Summary of Iwanowski's Six Articles

There's definitely a simple system of actions here. I think I'm beginning to get a sense of them.

• Thrusts performed …
  • forward,
  • horizontal right,
  • horizontal left,
  • downwards right,
  • downwards left.
• Straight cuts …
  • diagonal down from upper right (cut 1),
  • diagonal down from upper left (cut 2),
  • diagonal up from lower right (cut3),
  • diagonal up from lower left (cut 4),
  • horizontal from right to left (cut 5),
  • horizontal from left to right (cut 6).
• Circular cuts …
  • Vertical moulinet anticlockwise on the right,
  • Vertical moulinet clockwise on the left.

• The Head parry sweep
• The Moulinet to the rear to parry attack to the left rear quarter.
• Circular parries …
  • Vertical moulinet clockwise on the right,
  • Vertical moulinet anticlockwise on the left,
  • Moulinet in a wide cone clockwise on the right,
  • Moulinet in a wide cone anticlockwise on the left,
  • Moulinet in a narrow cone clockwise on the right (may be a static parry),
  • Moulinet in a narrow cone anticlockwise on the left (may be a static parry).
• Parries of the horse's head protecting the …
  • bridle on the left (may become a moulinet in a narrow cone),
  • bridle on the right (may become a moulinet in a narrow cone),
  • horse's head on the left,
  • horse's head on the right.

All of the fencing actions, except the parries to the left and right and the thrusts, are circular in motion. I'm not sure whether this is the defining aspect of his system or an artifact of using a sword on horseback. Experimentation and examination of the Ordinances of 1829 should clarify this point.

Preliminary actions:

• Drawing the sabre into …
• … Port sabre
• On guard position

Fencing actions:

• Parry of the forward attack: looks like a standard sabre parry of the head cut which then sweeps away to the right.
• The six basic cuts performed facing straight ahead:
  • No 1: upper right to lower left
  • No 2: upper left to lower right
  • No 3: lower right to upper left
  • No 4: lower left to upper right
  • No 5: mid-right to mid-left
  • No 6: mid-left to mid-right
• Parry to the left in tierce: static block to the forward left quarter, point higher than the hand.
• Parry to the right in quarte: static block to the forward right quarter, point higher than the hand.
• Forward point: withdraw the sword arm at head height then thrust directly in front
  • Left point: as above to the left
  • Right point: as above to the right
• Diagonal attack, riposte (cuts 5 and 6): Is this as simple as (anachronistically) Meyer's advice that the horizontal stroke defeats the diagonal cut? See Article IV below.

Notes:

The parry to the left in tierce and the parry to the right in quarte make more sense in the light of information presented in the Additions at the end of the text. Here, Ivanowski presents these positions as the starting point of small, circular parries. The parry in quarte, regardless of the side on which it is performed, describes a small circle with the point in an anticlockwise direction with the fingernails upwards (in quarte). Likewise, the parry in tierce, regardless of the side on which it is performed, describes a small circle with the point in a clockwise direction with the fingernails downwards (in tierce).

Preliminary actions:

• Port sabre
• On guard
• Parry of the forward attack: as in Article I.

Fencing actions:

• Parry behind to the left: Twist the torso as far as possible to teach behind you with the right shoulder. From the head parry, sweep the blade in an anticlockwise direction to intercept any attack to the read left quarter.
• Parry behind to the right: a static block to the rear right quarter, the point higher than the hand.
• The six cuts performed with the torso twisted to the right. All the cuts are executed on the right side of the horse.
• Right point: as in Article I.

Notes:

The action Parry behind to the left is interesting. It's an area denial action which matches the action in the 1829 Ordonnance at the command, “En arriere, moulinet”.

Preliminary actions: as in Article II.

Fencing actions:

• The six cuts performed with the torso twisted to the left.
• Left point: as in Article I.

Preliminary actions: as in Article II.

Fencing actions:

• Against the point behind on the right: Twisting the torso slightly to the right, hold the sabre with the blade vertical. Sweep the blade in a wide cone in a clockwise direction. Then riposte with cuts 5 and 6.
• Against the point behind to the left: As above in all things except that the direction of the action is anticlockwise and it is performed on the left side.

