Richard Marsden: Fiore de'i Liberi - Showcasing HEMA

Host Sean Franklin and special guest Richard Marsden of the Phoenix Society of Historical Swordsmanship go through an introduction of Fiore de'i Liberi's system, including grappling, dagger, sword (one and two hand) and spear.
Richard Marsden is a renown instructor out of Phoenix, and you can find his book on Polish saber here - www.amazon.com...
Crypto, Chillin Hard, The Complex, Curse of the Scarab Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons...

[@robertusaugustus2003]

Fun fact about Fiore: He appears in historical records one year teaching a duke, then there is a seven year gap. Next he appears a few hundred miles away in some other region fighting a local war. This guy gets around.

[@kentallard8852]

Hawkwood was English and fought all over Italy, the Catalan Company traveled from Spain to Constantinople

[@EDEN-LIMINAL]

That is the thing about immortality, every omce in a while you flee and start anew.

[@Judicial78]

Its amazing how Fiore accomplished all his goals, pretty inspirational. He not only mastered weapons, but he immortalized himself.

[@TheCrimsonIdol987]

I bought his manual. Naturally, it was translated into English. Really a fantastic read!

[@pradanap.m.3195]

I watched this with the auto-generated subtitles on and now I'm suddenly curious about Master Fury Daily Thierry.

[@JustGrowingUp84]

This was the coolest demonstration of Fiore that I've ever seen. Also, that face at 9:36... I like instructors who don't take themselves too seriously.

[@HEMASimian]

Marsden is one of the finest Fiore instructors there is, and we really tried our best to give it justice :)

[@kitsunehanyou09]

I know! It's engaging and also a great learning experience.

[@diebosenzipfelmanner7268]

He's very seriously trying to eat the ellbow! Dont think this is fun!

[@willnonya9438]

Very cool showcase. I'm glad to see Fiore getting a little more exposure in the general community and some one showing how Fiore's system is a holistic approach to combat.

[@willnonya9438]

Eisenport is not Fiore's Porta di Ferro.... That's the later Bolgonese stuff.

[@ummonk]

+The Stoned Videogame Nerd I think the two are actually "cryptical" in different ways. The Germans give more tacitcal advice and also more detailed/clear descriptions of techniques. On the other hand, Fiore seems to provide a more complete system that clearly details the guards and says what you can do from each, as well as showing you how to respond to thrusts in various way. Fiore is also much more completely illustrated than the Lichtenauer glosses.

[@SudsyMedusa53]

You are using Fiores defense against me huh? I thought it fitting considering the rocky terrain. Naturally you expect me to counter with Fiore. Naturally, but I find that Fiore cancels out Fiore. Unless his opponent has studied his Fiore. Which I have!

[@Darkrender]

Very much appreciate this reference lol +1

[@heresjonny666]

The funny thing is this doesn't sound too far from what Fiore actually says. Every section he's like 'Ah, the dagger, the best of weapons. Nothing can stand against it!' 'Ah, the sword, nothing can stand against it!' 'The spear can beat any weapon!' But then he's like 'Pollax is heavy.'

[@SenorTucano]

Inconceivable!

[@jdhed1]

INCONTHEIVABLE!!!

[@deltazenturo1701]

@@heresjonny666 ‘Therefore nothing can stand against it!’

[@philbankertify]

Been practicing Fiore for almost 7 years now and I absolutely love it buuut I must say I always kind of root for the peasant in these scenarios.

[@ImAlphaBro]

Fiore's techniques seem very direct, similar to the Japanese martial arts i practice. The wrestling moves are similar to some self defense techniques we use in karate, and the spear and stick techniques are similar to kobudo with the Bo(staff), and the sword techniques look similar to kenjutsu. Good stuff, great video!

[@TheCrimsonIdol987]

I suggest buying his manual translated into English. Available on Amazon. Really a fantastic read!

[@dwwolf4636]

That's not too surprising....the human body is the same the world over.

[@Simon-lq5uk]

Yeah, every martial art is similar to one another.

[@TaoistSwordsman]

I mean, naturally of course.

