Who is aware of western weapon arts?

Question

Guys I notice very little interest in the fighting arts of Europe. Such as the masters like Talhoffer, Fiore, Silver and the rapier masters.

Hollywood educates everyone that oriental martial artists have all the skill whereas knights are always seen as clumsy guys wielding huge heavy swords and no skill.

In reality Asia was actually a pretty peaceful region compared to Europe.Countries there could go hundreds of years without a major shift in power.

In Europe people were crossing borders every week for a fight.
The whole reason we ended up with guns was a constant striving to develope the greatest fighting advantages possible just to survive.

Our weapons were actually lighter than asian weapons(mainly because europe had much better steel) and the guys using them had to be able to do everything up to and including fencing bare bodied.
Which is as fast as any fighting style there is.

So what is this mystique surrounding the oriental arts?

Mega you illustrate the reason I asked this question, that people are not really aware of western arts.

Duelling bare bodied with any sword, even the long swords(centuries BEFORE the rapier), was practised by the people. And was just as fast.

Secondly a rapier is as effective as any sword against heavy armour.

In that no sword is very effective and a lot of armoured and unarmoured combat, with rapiers, came down to UFC style takedowns and grappling. Check the books...


And Cchuck you are so wrong. While the average peasant may not have had the same level of instruction, or money for armour as a knight had, in Europe it was far more common for said peasant to possess weapons, the skill to use them and the right to duel with them, than in 90% of the orient.

That is the whole reason we were always fighting one another.

Answer 1

Actually, before Bruce Lee became a household word, Hollywood was fully into the western weapons arts with all the Pirate and Swashbuckler movies starring Errol Flynn and company. But I guess the audience became bored of seeing the same thing repeatedly and took a shine to the more exotic oriental weapons arts when the kung fu mania began in the 70s.

Answer 2

There's more to martial arts than just fighting effectiveness.

I think that people are interested in the 'art' as much as the fighting. In eastern fighting arts there is a philisophical side to it that I think is interesting to a lot of people.

That said you do bring up some interesting points. However not all Europeans ran around in tights sporting rapiers. Its highly dependent on time period and place. The highland Scots for example prefered a much heavier sword, the claymore.

Actually rapiers only became fashionable AFTER the invention of guns because guns spelt the end to armor. A rapier is great in a gentleman's duel but not as effective against heavy armor.

The use of dueling swords such as the rapier did evolve into the modern sport of fencing and its still an Olympic event for those who are interested in that.

Answer 3

Western styles did not direct the skills towards personal self defense, rather keeping their skills in the old periods only to Royalty and the elite. This made for a differing common belief is all.