This is a companion volume to the facsimile of Ms. Thott 290 2 Degrees. In its pages, you will find a description of the manuscript itself, a full transcription and translation by Rebecca Garber, and articles from some of the leading scholars in the field of historical European martial arts studies that highlight various aspects of the manuscript and its history.

Paul Becker describes the life of Hans Talhoffer in unprecedented detail. Dierk Hagedorn discusses the many treatises of Talhoffer and their relationships to each other. Michael Chidester delves into the life of Konrad Kyeser and his treatise Bellifortis, which is the source for the manuscript’s war machines. Daniel Jaquet describes the judicial dueling culture and customs that Talhoffer existed in, and Ariella Elema discusses the background and history of the specialized dueling weapons that Talhoffer presents to readers. Finally, Christian Henry Tobler describes the strange collection of esoterica that forms the final, inverted chapter of the book.