This is a companion volume to the Leckuchner facsimile. In its pages, you will find articles from some of the leading scholars in the field of historical European martial arts studies that highlight various aspects of the manuscript and the world it came from. T]he first section contains a detailed description of the manuscript and its history by Michael Chidester, as well as a full transcription by Carsten Lorbeer, et al.

T]he second section relates to Leckuchner himself. Daniel Burger describes the life and times of Hans Leckuchner in great detail. Falko Fritz discusses the physical properties of Messers and how they relate to Leckuchner’s teachings, and Jessica Finley delves into the unusual terminology used by Leckuchner (and Liechtenauer).

T]he third section looks at the wider landscape of Messer fencing that Leckuchner existed in. Dierk Hagedorn offers the first catalog of all surviving Messer and Dussack treatises. Olivier Dupuis discusses the concept of fencing in jest and in earnest and how it’s reflected in fencing treatises. Casper J. van Dijk and Oskar ter Mors evaluate the Messer teachings that predate Leckuchner and look for possible influences on his teachings. Finally, Adam Franti considers the place of Messers and Dussacks in art and society throughout the early modern period.