Single sword (Spada Sola), or the sword in one hand, is the foundational weapon in the Bolognese tradition (well, it can be debated that sword and buckler is, but why complicate things with a buckler?).
This is a rough guide to Bolognese fencing in the style of Giovanni dall'Agocchie di Bologna (GD) and his work Dell'Arte di Scrima Libri Tre ("Three Books on the Art of Defense"), 1572. It is based on notes I made in 2023 where I tried to simplify the system so that I could write out the various plays in shorthand. GD's book contains a lot of repetition, which he uses to get across his teachings. Therefore, you will see that I have used a lot of English terminology and I have numbered the cuts (ala Sabre systems) to make it easier to teach.
The weapon
Usually a 'sidesword' with a few side rings and finger rings, roughly 34-37 inch blade, although any single sword of reasonable length will do, allowing both cutting and thrusting. In the photos I'm just using a Red Dragon synthetic arming sword (I like to use synthetics in images for two reasons: 1) to show up a bit better on camera, and 2) to show to those new to HEMA that it doesn't have to be overly expensive.)
Gripping the weapon
A hammer grip or handshake grip, optionally with a finger over the guard (only if you have side rings!).
The attacks
This is the most confusing thing about Bolognese fencing. If you don't know the terminology for the attacks, none of it makes sense. I have therefore numbered the cuts, although have used Italian terminology in places as it is advisable to learn this. This text assumes a right-handed fencer. If you are left-handed, everything is reversed.
Attacks can be made from the right side (Mandritto, or Dritto), or the left (Roverso).
On each side, the following cuts can be made with the true edge:
Straight-down cut (Fendente) - alright, it's not straight down but at a slight angle depending on whether you are cutting from left or right side. Let's call this a cut 7.
Diagonal down cut (Sgualimbro), about 45 degrees. We will call this a cut 1 and a cut 2.
Middle cut (Tondo). Cut 5 and 6.
Diagonal up cut (Ridoppio). It is also a Ridoppio if you cut low and off to the side, as if you were parrying a cut to your leg. Usually made from the left side. Cut 3 and 4.
The lines in the image are illustrative. The cutting lines do not need to be exact. In the text, GD will often say 'cut a Dritto', which I take to mean a Fendnte (cut 7) or a Sgualimbro (cut 1 or 2); it doesn't really matter. The same is true with the Roverso, it can mean any cut from above from the left.
In addition, there is a false edge cut from below called a 'Falso' that follows the Ridoppio line, but it is mostly used as a parry; this is called the Falso Dritto from the right and the Falso Manco from the left.
There is another cut called a Tramazzone (little wheel). This can be done from both sides and is nothing more than a 'moulinet' made on the inside line; i.e. starting from a point forwards guard, drop the point and rotate the blade round your inside into a hanging-like position and then make a cut from above on either left or right side.
It is worth pointing out that there are two types of cut - a full cut and a half cut (mezzo). A full cut simply means that it starts above the shoulder and ends low (or starts low and ends high), whereas a half cut tends to end with the point forwards. A half cut could also start below the shoulder and end above the hip. Half cuts are often used as parries.
There are also three thrusts:
Imbroccata - a high thrust from the top right side, shoulder level.
Punta Riversa - a high thrust from the left side, shoulder level.
Stoccata - a low thrust from the right side or up the middle.
Here is a video from Schildwache Potsdam to give you an idea of how the attacks are made:
The guards
The guards can be split into high guards and low guards.
High guards
With either right leg or left leg forwards, the high guards are as follows:
The High Guard (Guardia di Alta) - arm straight up with sword above the right shoulder.
The Unicorn (Guardia d'Alicorno) - from the high guard, turn the sword so the point is forwards at the opponent, slightly sloping down.
Entry guard (Guardia d'Entrare) - from unicorn, thrust forwards so the arm is straight in front, with point at the opponent, with the palm facing down. This is basically a thrust of Tierce in smallsword. (The camera is quite low in the photo. The guard is at shoulder height).
Face guard (Guardia di Faccia) - from the entry guard, turn the hand so the palm is up. The guard will now be more on your left side, in front of the face. This is a thrust of Carte in smallsword. (The camera is quite low in the photo. The guard is at shoulder height, although in this photo I've dipped the point towards the camera for illustration purposes).
The head guard (Guardia di Testa) - in Dall'agocchi's system, this is nothing more than a hanging guard. The arm is held straight out in front, hand higher than the head, and the blade hangs diagonally down towards the left. (Again, camera is a little low so the hand looks higher than it is.)
There are also guards held with sword over the left shoulder and under the left armpit, but they are only used with a buckler.
Low guards
There are two main low guards:
The long tail (Coda lunga)
The iron door (Porta di Ferro).
However, there are variations of these two guards based on which leg is forwards and whether the blade is high or low.
Long tail
The long tail guard (Coda lunga) is the outside guard, held to the right side of your right leg. The hilt is held low, just in front of your hip, with a straight arm, and the point is sloping upwards towards the opponent. When you hold your right leg forwards this is called the 'narrow long tail' (Coda Lunga Stretta):
When you hold your left leg forwards this is called the 'high long tail' (Coda Lunga Alta). The reason is because when you swap feet your shoulders will be more square-on to the opponent and your sword hilt will be flared out and higher relative to your body than with the right leg forwards.