[@Scotta1atgmaildotcom]

We have a saying in HEMA, it's all the same shit, no matter the weapon, guards, transitions and strikes.

[@richardsonthony]

Thanks Blood and Iron and Phoenix Society of Historical Swordsmanship's, Sean and Richard. I've expanded from Skallagrim to HEMA and, now, sometimes, even an interest in modern sport fencing. What a really cool art. Salute!

[@zaboobebop]

from bruce lee himself, "the only way martial arts can be different is if someone has 3 arms and 4 legs" not his exact words but what his point was that all martial arts are very similar. i noticed in the dagger section of the video, it was very much the same as filipino martial arts!

[@MartinTraXAA]

iirch the filipinos really like daggers too, dont they?

[@zaboobebop]

blades in general.

[@chody5840]

The "middle lock" as he calls it is a pretty common knife disarm in most systems I've seen. Also Maraak, I believe Filipinos invented the balisong(butterfly knife).

[@jancz357]

well we are all the same species with the same bone and muscle structure, so it's logical that all martial arts will use similar techniques

[@boring5718]

bloodygentleman Yep, just like how many cultures have swords and daggers even without having ever been in contact

[@aboot2754]

This channel is fantastic, these videos are a million times more informative than any other HEMA channel I've seen

[@HolyPineCone]

So if I want to avoid taxes, I can simply use the butt strike? I have to remember that one.

[@chadherbert18]

Butt strike - the origin of, "Kiss my a$$?" Lol

[@TaoistSwordsman]

Remember the lesson of the video. Pay your taxes or die peasant!

[@mattmanbrownbro]

What's interesting is how you can take that spear play and alter it minimally for longsword (in two hands), so that you turn it either into a pommel strike or a schnappen.

[@owlblocksdavid4955]

Thanks for the heads up, Richard! It's really nice to see anything I can on Fiore, because most of the HEMA community practices Liechtenauer (this channel also seems pretty German in its longsword, although it tries and somewhat succeeds at being neutral). It's also interesting to see things on abrazare (the art of the embrace, if I remember correctly) and his other weapons. Have a good night, and don't cross your arms...

[@clancywoodard310]

The manual was also used in World War 1 by the elite arditi they used it for their hand to hand combat training

[@star-b-qpodcast54]

Pronunciation in video: lib-ee-AIR-ee Real pronunciation of “Liberi”: LEE-bair-ee

[@andrewjohnson6716]

I really like the way Richard Marsden demostrates. He makes the material accessible and easy to grasp.

[@a661992]

I'm just starting out in researching HEMA. So far Richard's presentations have been very informative and articulate in his descriptions. Thank you for sharing

[@salottin]

Whoa... I've seen him fighting in some videos, but now I appreciate his technique and knowledge even more! This videos is like the meeting of two masters...

[@RaevenKS]

The more I check videos about Italian fencing, the more I tend to like it more that the German one. I really have to begin hema and try it by myself :D

[@fairith90]

"and then begin to eat his elbow *nomnomnomnomnom*" xD

[@Hathur]

Fascinating. Thanks for the video.

[@shinobi-no-bueno]

I took the intro to fiore from Richard last saturday. He is amazing! Coolest guy

[@Kiwanja]

The grappling techniques kept reminding me of taijiquan (I'm a practitioner who's been wanting to do HEMA as well). I also see a lot of similarities in the footwork and general 'flow' of the moves.

[@Phil.Martin]

Outstanding video! Thanks Sean and Richard for sharing this information.

[@TheApocalypticKnight]

Very nice, keep up the fantastic work!

[@basilb4524]

Okay but from the few videos i've seen Richard Marsden, he's seems so much like Lindybeige (it's almost as if they we're twins!).

[@MartinTraXAA]

They both have that disarming "niceness" to them. Can't get mad at them :D

[@boring5718]

basil B Haha, didn't expect to hear about Lindybeige here. (Those darn Frenchmen! :D)

[@VTSifuSteve]

I work with the guy on my day job, and I've been thinking the same thing for years! Of course he doesn't see it.

