HEMA

HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts) is a present-day international movement that reconstructs European fighting systems from surviving fencing manuals and treatises. It is not a single school or an unbroken lineage, and the UNESCO-ICM text assigns the movement no country of origin. The Swedish HEMA association counts in it martial arts from the period before 1950, and the centre of interest lies roughly in the years 1300 to 1800.

The revival of historical fencing was led at the end of the 19th century in England by Alfred Hutton, who reconstructed old fencing systems. In the 20th century researchers such as Martin Wierschin (1965) and Hans-Peter Hils (1985) followed. Organisations multiplied from the nineties on, and the American HEMA Alliance came into being in 2010. The authors of the sources, for example Liechtenauer, are subjects of study, not founders of the movement. Practitioners train with weapons, probably most often the longsword, and also the rapier, sabre or sword and buckler, and training proceeds from the interpretation of the manuals. Sparring takes place in protective gear. There are no unified rules, the IFHEMA federation imposes none on its members, and tournaments such as Swordfish in Gothenburg (since 2006) follow the rules of the organiser. We have not found a system of student grades, and tournament results are tracked by the HEMA Ratings ranking. HEMA communities today also present their art at public demonstrations at festivals and in museums, and the sources are made accessible by the Wiktenauer project.

History

The revival of historical fencing at the end of the 19th century in England was led by Alfred Hutton. In 1889 he published the book Cold Steel and in 1892 Old Sword-Play, in which he reconstructed, among others, the systems of George Silver and Achille Marozzo. After his death in 1910 the English revival declined. In the 20th century the sources were studied mainly by academics. Martin Wierschin published in 1965 a bibliography of German fencing manuals with a transcription of the Codex Ringeck, and Hans-Peter Hils followed in 1985 with a work on Liechtenauer. From 1966 the tournaments of the Society for Creative Anachronism renewed interest in medieval combat, and in the eighties and nineties Patri J. Pugliese circulated photocopies of treatises. Organisations multiplied from the nineties on: the British Federation for Historical Swordplay (1998), HEMAC (2001) with meetings in Dijon from 2002, the Wiktenauer project (2009) and HEMA Alliance (2010). The IFHEMA was preceded by the Vienna Initiative of 2009, and we have not found the year of its founding. The UNESCO-ICM text (Jaquet, Tuaillon Demésy and Tzouriadis, 2020) states that the roots of the movement took shape at the end of the 20th century and that it spread at the beginning of the 21st century.

How it differs

According to Gassmann and colleagues (Acta Periodica Duellatorum, 2017), HEMA differs from Olympic fencing mainly in having no surviving binding teaching tradition and in deriving its techniques from historical manuscripts and printed books. Olympic fencing equipment, apart from the mask and footwear, is not enough for HEMA, because a longsword blow, even with a blunt blade, can shake an unprotected head or break fingers and joints. According to the authors, HEMA has a wide debate about martial art versus combat sport, and the rise of tournaments pushes competitors toward better fitness, in which some see sportification. Keller's dissertation from Regensburg (2017) states that HEMA instructors hardly rely on university fencing masters, because these are too close to student fencing with fixed distance and fixed rules.

Technique

HEMA is divided by weapon. The HEMA Ratings ranking keeps tournament results separately for longsword, rapier and dagger, rapier alone, sabre, sword and buckler, sidesword alone and singlestick. Each weapon has its own rating, because performance in one is not regarded as a predictor of performance in another. The longsword is today probably the weapon most often practised in the movement. What counts as a hit is determined by the organiser. For example, the rules of the Iron Gate Exhibition tournament in longsword recognise a hit to the whole body except the back of the head, the spine and the groin, and they also count a hit to worn equipment, even though it does not touch the body. We have not found a rule on the degree of contact issued by a federation. The bout is fought in protective gear.

Training

Gassmann, Gassmann and Le Coultre in Acta Periodica Duellatorum (2017) write about present-day longsword fighting without armour, that is Blossfechten in the form in which it is practised at tournaments. As aims of modern HEMA they give physical, technical and mental fitness, interpretation of tactical concepts from the Fechtbücher and comparison of sporting tournament rules with historical sets of rules. Training thus proceeds from the interpretation of surviving manuals. Alongside club training, sparring camps are held, events with an emphasis on lessons and sparring, less formal than tournaments. We have not found a description of the structure of a lesson, the usual training frequency, or cutting at targets as part of training.

Ranks and progression

We have not found a system of belts or grades for students in the movement. The UNESCO-ICM text classes HEMA among revived traditions to which sportisation does not apply. The American HEMA Alliance offers schools instructor certification, insurance and help with events, but this is a teacher’s qualification, not a student’s grade. The measure of progress is therefore usually tournament results. The HEMA Ratings ranking calculates ratings from individual bouts (win, loss, draw) without carrying points over between them, separately for each weapon, and recalculates it periodically. It accepts only judged tournaments open to all eligible fencers with participants from at least two independent clubs. Bouts decided by injury or disqualification may be kept outside the rating.

