 24v–25v) * ''Azza'' stances (f 26r) * ''Azza'' plays (ff 26v–27r) * (f 27v – blank page) * Mounted combat plays (ff 28r–32v) * Spear vs. cavalry (f 33r) * Mounted combat play (f 33v) * Sword vs. dagger plays (ff 34r–35r) * Exotic poleaxes (f 35r) * Closing (f 35v)


''Florius de Arte Luctandi'' (Mss. Latin 11269)

The Mss. Latin 11269, titled ''Florius de Arte Luctandi'' in a 17th-century script, was rediscovered in the holdings of the Bibliothèque nationale de France by Ken Mondschein in 2008. Any preface it once possessed is missing from the current form of the manuscript; it consists of 44 folios with two pairings per page, and is the only copy of Fiore's treatise whose illustrations are fully painted. Unlike Fiore's other works, this manuscript is written entirely in Latin; its descriptions are cast in couplets and quatrains similar to the Pisani Dossi Ms. This manuscript is generally referred to as either the Florius or the Paris. Mondschein speculates that this was a presentation copy made for Lionello d'Este. The known provenance of the Mss. Latin 11269 is: * Written in the early 15th century, probably after the completion of Flos Duellatorum in 1409. * Ca. 1635 – rebound by a master papermaker who worked at the Puy-moyen mill for Sieur Janssen. * before 1712 – in the collection of Louis Phélypeaux, marquis de Phélypeaux. Donated by him to the Bibliothèque du Roi, where it was labeled ''Florius de Art Luctandi''. * 1712–present – held by the Bibliothèque du Roi/Bibliothèque Nationale de France. The contents of the Mss. Latin 11269 are as follows: * Title page (f 1r) * Segno with 7 swords and animal virtues (f 1v) * Mounted combat (ff 2r–5v) * Spear vs. cavalry (ff 6r–6v) * ''Lanza'' plays (ff 6v–7v) * Plays of spear with dagger and two clubs with dagger (f 8r–8v) * ''Azza'' plays (ff 8v–10r) * ''Spada a un mano'' (ff 10r–12r) * ''Spada a dui mani'' stances (ff 12v–13v) * ''Spada a dui mani'' wide plays (ff 14r–15v) * ''Spada en arme'' plays (ff 16r–17v) * ''Spada en arme'' stances (f 18r) * ''Spada en arme'' plays (ff 18r–18v) * (f 19r – blank page) * ''Spada en arme'' stances (f 19v) * Sword vs. dagger plays (ff 20r–20v) * ''Daga'' intro (f 21r) * ''Daga'' plays (ff 21v–25v) * ''Spada a dui mani'' wide play (ff 26r) * ''Spada a dui mani'' close plays (ff 26r–30v) * ''Daga'' plays (ff 31r–38r) * ''Abrazare'' stances (f 38v) * ''Abrazare'' plays (ff 39r–42v) * ''Daga'' plays (ff 43r–44r) * Closing (f 44r)


Codices LXXXIV and CX

The Codex LXXXIV (or Ms. 84) is mentioned in the 1436 and 1508 catalogs of the
Biblioteca Estense The Biblioteca Estense ('' Estense Library''), was the family library of the marquis and dukes of Este. The exact date of the library's birth is still under speculation, however it is known for certain that the library was in use during the fourte ...
in Ferrara, but disappeared some time in the 16th century. It consisted of 58 folios bound in leather with a clasp, with a white eagle and two helmets on the first page. The Codex CX (or Ms. 110) is also mentioned in the 1436 and 1508 catalogs of the Biblioteca Estense, but not in later inventories. It consisted of 15 small-format folios on unbound parchment, and was written in two columns.Novati, pp 29–30. The contents and current whereabouts of these copies of the Flower of Battle are unknown. It is possible that these listings refer to manuscripts listed above, though none currently possess the correct number of folios or match the physical descriptions.


References


Further reading

* Windsor, Guy (2016). ''Advanced Longsword.'' Helsinki, Finland: Spada Press. *Windsor, Guy (2014). ''The Medieval Longsword''. Helsinki, Finland: Spada Press. * * * *Windsor, Guy (2011). ''The Armizare Vade Mecum.'' Wheaton, IL: Freelance Academy Press. * *dei Liberi, Fiore; Leoni, Tommaso. ''Fiore de' Liberi's Fior di Battaglia,'' a full translation of the Getty manuscript. 1st ed. Lulu.com (2009). 2nd ed. Wheaton, IL: Freelance Academy Press (2012). *Windsor, Guy (2012). ''The Medieval Dagger.'' Wheaton, IL: Freelance Academy Press. * * * * Windsor, Guy (2004). ''The Swordsman’s Companion.'' Highland Village, TX: The Chivalry Bookshelf. * * * * *


External links


Biography and primary source documents
on Wiktenauer.com


Image Galleries


High-resolution images of the Ms. Ludwig XV 13
courtesy of the
Google Art Project Google Arts & Culture (formerly Google Art Project) is an online platform of high-resolution images and videos of artworks and cultural artifacts from partner cultural organizations throughout the world. It utilizes high-resolution image technol ...
. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
High-resolution images of the Ms. Ludwig XV 13
courtesy of the J. Paul Getty Museum. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
Facsimile of the Pisani Dossi Ms.
from Novati, 1902 ( PDF file, 42 MB). Retrieved 8 May 2013.
High-resolution images of the Mss. Latin 11269
courtesy of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. Retrieved 8 May 2013.


Transcriptions and Translations


Partial translation of the Ms. Ludwig XV 13 and Ms. M.383
by Matt Easton and Eleonora Durban (inc. transcription). Retrieved 8 May 2013.
Partial translation of the Ms. M.383, Ms. Ludwig XV 13, and Pisani Dossi Ms.
by Rob Lovett and Mark Lancaster (inc. transcription). Retrieved 8 May 2013.
Translation of the Pisani Dossi Ms.
by Hermes Michelini. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
Transcription and French translation of the Ms. Latin 11269
by Charlélie Berthaut. Retrieved 8 May 2013. {{DEFAULTSORT:Liberi, Fiore dei 1350s births 15th-century deaths People from Cividale del Friuli Historical European martial arts Italian male fencers 14th-century Italian nobility 15th-century Italian writers Medieval Italian knights Martial arts school founders