[@hedgetwentyfour2708]

Great guest instructor, also good know that I'm doing alright in my own reconstruction, as there is no local club for HEMA :(

[@guy0111]

F

[@bernardputersznit64]

thank you guys - love the intermurial training

[@Alpha.Phenix]

Ah Italy...what a wonderful place.

[@gweiloxiu9862]

Richard Marsden is one cool cat. Excellent video!

[@biobomb93]

Quite proud to live near the place where he was born (premariacco), right now i am learning bolognese but i bought his book because i know it will be very intresting.

[@JariB.]

The humor... I am still grinning from that last instruction. However... One little question about that last spear instruction: If you are so to speak, a soldier, or even noble, I would, in that era, expect to be wearing a helmet... Very likely something similar to a bugonet (or, due to Spanish influence in and around Italy, a Morion) Therefor, striking one's head with the back end of a spear does not seem all too effective to me. Of course, it might cause a bit of a headache, but it most likely won't knock me out of the fight. So, I guess after that strike, the 'peasant' (in this case) will have to find another way to hit his opponent and disable him from fighting on... But what would be most reccomendable from that last position on? (Assuming the soldier/nobleman is wearing a cuirass, or half armor, with a bugonet or morion.)

[@seanfranklin1591]

Depends how hard you hit them. If you bop them with a little push/pull from the arms it is rather weak. If you throw the rotation of your entire body into it properly you can potentially hit them hard enough to take them right off their feet. Same concept goes for pommel strikes delivered without the whole body engagement. (Or I guess that can be extended to any sword strike delivered with just the arms sucking....)

[@ktoth29]

I would think the helmet is absorbs less shock from the side than it does from the top so if you were to "ring the bell" so to speak, you could probably cause some pain to the ear or knock a loose helmet off.

[@JariB.]

Karl Toth Well yes, although that would depend on the helmet... When speaking of a Morion; A hit from the side is surely something painful. When speakinf about a buhonet; Not necessarily. Some bugonets had their insides lined with a littlebit of padding. Not giving as much of a shock to the head & neck as for example, the very similar medieval 'version', the Armet. However... Despite all that, I'll have to agree you'll surely notice getting a wack with a stick.

[@pyjamakid3982]

burgonet? wtf are u talking about? the earliest use of the burgonet is 16th century. Fiores techniques are from the 14th century. he lived from 1350-1409. ur talking about at least a 1 and a half centuries difference. i think u have a cursory knowledge of armor/weapons from different periods but u seem to be injecting ur own favoritism into these hypotheticals rather than realism.

[@formdoggie5]

@@JariB. helmets are made to deflect strikes, not take them full on. I'm 6'6 and 252lbs and not fat--you can show up with whatever you consider the best helmet in the world and if you make the mistake of allowing a clean butt strike square to the face you're going to have a bad time. A good example of this would be best illustrated by pugil stick fighting. You'll see precisely this type of fighting occur almost intrinsically amongst even the untrained, however, even with soft ends and football helmets, I was regularly knocking people out and/or dazing them completely, making them take a knee. Helmets protect your skull from breaking and skin from cutting open, but your brain is still sloshing along in the bucket--a good jostle is all it takes.

[@marcelosilveira2276]

this guy is kinda like the european Myamoto Musashi than... cool :)

[@jackieyo6128]

More the opposite, considering Fiore came before :)

[@TonyDragonsNava]

Congratulations I love it. Greetings from Mexico

[@venator773]

Awesome!

[@petitio_principii]

I really find those murdering tutorials really useful. Thanks.

[@artemisdarkslayer]

Love your videos. Definitely helped inspire me to join my local HEMA club.

[@RandomAllen]

"Pay your taxes!" "NO!!!" XD

[@patrioticrealist6862]

Ok I want to study German long sword and other forms in HEMA for longsword; what are the quintessential books or publishing of books that one should purchase nowadays?

[@handmade3681]

At 3:06, breaking the arm is great, however if you wanna scare them, bite them

[@computertechnician120]

Late to the Party. Thanks guys, great stuff.