If you hold the blade pointing at the floor, this is called the 'Wide (and low) long tail' (Coda Lunga Larga) and if you hold the blade pointing backward it is called the 'Stretched out long tail' (Coda Lunga Distesa), not shown in the photo.
Iron door
The iron door is the inside guard and is held in front of, or to the left of, the right leg. Like the long tail, it is primarily held with the hilt just in front of the hip and the point sloping up towards the opponent. It can be held with the right leg forwards ('narrow iron door', or Porta di Ferro Stretta):
It can be held with the left leg forwards ('Wild boar Iron door ', or Porta di Ferro Cinghiale):
If you hold the blade in Iron Door but with the hand even higher, it is called High Iron Door (Porta di Ferro Alta), not shown in photo.
Or it can be held with the blade sloping low ('wide (and low) iron door', or Porta di Ferro Larga).
But why?
Why do the guard names change when you have the left leg forwards compared to the right leg?
Let's take the Narrow Long Tail, with sword on the right and right leg forwards. Imagine you have an outside bind on the person's sword. Now step forwards and to the left by bringing your left foot forwards, while keeping the bind. In doing so, your shoulders are now square-on, and your sword arm is flared outwards somewhat, further away from your body. This is the High Long Tail.
Similarly, let's take the Narrow Iron Door, with blade on your inside and left leg backwards. Imagine you have an inside bind on the opponent's sword. Now step forwards and left, bringing your left foot forwards, maintaining the bind. In doing so, you have pushed your opponent's sword more to your left, and you have lined your sword up for a thrust that comes from off to the side, like how a board attacks with its tusks from the side. You are now in the Wild Boar Iron Door.
These two examples might not be the reason these guards were named as such, nor what their best use is, but I think it makes the differences clearer. GD himself says that 'wide guards' are used in the wide play (i.e. fighting at longer distance), and the 'narrow guards' at narrow play (i.e. at the crossing of the swords).
Videos
Here is a video from Schildwache Potsdam, showing a larger variety of guards (including the High Iron Door), and with much better form than me!
Here is another video from Sala d'Arme Achille Marozzo Friuli Venezia Giulia teaching you the cuts and guards and how to pronounce them.
Stance and movement
The stance is front weighted, so put your weight on whatever foot is forwards, with your back leg back a bit, like a counter-weight.
Movement is made in two main ways: a gathering step where you bring your back leg up to your front leg and then move your front leg forwards (do the reverse to move backwards), or movement is made as a passing step.
Cuts are typically made with a passing step, but could also be made with a gathering step. This means that when you start a cut you are usually in a guard, and then you are in another guard when you finish the cut. For example, you might cut from High Guard into Wide Iron Door.
Typical cutting patterns
As the system tends to fight from the low point forward guards (Iron Door, Long Tail), the cuts tend to be made in a few typical ways.
Ribbon cut: this isn't a historical term, but this is basically a Falso Dritto followed by a Dritto; or a Falso Manco followed by a Roverso. I call it a ribbon cut because the point of the sword traces a ribbon shape.
Half-ribbon cut: this would be a False followed by a Tondo from the same side, or a Tondo followed by a Dritto/Roverso. I call it a half-ribbon cut as it doesn't trace out a full ribbon.
Tramazzone: a little wheel, starting from, say, Iron Door, and then turning into a high cut without first making a Falso. Typically, the cut is made by passing through a Head Guard (Guardia di Testa) -like position. I usually make it on the inside, but it could be made on the outside if you bend the elbow, especially if you finger the guard.
Walking in the guards
To teach the guards, some cuts and the way of moving, a drill is presented by GD:
Start with the sword by the left side as if it was in its scabbard, feet together.
'Draw' the sword, and cut a half ribbon cut from the left (cut 6 followed by cut 2), stepping forward with the right leg, ending in Narrow Long Tail.
Cut a ribbon cut from the right (Falso Dritto followed by a cut 1), stepping left leg forwards, ending in Wild Board Iron Door.
Cut a 1 with a Tramazzone, stepping forward with the right leg forwards, ending in Narrow Iron Door.
Ribbon cut from left, step left leg forward, ending in High Long Tail.
Make a cut 4 (Ridoppio from the left), stepping forwards with the right leg, ending in the Unicorn guard.
Without a step, thrust an Imbroccata, and end in Narrow Iron Door.
Ribbon cut from the left, stepping back with the right foot, ending in Wild Board Iron Door.
Cut 1 with a Tramazzone, stepping back with the left foot, ending in Narrow Iron Door.
Cut 1 with a Tramazzone, stepping back with the right foot, ending in Wild Boar Iron Door.
Ribbon cut from left, withdraw the left foot, end in Narrow Long Tail.
Place feet together and sheath the sword in it 'scabbard'.
It is quite complicated at first, but once you get the stepping memorised (which is just left and right), you only need to remember the cuts:
Scabbard
Half ribbon
Ribbon
Tramazzone
Ribbon
Ridoppio
Thrust
Ribbon
Tramazzone
Tramazzone
Ribbon
Sheath
Here are some videos:
Next post
In part 2 I will look at the defensive plays.