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The History of Fencing
- Fencing comes from the word the Latin word for "defense", meaning to ward off, protect or defend. Fencing was always about defending yourself first and foremost.
- Evidence of sword fights goes back as far as Ancient Egypt in 1190 BC (started by Ramses III) with bouts and duels continuing until the mid 18th century, when public opinion turned sour.
- Fencing was originally a form of military training and started to evolve into a sport in the 14th or 15th century in both Germany and Italy.
Young gentlemen of a certain station would enroll in academies to learn the art of the sword so they were equipped to defend their honor when challenged by another gentleman. Refusing a duel was one of the highest insults one could offer.
Contrary to popular opinion, most duels were fought to the first blood, as young gentlemen wanted to show they stood for honor, and duels to the death prevented young gentlemen from becoming old gentlemen. Modern épée fencing is representative of this type of duel.
There is evidence that women engaged in duels across many cultures dating back to antiquity.
- The the popularity of the sport increased in the 17th and 18th centuries due to the invention of a weapon with a flattened tip known as the foil, a set of rules governing the target area, and a wire-mesh mask.
Now, fencing is still very popular and is a well established sport among people of all regions and cultures. It is also a very intense sport in the Olympics.
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