[@korzalm]

Great idea to have him! :) Great presentation

[@edi9892]

If my memory serves me right his book was not meant as an introduction to martial arts, but much rather a style to beat common attacks of more widespread systems. You can find similar stories also in e.g. India with what some call higher styles that make less sense against untrained opponents (you just cut them down, no faints nor tricks needed). As a side-note 11:00 is also common in Kenjitsu.

[@screaminggoblin36]

So awesome!

[@ibapa888]

Enjoyed watching this. Subbed

[@iseslc]

You guys are awesome!!

[@pj_mckenna]

Tremendous! Moar!

[@therealrucleshe7662]

this is a really nice tutorial. Hope you do more of it

[@100RAmen]

Marsden is funny as hell aye, love the peasant jokes, I tried them when I teach a hema class in China, it didn't work very well. LOL

[@akumabito2008]

Excellent video! Will you do one on Talhoffer techniques?

[@prototypechannel6975]

really great video guys.. very good stuff

[@nahuelmat]

So I didn't get it pretty well, should I pay or not pay my taxes?

[@TacticalMook]

Nice. I like how similar grappling systems are. Gracie jiu jitsu and Catch wrestling in particular.

[@hunter.1]

Awesome!

[@AeolethNionian]

It's funny that he says it's meant to break not to lock. In judo and jujutsu they are also meant to break and dislocate. You just put your oppenent in the lock to give them a chance to submit before you break/ dislocate. Fun fact in judo it used to be considered cowardly to tap out so people would break/ dislocate all the time. This was even the case at the beginning of the ufc. Thankfully they've changed that mentality.

[@JackY-pu5nh]

Now I understand why they call it a system, it truly is

[@zaboobebop]

the first technique in the longsword part is also similar to the snake disarm in fma.

[@vmfjru47]

This is awesome!

[@wiskadjak]

Great demo!

[@mehmetcy84]

@11:00 how would Richard (in that inviting guard) react if Sean threw a zwerchau from Sean's right side? I know I used a german term in a fiore de liberi video lol.

[@TravelingTyrant]

Same response. Same effect. If I slip off line and deflect the sword, no matter how it's launched, I can deflect if I do the technique at the right time.

[@orsettomorbido]

Amaing, amazing, amazing! I need to get a copy *_*

[@Bookrider951]

Great video! I practice Kodenkan Jujitsu and Muay Lerdrit, so quite a few of these techniques are familiar to me. I'm just now beginning getting into HEMA, so does anyone know where I can find a translated copy of Fiore's manuscript like the one shown at the end? I would love to have one!

[@BloodandIronHEMA]

You can find Fiore manuscripts at Wiktenauer, include a bunch of other resources.

[@Bookrider951]

Blood and Iron HEMA Thanks!

[@parabelluminvicta8380]

@@BloodandIronHEMA hey what does mean HEMA?

[@aiquangat8620]

@@parabelluminvicta8380 Historical European Martial Art

[@AnnalOfHistory]

I'm not that knowledgeable but during the dagger part, When the attackers elbow is locked, couldn't they flick their wrist (and in this case) bury the tip of the dagger into the neck of their opponent?

[@TravelingTyrant]

Yes, but there are a couple of things to note. For whatever reason, Fiore never shows such small dagger work. The rondel always has power behind it. Locked up, you can rotate your wrist, but not get much pressure. Also, the lock is supposed to be done fast. The opponent is supposed to be in pain. In the manuscript he has lost his dagger. Finally, Fiore's work is from 1410, and I practice it warts and all. It is not a perfect system. How do I know? Fiore talks about a lock, the lower-key, from which one cannot escape. Well, yes they can, their is a way in more modern martial arts how to get out of the 'hammer lock'.

[@AnnalOfHistory]

Richard Marsden Thank you for the response. I haven't read really any of Fiore's work even though I've been intending too for a while. I really enjoyed the video by the way. It's always nice to have see demonstrations from a knowledgeable source.

[@TravelingTyrant]

Welcome!

