[PJ-Comix]

It goes without saying that popular culture today, including the closet-industry of self-certifying professional stunt fencers whose job it is to fake fights for movies and television, have no real clue as to what actual bladed combat was really like.

I had a feeling that movie swordfighting was way too "gentlemanly."

[Northern Yankee]

Talking to civil war re-enactors they say that swords used during the Civil War were merely for bludgeoning or slashing your adversary. Not much of the stabbing/if any was used. Took too long and in the heat of battle you didn't have a whole lot of time. You just swung and slashed.

Makes sense to me.

[C19fan]

One of the interesting aspects of medievel swordfighting is you did want necessarily want to kill your opponent if he was a high value target. The goal was to get the opponent to surrender, take him hostage, and get a large ransom.

[zeugma]

I’m surprised you haven’t been pinged to this yet. Comments?