thealmightyguru.freeforums.org

[Darwin_green]

this guy seems to know what he's talking about. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwAJM2RRe8U

[DoomRater]

XDDDDD Knights of Grey! Love these guys. The ten system isn't too hard to learn either- in fact rattan cane style I was messing around with at my martial arts gym is similar in structure.

[hippieshopper]

There are some Sinawali drills that the folks at my field like to warm up with, I think it's called Heaven and Earth.
It helped me a lot, I actually perfected my sky hooks because of it.

[nedarb906]

Just to clarify, "florentine style" isn't just a combination of any two striking weapons, but specifically two swords, whether they are shortswords or bastard hand-and-a-halfs, right?

[Gisiebob]

"florentine" is using two things. "florentine" is using the Italian rapier style developed in Florance that involves using a rapier and a dagger to increase your ability to attack and defend. two extremes*, go find your self a good spot in between and take a seat.

I am not a historian, and know little about the real Florentine style, so don't expect my second extreme to be right on the money.

also: florentine is a style of cooked eggs.

[Ganso]

The term "Florentine" and the style it describes, was created within the SCA about 1970. Florentine refers to combat with two full size swords. One of the stories to justify it as a historical accurate form of combat had to do with Florentine princes that were so devious as to use a full size sword in their left, or "sinister" hand. This story was immediately recognized as false, but as the SCA allows what could be, rather than what was, it was allowed.

There are several articles that indicate that the term "Florentine" to describe combat with two swords originated in the SCA. The following are links to a few examples:
http://willscommonplacebook.blogspot.co ... d-two.html
http://www.chronique.com/Library/Fighting/2sword.htm
http://www.chronique.com/Library/Glossa ... loss_f.htm

These sources could be wrong. But I couldn't find sources to refute them.

I first heard the term when I was involved with the SCA in the mid 1980s. At that that time the SCA was considered a fringe group, and looked down on by "legitimate" fencing schools. It was a popular source of mirth that the term "Florentine," that was invented by the SCA just a few years earlier, was being used by these same fencing schools. Again, these senior members could have been mistaken. Can you find references to a "Florentine" sword style that predates 1970?

I have believed this to be true for many years, but if you can prove me wrong I would greatly appreciate it. With that kind of information, I could wreak havoc in dozens of forums throughout the Internet. SCA people love to argue. By the way, citing a book by some Italian master is not good enough. People have been doing that for decades, and when someone gets around to reading a translation, its found that the reference isn't really there.

Ganso