[@kentallard8852]

have any of the wrestling moves been tried against modern wrestlers/judoka/mma to see how they stand up?

[@NakMuayify]

Got me with the taxes gag

[@maxkaspersson2584]

Great video!

[@Ken_Jones]

awesome video!

[@kentallard8852]

at 6:58 what you could do once you have the arm locked like that is then trip his right foot

[@Quodge]

Oah my christ this is perfect. SUBBED and yes. Wow. FINALLY SOMEONE MADE A CHANNEL GOING THREW THIS SHIT. :D

[@phaikia13]

The manuscript is called the flower of battle. Hmm, is it because when you stab someone, blood oozes out from the wound onto the cloth. The pattern it forms while doing this is very much like a red flower blooming.

[@RuneChaosMarine]

will any of you at blood and iron be learning the Kukri knife? i know it is not part of HEMA, though i would like to ask why the British were so impressed by the martial arts of the Gurkha.

[@christophercrider1347]

"So we have a peasant here who's not paying his taxes..." Lmao

[@ethan073]

This video is awesome

[@chris-il4qu]

I like how everything translates into everything else and counters to counters. Like all modern "knife defence" stuff just shows a counter and then declares the opponent is completely helpless to fight back which is bullshit. This one is like he does this do this, well after that he may do this so do that and so on.

[@gabrielgordon2017]

thanks. i learned

[@LARPBeard]

these teachings have many shared points with Ninjutsu :) same time, other side of the world. the human body functions the same and can be defeated the same.

[@hedgetwentyfour2708]

Same thing with Abrazare and Aikido, both from other sides of the world as well

[@shrekas2966]

ninjutsu is 20th century martal art. real ninjutsu isnt a martial art, but a training for spies. none of that training includes martial arts, but some ninjas were sent to dojos for training.

[@LARPBeard]

Ninpo is the art of covert ops, Ninjutsu is used an umbrella term to describe many distinct arts such as sword use, soft fighting, pyrotechnics, staff and so on.

[@hedgetwentyfour2708]

Indeed, besides, ninjutsu has been developing for centuries, the simple fact that it was not known by that name necissarily throughout this large a period of time, doesn't mean that we can't call it that.

[@shrekas2966]

Hedge Twentyfour ninjutsu (the martial art) is known to have roots in mid 20th century. Its your choice how you call it. By that choice you just show how much you know about ninjutsu :)

[@tordmunk]

Do you guys have any sparring videos where you can see any of these techniques in practice?

[@MassconfusionGaming]

I see so many similarities to Aikido in the ealier parts.

[@ArizonaTengu]

I need to go back to The Phoenix Society of Historical Swordsmanship. Agh why does Phoenix have to be several hours away!

[@StairwayToAsgard]

I really like Fiore's first abrazare technique but I find I can only get it to work if they are, for some weird reason, trying to reach really deep (like wrist on my trapezius), and why would they be doing that. It might be because I havn't been doing the rolling the elbow thing you showed.

[@TravelingTyrant]

Fiore doesn't say how we come to this first position, but my wrestler say its from a clinch. Move deep, bad-guy's hand ends up behind your shoulder while you check with the other hand.

[@StairwayToAsgard]

+Richard Marsden Fair enough, Thanks for the reply!

[@teosorin]

One of the most common positions in grappling is to have have your hand behind the opponent's head. This gives you control over their posture, since the head is rather easy to manipulate, like shown in the video, and gives you opportunities to either throw your opponent or land strikes from a clinch position.

[@mercuryknyght5238]

Sean looks so terrifyingly swol next to richard.

[@aurourus6894]

5:19 Since when are light sabers sharp?

[@wea69420]

"it's not sharp; it isn't a lightsaber" Geez

[@donmadlung3642]

he's saying that it's NOT a lightsabre, the KNIFE isn't sharp (really sharp anyway)

[@F1ghteR41]

14:00 It's a great missed opportunity to say '...And that was Fiore'.

[@gavinlee6196]

The spear part with the stick kinda look like the way no staffs are used

[@silverswordguy4191]

Where can I get my hands on a copy of that Fiore translation?

