Destreza Nova - Iberian Rapier Swordsmanship

Meditation post by André Hajjar, hopefully it can be a message of self-evaluation for all my peers.
It's been 16 years since I picked up the sword, when I felt a je ne sais quoi that I understood after the years. Historical fencing will give your reasons to train, sparr, read and/or belong to the community as much as you want and need. Mine were very clear for the very beginning: I enjoy this. I feel joy and I have fun and I will keep sacrificing energy, time and money as long as I feel the same joy as I felt when in that 2008 I arrived to the club lead by Sendo and Aleix and I had my first sparring session, with jeans and mountain boots. I met many good humans on the way, so many that it would take an eternity to name them all... the pictures do not make justice, so don't mind if you don't appear on them. I also encountered other humans that, even if they don't deserve mention they also teach valuable lessons, daily and we must learn from those experiences.
At the end, we are obliged to share space, time and emotions with other people that may or may not share our values, goals or feelings. Time will discriminate between wolves and sheep and it's up to you to approach to some, and run from others.
Remember, we are here to pick up the sword and enjoy, to socialize as much as we want or need, but for sure to love and feel loved, regardless how much you win or lose. What one considers "results" should not be the guide that would rule our feelings. Instead, we should examine the emotions that brought us here, evaluate the positive aspects and keep pushing what put a smile on us. Taking HEMA seriously means working on that ALWAYS. Every-single-second. That is why we need self-reflection many times.
Take care of the community, of your peers, and work hard to make your environment better, so when you look back you can see the good harvested path and have a tear of pride and another one of nostalgia.
Cheers!

Parrying daggers.
They used to have them in the, belt, at their backs... but in this position the quillons could bother the user, also they were only available to the left hand. Thus, in this portrait of a Maltese Knight we see him carrying the dagger at his right side. That way in a rush it can be drawn by either right or left hand.
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Leonid Tarassuk - Some Notes on Parrying Daggers and Poniards.

📸 Portrait of a Knight of the Order of Malta, Giovan Paolo Cavagna, 1600. Florence, Bardini Museum

Here you have it! For all, for everyone, for the community... 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐜𝐨 𝐝𝐞 𝐄𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝟏𝟔𝟕𝟓. I know many cannot read Spanish, but this will open the door for some translators like Ash Mestizo who are interested in making this masterpiece in English.
I hope you appreciate it. I sacrificed many hours in it, if you type me a simple "thanks" that will do. :)
Link in the comment.

Finished the transcription of the Destreza Treatise from Francisco de Ettenhard 1675 (soon to be uploaded). His book is very clear on the basis of Verdadera Destreza and is a good help for the students. This transcription will help translators like Ash Mestizo to bring to life a translation of these manuscripts.

"If your opponent offers the sword (having it in battle terms).. your attacks should start on it and finish on and through it, seeking the target.
If once you start, the opponent puts away the sword, then your attack starts on the sword and then seeks directly the target.
In a third case, in which the opponent´s sword is too far from the center, (outside of battle terms). Your attack should start aiming at the opponent´s body, and ending up focusing on her sword."

Pacheco de Narvaez´s thoughts
Image: The Prince´s Bride (1987).

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓮𝓯𝓮𝓷𝓼𝓮 𝓭𝓸𝓮𝓼 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓽 𝓫𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓮𝓯𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻, (...) 𝓫𝓾𝓽 𝓫𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓴𝓷𝓸𝔀𝓵𝓮𝓭𝓰𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓼𝓪𝓶𝓮 𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓪𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓪𝓷 𝓸𝓯𝓯𝓮𝓷𝓼𝓮.
Ettenhard 1675

With that, Fco de Ettenhard tells us that a fencer must acknowledge the danger so the harm can be prevented. Thus, knowing about all possible attacks, in form and tempo, is knowing about your own defense when the opponent acts as a mirror of that knowledge.

