"Top Myths of Renaissance Martial Arts" Topic

"Serious investigation and exploration of the legitimate historical sources of actual Renaissance Martial Arts (or "MARE" for short) today is still in its early stages. It is no difficult thing to accept that few today have the opportunity and resources by which to pursue the study of historical fencing, academically and physically, to an exceptional degree of proficiency and certainty. The obvious fact is that most people are not equipped to properly evaluate a great deal of the information and opinions about historical fighting and arms and armor they may encounter, as they lack the physical skills, historical materials, and scholarly experience by which to do so confidently. What would even constitute such expertise in a subject matter long on opinions and short on knowledge is itself open to discussion.

Unfortunately, as with much historical information many claims are often tentative and can neither be verified nor falsified but only weighed according to what evidence has been accumulated. But when it comes to historical close combat reliable evidence is frequently missing or substituted with myth.

For the vast majority of students of historical swords and swordplay, education in the subject is self-directed and ad hoc. It should come as no great surprise then, that despite a keen interest in this subject some enthusiasts are nonetheless extraordinarily misinformed about historical arms and armor and their actual use. Misconceptions and distortions long present in popular media combined with the pervasive influence of inaccurate sources of information all but guarantee the problem. Some of this is merely due to insufficient quality learning materials while another element of it is admittedly due to willful ignorance on the part of some enthusiasts…"
More here
link

Amicalement
Armand