Ridolfo Capo Ferro
Encyclopedia
Ridolfo Capoferro or Capo Ferro of Cagli
was a fencing master in the city of Siena
best known for his rapier
fencing manual published in 1610.
He appears to have hailed from Cagli
in the Province of Pesaro e Urbino
, but was active as a fencing master in nearby Siena
, Tuscany
.
Although he may have studied with masters of the German school
, his teachings do not reflect perceptible German influence, but instead are in the Italian tradition
, with a notable influence from the earlier Italian school of swordsmanship of the 16th century.
In the first part, he gives the general principles of swordsmanship and fencing, with the second part of his book covering actual techniques, described in text with accompanying illustrations. His work is interesting in that some methods that he denigrates in his theory he uses in his actions; most notably, he dismisses feints as dangerous or useless (depending upon the situation) and then uses them liberally in various actions in the second part of his book.
The book covers the use of single rapier, including basic sword grappling, as well as Rapier and dagger, Rapier and cloak, and Rapier and Rotella, a most unusual combination for the period, though far more common in the tradition of swordsmanship of the 16th century which preceded it. The Rotella is a medium size concave round shield of approximately 60 cm in Diameter with two straps to hold it. Similar metal shields survive, particularly from Spain in this period, though very few from Italy, implying that these shields were made of a perishable material such as wood or leather or a composite of such materials. The manual also includes techniques for fighting against a left-handed opponent.
, who, in his 1640 treatise La Scherma, refers to Capoferro as Capo di Ferro (literally: 'Head of Iron'). However, he was strongly praised by later notable swordsman such as Egerton Castle who says in his 'Schools and Masters of Fence (1893)', "...but of all the Italian works on fencing none ever had such a share in fixing the principals of the science as 'Great Simulacrum of the Use of the Sword, by Ridolfo Capoferro", later adding "for once the title of the book fully represented its contents." A later edition of Capoferro's work also incorporated Biblical scenes drawn into the backgrounds of the plates.
While many modern reference books state that rapiers were either blunt on their edges or only had sharp edges in order to discourage blade grabs because they were not suitable for the cut, should be noted that nearly 30% of the techniques included in Capoferro's treatise use the cut as a primary or secondary option.
In the fictional work The Princess Bride
by William Goldman, Inigo Montoya
and The Man in Black duel atop the Cliffs of Insanity where they mention various fencing techniques they have studied, including those of Capoferro.
An extensive German Rapier manual published in 1615 by Huesller clearly draws many concepts from Capoferro and Salvatore Fabris, combining their teachings into one system, Huesller even uses one plate (plate 9) out of Capoferro without a single attempt to change it.
, WMA
or historical fencing and numerous clubs are teaching a variety of styles from the earliest known manuscript (i.33
, teaching sword and buckler), through the high medieval and renaissance periods up to the western traditions of the early 20th century such as Bartitsu
.
Many different styles of rapier tradition are studied today from the Spanish school of Carranza
and Thibault
, to the early German rapier works of Meyer and the most popular of styles, the Italian Rapier.
Of all the manuals written on Italian rapier combat, by far the two most commonly used by modern practitioners are those of Salvator Fabris
and Ridolfo Capoferro.
Despite this, other sources of the time such as "Prima [e secundi] parte dell'Historia siciliana (1606)" clearly show the name spelt as two words. Other works such as "Bibliotheca Stoschiana sive Catalogus selectissimorum librorum quos Collegerat Philippvs Liber Baro De Stosch" (1759), have the name hyphenated (Capo-Ferro).
Cagli
Cagli is a town and comune in the province of Pesaro e Urbino, Marche, central Italy. It c. 30 km south of Urbino.-History:Cagli occupies the site of an ancient village on the Via Flaminia, which seems to have borne the name Cale, 24 miles north of Helvillum and 18 miles southwest of Forum...
was a fencing master in the city of Siena
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
best known for his rapier
Rapier
A rapier is a slender, sharply pointed sword, ideally used for thrusting attacks, used mainly in Early Modern Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries.-Description:...
fencing manual published in 1610.