Who it suits

We have not found the make-up of practitioners by age and sex. Since the rule change in February 2025, the HEMA Ratings ranking has kept for weapons, alongside the Mixed & Men’s category, also the categories Women’s and Underrepresented Genders & Women’s. The rules of the Iron Gate Exhibition tournament require a chest protector for female fencers for whom it is anatomically appropriate, and recommend it to all participants. We have not found federation age categories or physicians’ positions on children. At the revived World Broadsword Championship in 2015 the junior title was won by Lewis Hand of Hobart. Sean Ellis, in an article for HEMA Alliance that presents his advice, not official policy, recommends for children’s courses insurance, a rule of no contact with a classmate’s body, and masks whenever training weapons are out.

Competition

There are no unified HEMA rules. The international federation IFHEMA imposes no rules on its members and lists among its aims the creation of platforms for competitions. Tournament rules therefore differ by organiser. The Sala d’Arme Achille Marozzo has held an Italian championship since 1998, which in 2011 split into a military and a civilian part. The Ascalon festival came into being in 2002 under the name Arnold Fencing Classic and includes Olympic fencing alongside HEMA disciplines. The Swordfish tournament in Gothenburg has been held by the Gothenburg Historical Fencing School every year since 2006 and is often called the HEMA World Cup. An example of the rules of a single organiser is the Iron Gate Exhibition tournament in longsword. A bout is played to three points with no time limit, in a double hit both score, but if one of them has right of way, only he scores. It begins in pools of five or six fencers, and penalties range from a warning through a yellow and a red card to a black one, which means disqualification from the tournament. HEMA Alliance offers organisers a free open-source platform, HEMA Scorecard.

Gear

We have not found an equipment standard valid for the whole movement, requirements are set by organisers. The Iron Gate Exhibition tournaments require a fencing mask with rigid protection of the back of the head and a puncture-resistant bib, a gorget, gloves with rigid plates for simple hilts, a jacket designed for HEMA with a high collar, a groin protector, rigid knee, shin and elbow guards, and closed sports footwear. For the jacket a resistance of 800 N is recommended but not required, and for the mask they give no value in newtons. HEMA Alliance refers to the Gear Checker tool and the Safety Policy. Gassmann, Gassmann and Le Coultre (2017) warn that even a blow with a blunt longsword can easily cause concussion in an unprotected head and break small bones, for example fingers. We have not found a study of the frequency of injuries in HEMA or the price of equipment.

Today

The Swedish HEMA association defines historical European martial arts as any martial art from the period before 1950 that has a living tradition or a surviving source. The centre of interest lies roughly in the years 1300 to 1800. In the United States the term Western martial arts (WMA) is also sometimes used. The UNESCO-ICM text describes HEMA as a movement based on written sources (fight books) about traditions regarded as extinct, and states that HEMA communities often present their art as culture at public demonstrations at festivals and in museums. The sources are collected by the Wiktenauer project, which has passed under HEMA Alliance. Its register of treatises is considered complete to the end of the 16th century, and work on the 17th century continues. HEMA Alliance also offers a club finder and materials for beginners.

Did you know

The census of HEMA in the journal Acta Periodica Duellatorum (Fürgut, 2021) estimates about 825 HEMA practitioners in Austria against 1132 Olympic fencers registered with Sport Austria. In Germany, adult Olympic fencers outnumber adult HEMA practitioners by about 2.6 to 2.9 times. Women made up about 20 percent of practitioners in Germany and 27.5 percent in Austria. According to Fürgut, most groups are organized as an independent club or a section of a club. The pandemic hit commercial schools hardest, and they lost about 20 percent of their members.

Styles & Branches

George Silver Fencing

English fighting doctrine from the writings of George Silver of around 1600. It pits the short sword against the rapier and distinguishes true and false times.

Montante (Iberian two-handed sword)

Fighting with the Iberian two-handed sword montante by the rules (reglas) of 16th and 17th century Spanish and Portuguese masters, including Diogo Gomes de Figueyredo (1651).

Frequently asked questions

What does the abbreviation HEMA stand for?

Historical European Martial Arts. According to Jaquet and Sørensen (Acta Periodica Duellatorum, 2015), the term is now generally used for the contemporary practice of old martial arts based on scholarly analysis or amateur interpretation of historical sources.

What is HEMA based on when no living tradition survived?

According to Gassmann and colleagues (2017), fencers derive techniques from historical manuscripts and printed books, for the longsword roughly from 1400 to the 17th century, and interpretations differ by source and interpreter. According to Jaquet and Sørensen, the main source is fencing books.

What equipment is used in HEMA?

Gassmann and colleagues (2017) state that manufacturers now make equipment specifically for HEMA, mainly gloves and quilted jerkins. Olympic fencing equipment, apart from the mask and footwear, is not enough, because a longsword blow, even with a blunt blade, can cause a concussion or break fingers.

How many people practice HEMA?

The census in the journal Acta Periodica Duellatorum (Fürgut, 2021) recorded 3186 practitioners at 124 locations in Germany and 801 practitioners at 34 locations in Austria. Women made up about 20 percent of practitioners in Germany and 27.5 percent in Austria.

Similar styles

Selected by overlap in the style profile, not by historical lineage.

Brotherhood of Saint Mark (Marxbrüder)Gladiatorial Combat (Munus)Doce Pares German School of Fencing Destreza Vulgar Bataireacht (Irish Stick Fencing)