New project, inspired by the Internet demands:
A transcription of Ettenhard's Compendio of Destreza (1675).
I will be updating it as time goes by, I have 100 book list queue and ADHD decides to do all the projects at the same time 😭😭😭😭
Link:
https://destrezanova.ca/blog/

The 7 skills a good fencer needs for the practice of Destreza according to Ettenhard 1675:

1) Good understanding: to learn everything we see.
2) Ingenuity: to come to new actions for the defense and attack.
3) Memory: in order to register all the possible moves and concepts of Verdadera Destreza.
4) Will: to reach the perfection of the moves required for this science.
5) Quickness: in order to be fast in executing your actions.
6) Strength: because without it your enemy will have an easy advantage over you.
7) Symmetry in your body: (ok, here he starts being a classist and body shaming)...
BUT

A good note about all this is that he doesn't start talking about the body until the 5th point. Ergo, Destreza is a martial Art that requires mind first, and body second.

Our club in Laval Club d'escrime historique Destreza Nova Laval starts season on September the 15th!!!

Destreza Nova has now two training days per week, Friday evening and Sunday morning!
Chose one or both!
If you are a new students you are more than welcome to come and find:
- Amazing people and environment
- Great knowledge from multiple ancient treatises
- Good exercises for body and mind
- Swords, lots of swords!
- Wide range of ages and no need to be especially fit to start
TRY FOR FREE NOW!
More info in our website: https://dnlaval.ca/

Rejon de Silva 1697 on diestros (users of Destreza) when sword-fighting others:

"𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓲𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓻𝓸 𝓶𝓾𝓼𝓽, 𝓲𝓷 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓭𝓮𝓶𝓸𝓷𝓼𝓽𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓹𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓬𝓮𝓼, 𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓼𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓭𝓮𝓯𝓮𝓷𝓼𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓸𝓹𝓹𝓸𝓷𝓮𝓷𝓽, 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝔀𝓱𝓲𝓬𝓱 𝓪𝓬𝓱𝓲𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽, 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓹𝓵𝔂𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓫𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓱𝓮𝓭 𝓵𝓪𝔀𝓼, 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓲𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓻𝓸 𝓶𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓶 𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓪𝓬𝓴𝓼, 𝓫𝓾𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓭𝓲𝓻𝓮𝓬𝓽 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼 𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓬𝓵𝓾𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷 (𝓭𝓲𝓼𝓪𝓻𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓰) 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓱𝓮 𝓱𝓸𝓵𝓭𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓭𝓮𝓯𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓼 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓸𝓹𝓹𝓸𝓷𝓮𝓷𝓽, 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓱𝓾𝓻𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓱𝓲𝓶. 𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓲𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓫𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓵𝓮 𝔀𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓪 𝓹𝓾𝓫𝓵𝓲𝓬 𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓶𝔂 𝔀𝓱𝓸𝓶 𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓪𝓷 𝓵𝓪𝔀𝓯𝓾𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓴𝓲𝓵𝓵, 𝓼𝓬𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓮 𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓸𝔀𝓼 𝓱𝓲𝓶 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝔁𝓮𝓬𝓾𝓽𝓮 𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓪𝓬𝓴𝓼. 𝓘𝓷 𝔀𝓱𝓲𝓬𝓱 𝓬𝓪𝓼𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓰𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓯𝓮𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓸𝓯 𝓱𝓲𝓶 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓫𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓰𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽 𝓿𝓲𝓰𝓸𝓻 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓪𝓵𝓪𝓬𝓻𝓲𝓽𝔂, 𝓼𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽, 𝓫𝓮𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓵𝓮𝓼𝓼 𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓬𝓮𝓹𝓽𝓲𝓫𝓵𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓮𝓷𝓼𝓮𝓼, 𝓲𝓽 𝓲𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓸𝓼𝓽 𝓭𝓲𝓯𝓯𝓲𝓬𝓾𝓵𝓽 𝓭𝓮𝓯𝓮𝓷𝓼𝓮 𝓸𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓻𝓪𝓻𝔂. 𝓐𝓷𝓭, 𝓪𝓵𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱 𝓲𝓽 𝓲𝓼 𝓵𝓪𝔀𝓯𝓾𝓵 𝓽𝓸 𝓴𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓱𝓲𝓶 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓫𝓮𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪 𝓹𝓾𝓫𝓵𝓲𝓬 𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓶𝔂, 𝓷𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓵𝓮𝓼𝓼, 𝓲𝓽 𝓲𝓼 𝓹𝓲𝓸𝓾𝓼 𝓪𝓭𝓿𝓲𝓬𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓲𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓻𝓸 𝓭𝓮𝓯𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓼 𝓱𝓲𝓶 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓱𝓾𝓻𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓸𝓻 𝓴𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓱𝓲𝓶, 𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓱𝓲𝓶𝓼𝓮𝓵𝓯 𝓸𝓷𝓵𝔂 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓿𝓲𝓬𝓽𝓸𝓻𝔂."

