Official Announcement:On the weekend of March 22 & 23, 2003 a seminar will be given on "The Fior di Battaglia (Flos Deullatorum): Masterwork of Fiore dei Liberi".
About the Seminar:
Abrazare e Daga
A Two Day Wrestling and Dagger Workshop from Fiore Dei Liberi's Fior di Battaglia
Bob Charron, Instructor, St. Martins Academy of Medieval Arms
Fiore Dei Liberi was born in the middle of the 14th century in the village of Premariacco in Northeastern Italy. He studied the art of arms for over 40 years, had experience in military actions, combats in the lists and duels, and in 1400 was retained as the instructor at arms to the household of Nicolo d"Este, the Marquise da Ferrara. His treatise, the Fior di Battaglia (Flower of Battle - circa 1409), is a complete martial arts system which addresses hand to hand combat, knife attack and defense, the use of the sword in one or two hands, armored combat with swords, axes and spears, and techniques for fighting from horseback.
The themes of this system are recurring throughout the text, and they begin with the first topics addressed - hand to hand combat and knife attack and defense. Here the student learns the principles of balance, posture, alignment, footwork, attack angles, strikes, breaks, locks, throws, and disarms that not only provide him with an admirable defense unarmed or with the knife, but serve as the basis for methods that come later in the treatise.
This seminar will focus on the basic themes and methods of Fiore's approach. Even with two seven-hour days to study, all the techniques in his treatise cannot be covered. However, these basics can be grasped and retained for use in further study of the treatise and its effective martial arts approach.
Each day will begin with a lecture and demonstration of techniques to be covered that day. This allows a gentle start to each day (and time for a couple of cups of coffee 
while gaining the critical historical, philosophical and ethical background necessary to understand the art.
Students should wear comfortable clothing and be prepared to work up a sweat in warm-up exercises and to fall to the floor in a controlled manner. For dagger training, each student will be provided a suitable dagger mock-up by the instructor for use during instruction.
Fiore's approach is a brutal and effective combat system. Using these techniques at speed or without overwhelming regard for the safety of your training partner will result in serious injury. Therefore the training in this seminar is done slowly and in harmony with your training partner. Technique execution will only occur under the direction of the instructor. Any variation from this format or endangering of one's training partner may result in the student being asked to leave the seminar. Safety and learning is first. Check your egos at the door.
Each day will include a full one-hour lunch break. During this break the instructor will remain on-site and available for any questions or comments from the attendees.
Day One
The first day will begin with a lecture and demonstration of the wrestling techniques. This will allow the student to understand the context of Fiore's art, to become familiar with Fiore's advice to the combatant and Fiore's "eight requirements of wrestling" (strength, quickness, grabs, strikes, breaks, dislocations, locks and throws). It also allows the student to see the techniques demonstrated and explained before undertaking them personally.
This lecture and demonstration will be followed by warm-up exercises and drills for establishing balance and footwork, incorporating the four wrestling poste (positions), the four types of stepping and the three types of turning from Fiore's treatise.
The plays of wrestling will then be undertaken as half-speed practice in context so that the student can understand how these plays come to be used in the flow of an encounter. Grabs, throws, strikes, locks, breaks and counters will be covered.
Fiore's transitional techniques with a short stick (bastoncello) will be covered next as an entry to the dagger play. Locking, choking and hooking with the bastoncello will be learned.
The techniques learned will then be re-capped and reviewed. Questions will be welcomed and answered.
Day Two
The second day will begin again with a lecture and demonstration of the techniques of the dagger. This will introduce the student to the "Five Masters of the Fight" (strikes, disarms, breaks, locks and throws), the five poste (positions) used to fight with and against the dagger, and the nine "Remedy Masters" (covers against a dagger attack).
The lecture and demonstration will be followed by warm-up exercises and drills incorporating important aspects of the art of the dagger, including footwork, proper time, distance shifts, etc.
The plays of the dagger will then be undertaken as half-speed practice in context so that the student can understand how these plays come to be used in the flow of an encounter. Dagger strikes, covers, disarms, locks, breaks and throws will be covered. The material includes techniques for unarmed defense and for defense while wielding the dagger.
The techniques learned will then be re-capped and reviewed. Questions will be welcomed and answered.
Date: March 22 & 23, 2003
POC: Jennifer Reed
Email: jlrr@mindspring.com
Instructor: Bob Charron
Event Location: Alpine Grove Facility, Hollis/Nashua New Hampshire
Time: 9am - 4pm both days
Cost: $110 for the weekend (morning refreshments and lunch included both days on site)
Class size: 30 maximum
Be sure to bring a water bottle (water is available on site).
A list of lodging facilities will be provided shortly.
Note: This seminar is for participants 18 years of age and older. No one under this age will be admitted without parental consent or approval of the instructor. Safety is key and participants should be aware that any physical activity can contain risk of injury. The instructor, the organizers, and the event facility will not assume any liability for injury to participants.
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