[@bobu5213]

Does fiore ever talk about fighting sharp daggers or knives?

[@seanpackham210]

If Fiore interests you look at the Exiles group on KZbin they have been training it years and can improve upon what's shown here

[@haffoc]

Richard, your method of intercepting and deflecting the arm at 14.16 is incorrect. You should make contact first with the back of your hand or the forearm just below the wrist, then obtain your grasp. It is unsafe to intercept with the palm as you are doing. This is a common mistake. See Jason Vail's 'Medieval and Renaissance Dagger Combat' for details on properly making the cover.

[@farkasmactavish]

At one second before the end of the video...?

[@ernestvenn8291]

could you leave a link to the book your talking about.

[@Komaru.89]

Where did you get that spearhead?

[@MegaNicusor]

Maybe I'm just dumb but can you tell me please where I can find the book presented at the end of the video? :)

[@TravelingTyrant]

One of our guys made it for us. However ALL the information can be found, for free at... wiktenauer.com/wiki/Fiore_de'i_Liberi

[@MegaNicusor]

+Richard Marsden Thank you very much! Keep up the good work :)

[@a.d.9415]

Richard, might you recommend any book that teaches Fiore that covers the breadth of his system, rather than just longsword as some books do, and includes drills?

[@a.d.9415]

Or rather, I ought ask, what method do you recommend to learn his system? I'm part of a nascent HEMA group and we're looking for something to guide our study, whether it be book, website or youtube channel. I am aware of Charette's book but I'm wondering what you would advise. The closest HEMA group is three hours away and therefore not our most accessible resource.

[@TravelingTyrant]

Bob Charette's book Arimzare covers it all. We plan to do our own, but it will be longsword heavy.

[@hallowedfool]

So is boar's tooth much like the fool's guard, then?

[@TravelingTyrant]

No. Our Middle Iron Door is close to Alber, Boar's Tooth is as if you were to swing a big ole oberhau and freeze when it reached its end point in the cut.

[@hallowedfool]

Richard Marsden Aha, thanks for the clarification :)

[@lackusshock]

You guys look like the kind of people who would very loudly shout: "I DID IT!"

[@Nipah.Auauau]

Where can I get that book?

[@TravelingTyrant]

We had a guy make the PDF for us and we bound and put it together on our own. All the information is free though, check out... wiktenauer.com/wiki/Fiore_de'i_Liberi

[@ikksksknsk4720]

+Richard Marsden Is it similar to the PDF from the scholagladiatoria site?

[@TravelingTyrant]

It's a trap Can't remember!

[@johnbrown2163]

You only get one sword for the melee battle. What is your Weapon? Mine a Rapier.

[@braydenj1327]

Is there armour?

[@johnbrown2163]

@@braydenj1327 No armor.

[@farkasmactavish]

Messer. A cut has more stopping power and can thus actually knock the opponent around while cutting, as well as sever limbs, and a messer can still thrust. A single thrust with a narrow blade like a rapier can't disable a limb, and is harder to land, anyway, but a cut is more likely to hit and can disable. Plus if we're talking lethality, you have to have pinpoint precision with a thrust to get between ribs or into an eye socket, while a cut could cave in the ribs of an unarmored opponent as it cuts, or even without cutting, if they're wearing clothing that's too thick to cut through. Then of course there's the matter of concussions from even a poor hit with bad edge alignment to the head. A cut-and-thrust type of sword is more versatile than a dedicated cutter or thruster.

[@cgijoe5671]

5:46 when you get stabbed

[@AstralS7orm]

9:36 should be the thumbnail. :)

[@Jarlemoore1]

Nice techniques, but when you block someones arm when they have knife don't waste time with elbow locks or such just step and do a upper palm strike to nose or hit him in the throat then toss him away from you.

[@farkasmactavish]

Why not do both? It's entirely possible to get stabbed while you're counter attacking, so it's silly not to try and control the weapon.

[@thrownswordpommel7393]

0:27 fioree delivery