Ok... I had to do this...

Excerpt from the work "El Buscón" or referred as well as "el Tacaño" or translated as "Paul de Sharper" by Francisco de Quevedo, published in 1626 in which he seems to describe a True Diestro (User of Verdadera Destreza):

I passed on, enjoying with laughter at the whims in which I was occupying my time, when a moment later I saw a loose mule and a man on foot next to it, who, looking at a book, was making some lines, which he measured with a compass. He turned and jumped to one side and the other, and from time to time, putting one finger on top of the other, he did a thousand things jumping. I confess that I understood for a long time (that I stopped from afar to see him) that he was doing sorcery, and I was not determined to pass. I finally made up my mind and, coming close, he felt me. He closed the book, and, putting his foot in the stirrup, he slipped and fell. I picked him up and he said:
- I did not take well the "medio de proporcion" to make the circumference when going up.

Image: https://www.biblio.com/book/el-gran-tacao-d-francisco-quevedo/d/1437488232

Toledo´s law #87 from 1480 regarding duels, on participants and witnesses:
"This is a disapproved matter and worthy of punishment... and that those who look and do not share it, lose the horses and mules they ride, and the weapons they carry; and if they went on foot, that each one pay six hundred maravedis"
- El duelo del código de Honor al Código Penal by Jacobo de Gregorio Sáez de Montagut -

Destreza reaches the schools by the hand of Club d'escrime historique Destreza Nova Laval . Hopefully we will give our art the recognition it deserves.

Au 18ème siècle Maestro Manuel de Brea, grand Maître d'Armes d'Espagne était instructeur de Destreza à l'école royale, réservée à la Noblesse et à l'aristocratie. Nous relançons maintenant cette activité à tout le monde.
Le Club d'escrime Historique Destreza Nova Laval enseignera en juin notre art à École secondaire Georges-Vanier . Merci V. Guenette pour cette opportunité. Les enfants semblaient apprécier les connaissances, la discipline et l'activité physique que cela représente.
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In 18th century Maestro Manuel de Brea, great Master of Arms of Spain was an instructor of Destreza at the royal school, reserved for Nobility and aristocracy. We are now reviving this activity to everyone.
Club d'escrime Historique Destreza Nova Laval will be teaching this June our art at the Secondary School George-Vanier. Thank you V. Guenette for this opportunity. The kids seemed to enjoy the knowledge, discipline and phyisical activity that this represents.

Today I finished scanning the book on Spanish fencing from F. Moreno (1902).
He talks about many Destreza fencing masters, from Carranza, Pacheco, De Rada... Mentioning foreign masters like Capoferro and old ones like Jaume Pons. It even goes to "modern"ones like Cucala or De Brea...
As well Moreno talks about swords and also about techniques from Verdadera and Common Destreza. Interesting lecture. The only ugly side is the lack of references. Probably there were some assumptions taken lightly while writing it. Still, it was worth to get this jewel.

Updated the glossary of words and concepts for Destreza. Added new concepts, corrected mistakes and consistency. Available also in French.
Useful document for instructors, students and translators.

