Fencing masters, fightbooks and princely education in early modern Europe

: the role of the fencing master in the education of Louis XIII of France

Abstract

This thesis examines the role of the fencing master in the education of princes in early modern Western Europe, with specific attention to the training of Louis XIII of France by the Bolognese master, Cesare Cavalcabo. Fencing masters played a key role in educating nobility and princes in martial techniques for performative and defensive purposes, teaching an art that had to provide not only practical combat skills but also support body fashioning. In their authorship of fencing treatises, known as ‘fightbooks,’ masters produced increasingly refined methodologies for the practice of fencing, helping to form stylised martial arts that fed into elite education. In turn, fencing masters used fightbooks as part of a wider strategy to acquire patronage. This thesis draws on fightbooks and other primary sources as well as practical understanding of fencing mechanics to examine the development of fencing at court, patronage of fencing masters, and Louis XIII’s martial education.

Date of Award	31 Oct 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Winchester
Supervisor	Ellie Woodacre (Supervisor) & Jonathan Spangler (Supervisor)