He appears to have hailed from Cagli
Cagli
Cagli is a town and comune in the province of Pesaro e Urbino, Marche, central Italy. It c. 30 km south of Urbino.-History:Cagli occupies the site of an ancient village on the Via Flaminia, which seems to have borne the name Cale, 24 miles north of Helvillum and 18 miles southwest of Forum...
in the Province of Pesaro e Urbino
Province of Pesaro e Urbino
The Province of Pesaro and Urbino is a province in the Marche region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Pesaro. It also borders the state of San Marino.-History:...
, but was active as a fencing master in nearby Siena
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
, Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
.
Although he may have studied with masters of the German school
German school of swordsmanship
The German school of fencing is the historical system of combat taught in the Holy Roman Empire in the Late Medieval, Renaissance and Early Modern periods , as described in the Fechtbücher written at the time...
, his teachings do not reflect perceptible German influence, but instead are in the Italian tradition
Italian school of swordsmanship
The term Italian school of swordsmanship is used to describe the Italian style of fencing and edged-weapon combat from the time of the first extant Italian swordsmanship treatise to the days of Classical Fencing ....
, with a notable influence from the earlier Italian school of swordsmanship of the 16th century.
"Art and Use of Fencing"
Capoferro's treatise "Great Representation of the Art and Use of Fencing" was printed by Salvestro Marchetti and Camillo Turi in Siena, and is divided into two parts: Art and Practice.In the first part, he gives the general principles of swordsmanship and fencing, with the second part of his book covering actual techniques, described in text with accompanying illustrations. His work is interesting in that some methods that he denigrates in his theory he uses in his actions; most notably, he dismisses feints as dangerous or useless (depending upon the situation) and then uses them liberally in various actions in the second part of his book.
The book covers the use of single rapier, including basic sword grappling, as well as Rapier and dagger, Rapier and cloak, and Rapier and Rotella, a most unusual combination for the period, though far more common in the tradition of swordsmanship of the 16th century which preceded it. The Rotella is a medium size concave round shield of approximately 60 cm in Diameter with two straps to hold it. Similar metal shields survive, particularly from Spain in this period, though very few from Italy, implying that these shields were made of a perishable material such as wood or leather or a composite of such materials. The manual also includes techniques for fighting against a left-handed opponent.
Reputation
Ridolfo's book must have been reasonably popular, as it was reprinted several times, although not many of the fencing treatises written in the next generation mention him and those that do are not necessarily complimentary. An interesting example of this is Francesco AlfieriFrancesco Alfieri
Francesco Ferdinando Alfieri of Padova was a 17th century master of the Italian school of swordsmanship and “Maestro D’Arme” to the Accademia Delia in Padua in 1640.-Works:Several manuals by Alfieri are known:...
, who, in his 1640 treatise La Scherma, refers to Capoferro as Capo di Ferro (literally: 'Head of Iron'). However, he was strongly praised by later notable swordsman such as Egerton Castle who says in his 'Schools and Masters of Fence (1893)', "...but of all the Italian works on fencing none ever had such a share in fixing the principals of the science as 'Great Simulacrum of the Use of the Sword, by Ridolfo Capoferro", later adding "for once the title of the book fully represented its contents." A later edition of Capoferro's work also incorporated Biblical scenes drawn into the backgrounds of the plates.
While many modern reference books state that rapiers were either blunt on their edges or only had sharp edges in order to discourage blade grabs because they were not suitable for the cut, should be noted that nearly 30% of the techniques included in Capoferro's treatise use the cut as a primary or secondary option.
In the fictional work The Princess Bride
The Princess Bride
The Princess Bride is a 1973 fantasy novel written by William Goldman. It was originally published in the United States by Harcourt Brace, while in the UK it is/was published by Bloomsbury Publishing....
by William Goldman, Inigo Montoya
Inigo Montoya
Inigo Montoya is a fictional character in William Goldman's 1973 novel The Princess Bride. In Rob Reiner's 1987 film adaptation he was portrayed by Mandy Patinkin. In both the book and the movie, he resided in the fictional country of Florin but came from Spain...
and The Man in Black duel atop the Cliffs of Insanity where they mention various fencing techniques they have studied, including those of Capoferro.