Notes:

In both these actions, the blade moves rearwards first and sweeps upwards to the front of the trooper. The diagrams for both show the trooper opposing a lance head.

Compare the first part of the Against the point behind on the right action with Against a bayonet on the right, parry in Article V below.

Compare the first part of the Against the point behind on the left action with Against a bayonet on the left, parry in Article V below.

Preliminary actions: as in Article II.

Fencing actions:

These actions are presented as separate movements, each with their own heading, orders and instructions, but the text more than hints that they represent a single flowing action encompassing the parry of the bayonet, and cutting at the infantry opponent, before making a final thrust.

• Against a bayonet on the right, parry: Holding the blade vertically with the torso twisted to the right, make a circular cut in an anticlockwise direction to sweep away the opposing weapon.
• Against infantry on the right, sabre: From the ending position of the previous action (blade held vertical behind with the edge facing the rear), make a circular cut in a clockwise direction. (It feels like this cut would be devastating from a moving horse.)
• Against infantry on the right, thrust: From the ending position of the previous action (blade now held vertically in front), withdraw the arm to thrust diagonally downwards at the opponent on foot.

• Against a bayonet on the left, parry: Holding the blade vertically with the torso twisted to the left, make a circular cut in an clockwise direction to sweep away the opposing weapon.
• Against infantry on the left, sabre: From the ending position of the previous action (blade held vertical behind with the edge facing the rear), make a circular cut in an anticlockwise direction. (It feels like this cut would be devastating from a moving horse.)
• Against infantry on the left, thrust: From the ending position of the previous action (blade now held vertically in front), withdraw the arm to thrust diagonally downwards at the opponent on foot.

• Against infantry around, behind on the right: This appears to be a combination of the above sabre and parry actions on the right.
• Against infantry around, behind on the left: This appears to be a combination of the above sabre and parry actions on the left.

Notes:

Since these last two actions are noted as “against infantry around”, can it be assumed that 1) the trooper is surrounded by opponents on foot, and 2) the actions are string together to become a continuous flurry of slashing to break out?

Compare the first part of the Against a bayonet on the right, parry with Against the point behind on the right action in Article IV above. It's an anticlockwise circular sweep.

Compare the first part of the Against a bayonet on the left, parry with Against the point behind on the left action in Article IV above. It's a clockwise circular sweep.

This article is fascinating. All the previous articles explained actions to defend yourself and attack an opponent. This article explains how to protect those next to you in the ranks and to protect your mount.

Preliminary actions:

• Port sabre
• On guard
• Parry of the forward attack: as in Article I. The text notes that you can position your hand so that your blade covers and protects the hand/arm of the trooper to your left. This is indicated in the horrifying clash of ranks in figure 26.
• Parry to the left in tierce: as in Article I.
• Parry to the right in quarte: as in Article I.

Fencing actions:

• Attack the rider: Cuts 1 and 2. There's a long section here explaining how this may work when attacking in ranks. It looks and sounds dodgy and is criticised by Bouvres in his review.
• Defend the bridle, right: Hold the blade low along the horse's head with the edge to the right. From this position against any attack, reverse the wrist (fingernail up) and throw it off to the left in tierce.
• Defend the bridle, left: Hold the blade low along the horse's head with the edge to the left. From this position against any attack, reverse the wrist and throw it off to the right in quarte.
• Defend the horse's head to the right or to the left: Whether sloped to the right or sloped to the left, hold the sword hand higher than the point in front and above the horse's head. Why wasn't this two commands?
• Attack the bridle on the left: Cut 2.
• Attack the bridle on the right: Cut 1.

Notes:

The parry to the left in tierce and the parry to the right in quarte make more sense in the light of information presented in the Additions at the end of the text. See the notes to Article I for more information.

The actions listed here as defend the bridle, right and defend the bridle, left refer to the static parries in Article I. The action of throwing of the attack in tierce or quarte should be considered in the light of the notes on the circular parries from this position in the Additions. The direction of throwing off the opponent's attack still makes no sense. “Reversing the wrist” allows the fencer to throw off the opponent's attack in the correct direction, following the notes in the Additions but the final statements in each sentence (“in tierce,” “in quarte.”) still make no sense. Why throw the opponent's strikes off across the horse's neck? I need to review the original text.