Docs Downloadable content & Articles Because every good fencer needs knowledge, don’t be lazy and open your books Find in the following links some of the docs I have been writing along my care…

Trying Tabi boots from amazon.

PROs:
Great mobility
Comfy
Easy to put and remove
Reinforced area on the toes
Comes with origami instructions 😅

CONs
Need Tabi socks to be more comfy
No HEMA historical
Tissue too soft at the ankle, low protection and subjection in there.

May the 4th Atajo be with you all!
Francisco Lorenz de Rada 1705, Noblezas de la Espada Book 3

The weight difference between two pommels. Sidesword/late rapier

Just yesterday I did this video, testing a sword that has been around the market for many years. Enjoy!

Testing of 2 Renaissance Kingston Arms Side Sword Here I am testing two sideswords from Kingston Arms. It all happened after I broke one of them in a tournament after the first hit ever done with it. Then I ...

Vous savez quoi?! /// You know what?!
Nous avons maintenant une faux ! Gracieuseté de Kenjo Savard , de La Garde du Lys . Merci beaucoup pour cela et pour votre visite aujourd'hui!
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We now have a Scythe! Thank you greatly to Kenjo from La Garde du Lys. Thank you for this and for your visit today!

Legend of the Lake Open was a great 1st edition event where I had the pleasure to compete and teach.
Competitions in hema are always inaccurate and it is impossible to simulate real circumstances to display real fencing. Technique goes down to 20% and you have instead people whacking each other non-stop. BUT, the physical and mental attitudes of a fencer STILL prevail and must be taken into consideration. Those aspects are something we must all instructors teach and encourage to improve.
Elijah C. was for me the biggest boss to defeat but many others destroyed me: Steven Mercutio , Manu, Camille and Kenjo Savard ...
So, these medals go for my Club d'escrime historique Destreza Nova Laval and my beloved Նանօր Մեյվալեան, always there :).
Special Mention to Jérôme Paupe - Instructeur d'escrime ancienne and his father, they should be there competing but injures are a sh*tty thing and they suffer that bad luck. I did two tournaments with a cracked finger and I can't imagine that in a knee, less in two! Also I broke a new sword, but those are replaceable! One of these medals must be yours Jérôme Paupe .
More mention to all those friends and partners from la compagnie that gave me a special warmth during the competitions: François Perreault , Manu Mineau , Camillou Paf (must repeat fights!), Juste Le Wojax .
Your amazing compagnie Jacques Critchley and Andrew Watson, it was greatly fun.
Thank you pawlowski and UVM Historical Fencing Club for a great first edition event, I hope next year to repeat!
Cheers all! I hope I didn't miss anybody, I'm tired and broken... I just want some Netflix... Not even chill.
André Hajjar
PD: Now that many people are checking my website (especially from the US), don't forget to stop at merchandise and get stuff that goes also for a good causes!
https://destrezanova.ca/merchandise/

📷 Jacques Critchley took a great picture of the final point on rapier!

https://dnlaval.ca/nouvelles-news/
The website with the latest news of our local club has been updated. Soon we will update the international site.

We see each other today at 6 PM! Remember all those who wrote to be interested in historical fencing, feel free to come and try. 😃

Nouvelles / News Nouvelles / News 8/9 Avril/April 2023 Le 8 avril, notre instructeur André Hajjar participera au tournoi US HEMA Legends of the Lake. De plus, il donnera un atelier sur Destreza. Obtenez plus d& #821…

More exercises to challenge students.
Can you name the author of each of these "grados de fuerza"?
Club d'escrime historique Destreza Nova Laval

New booklet coming! / Nouveau livret à venir !
"4-hour workshop! "Principles of Destreza"

Until next week threadless is doing promotions and discounts in almost all their products!

destrezanova's Artist Shop | Featuring custom t-shirts, prints, and more destrezanova's Shop