Influence
Capoferro is sometimes called the grandfather of modern fencing. While the style of fencing and techniques covered do vary greatly from the modern sport of fencing, Capoferro laid down excellent key principles and structure in which to learn, as well as in one single outline the perfect lunge, which characterises the modern sport, being one of the earliest sources to do so and certainly the most clearly laid out.An extensive German Rapier manual published in 1615 by Huesller clearly draws many concepts from Capoferro and Salvatore Fabris, combining their teachings into one system, Huesller even uses one plate (plate 9) out of Capoferro without a single attempt to change it.
Revival
Since the middle of the 1990s there has been a huge revival in Historical European Swordmanship, sometimes called HEMAHema
Hema may refer to:* Hema , an ethnic group in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo* Hema , a figure from Polynesian mythology* HEMA , a Dutch chain of stores* Historical European martial arts...
, WMA
WMA
WMA may refer to:- Organizations :*Western Manufactured Housing Communities Association, a nonprofit trade association for owners of manufactured home communities in California*Western Marble Arch, a synagogue in central London...
or historical fencing and numerous clubs are teaching a variety of styles from the earliest known manuscript (i.33
I.33
Royal Armouries Ms. I.33, also known as "the Tower manuscript" because of its long stay in the Tower of London, is the usual name for the earliest known surviving European fechtbuch, although it deals only with the sword and buckler. The illuminated manuscript, of German origin, is now in the...
, teaching sword and buckler), through the high medieval and renaissance periods up to the western traditions of the early 20th century such as Bartitsu
Bartitsu
Bartitsu is an eclectic martial art and self-defence method originally developed in England during the years 1898–1902. In 1901 it was immortalised by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes mystery stories...
.
Many different styles of rapier tradition are studied today from the Spanish school of Carranza
Jerónimo Sánchez de Carranza
Don Jerónimo de Carranza is commonly called the "Father of Spanish Fencing" and he wrote his text Of the Philosophy of the arms, of its art and the Christian offense and defense in 1582 under the sponsorship of Don Alonso de Guzmán El Bueno, 7th Duke of Medina Sidonia.His work on Destreza, the...
and Thibault
Thibault
-Surname:* Alain Thibault , a Canadian electroacoustic music composer,* Bernard Thibault , the current secretary of the Confédération Générale du Travail , a French workers' union,* Emmanuel Thibault , a French dancer,...
, to the early German rapier works of Meyer and the most popular of styles, the Italian Rapier.
Of all the manuals written on Italian rapier combat, by far the two most commonly used by modern practitioners are those of Salvator Fabris
Salvator Fabris
Salvator Fabris was an Italian fencing master from Padua. During his life he taught in various European countries, most notably in Denmark where he was the fencing instructor of King Christian IV. It was during his time in Copenhagen that he published his treatise on rapier fencing, Lo Schermo,...
and Ridolfo Capoferro.
Spelling of name
Because there is an apparent space in the name of the author in the original publication, Capoferro is often spelled as two words: Capo Ferro. However, a look at some sources where he is named or listed, such as in the works of other fencing masters (for example, see page 6 of Giuseppe Morsicato-Pallavicini's 1670 fencing treatise), Jacopo Gelli's fencing bibliography, Dr Anglo's book The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe, the listing of his books in the US Library of Congress, the Latin form of his name over his portrait (Rodulphus Capoferrus), and the spelling of the surname in modern Italy does support that it is one word.Despite this, other sources of the time such as "Prima [e secundi] parte dell'Historia siciliana (1606)" clearly show the name spelt as two words. Other works such as "Bibliotheca Stoschiana sive Catalogus selectissimorum librorum quos Collegerat Philippvs Liber Baro De Stosch" (1759), have the name hyphenated (Capo-Ferro).
Literature
- Jared Kirby (ed.), Italian Rapier Combat - Ridolfo Capo Ferro, Greenhill Books, London (2004). http://www.martinez-destreza.com/capoferro.htm
- Nick Thomas, "Rapier The Art and Use of Fencing by Ridolfo Capo Ferro", Swordworks, UK (2007) http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1906512272
External links
- English Translation of Capoferro's treatise, Edited by Roger Kay, Translation by Jherek Swanger and William E. Wilson
- ARMA facsimile
- Practical Capoferro
- Call to Arms: The Italian Rapier (myArmoury.com article)