Keith Seeley researches the weapons and martial arts of early modern China.

His master's degree in history informs his approach to contextualizing and deciphering military treatises and manuals from the late Ming to mid Qing dynasties. His primary weapon of study is the yaodao or single-handed saber, which served as the mainstay military sidearm and civilian self-defense tool throughout this historical period.

In this episode, Keith and host Gabriele Culot dive head-first into a long and distinguished history of combat and martial arts, and into a lineage of weapons that is as interesting as it is often overlooked outside of China.

Roland Warzecha is a world-renowned expert in historical swordsmanship, with 25 years of martial arts practice under his belt. He has also been a devoted re-enactor since the 1990s.

His primary focus of research is medieval sword and buckler combat as outlined in MS I.33, for which he and his fellow instructor/researcher Cornelius Berthold have developed dedicated online courses which you can find here: https://dimicator.teachable.com/p/home

Roland is well-known for exploring sword and shield fighting that predates the Fechtbücher (fencing manuals), such as close combat of the Viking Age and the High Middle Ages. He regularly examines associated weaponry in collections worldwide. Find a continuously growing number of sword documentations here: https://www.patreon.com/dimicator/shop?redirect=true

Supported by international scholars and museums, he has published the results of his research in scholarly journals and books and has lectured at specialist conferences.

As a long-term martial artist and swordsman, he has taught sword fighting across the globe. A key element of his training curriculum is the regular practice with sharp weapons.

In this episode, Roland and I dive into his study and analysis of original antique swords, discover the small details that showcase the mastery of the craft of bladesmiths from the early Middle Ages, and discuss how these learnings influence Roland's approach to practice and his understanding of combat in the past.

For additional resources and to learn more about Roland’s work, visit the Dimicator website: https://dimicator.com/

While you are there, you are welcome to sign up for his newsletter. To read more and to support his work, visit his Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/Dimicator

Having trained with swords and other medieval arms in a stage combat context since the age of fifteen while performing in fight shows throughout the New England Renaissance Festival circuit, James Hester encountered early pioneers of Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) and began studying the works of medieval and Renaissance masters.

His path then led him to academia and education, working at the Higgins Armory and other museums before journeying to England to complete an MA in Medieval Studies. He subsequently joined the Royal Armouries Museum, where he progressed over five years to become Curator of Tower Collections at the Tower of London. In 2015, James was awarded the Arms & Armour Heritage Trust Studentship to pursue a PhD focusing on late medieval martial arts at the University of Southampton, which he successfully completed in 2018.

Alongside his academic pursuits, James has undertaken in-depth study and practice of diverse traditions, including Wudang Taijiquan and Internal Arts, Zen, European and Asian Philosophy, the Ars Memoriae, and meditation. These explorations have enriched his personal practice and broadened it from the pursuit of an interest into a comprehensive way of living.

In this episode, James and host Gabriele Culot discuss his studies, focusing especially on his research into historical damage to antique weapons and armour, and what the signs of battles from the past can teach modern HEMA practitioners.

Find James' writing and work on his Patreon: / museumcercamon

Maxime started training HEMA and kenjutsu in 2002, and has been teaching since 2009. He now teaches sabre and Irish stick at BAHFF, in Ottawa, Canada. He has taught workshops and seminars in Canada, USA, Ireland, Mexico, France, and Norway, mainly in Antrim Bata and sabre fencing. He also publishes regular articles on his blog Hema misfits on the history and practice of martial arts and antique swords.

In his daily life, Maxime works for Parks Canada, where he supervises the national collection of artifacts. He holds a BA in Archaeology from Laval University, and a Master's in Cultural Heritage from Deakin University, and is trained as a Historical Weapons Supervisor with Parks Canada. He has also worked with several other museums on sword-related projects, including the Musée de l'Armée in Paris.

In today's live stream, host Gabriele Culot and Maxime discuss a topic that is part of Maxime's interest, and a little-known branch of the international sword taxonomy, and historical martial arts: Medieval Irish swords.

So join us as we explore the fields of heather and get to know the Irish Kerns, and their role in the context of medieval politics and warfare.

Fererico Malagutti is an Italian HEMA fencer, instructor, and martial artist. With over a decade of experience in swordsmanship, with a special interest in late medieval fencing, Federico is one of the preeminent voices in modern HEMA, sharing his skills and thoughts on YouTube.

In this stream, Federico discusses HEMA and history, the commonalities and differences between sword training in the past and in the present, what these mean for the future of HEMA, and a lot more with host Gabriele Culot.

Dequitem is an armoured fighter who focuses on showcasing non-choreographed fights in his videos.

His goal is to display historical fighting techniques in the context that most closely resembles how they would have been practiced in historical times. This leads to clashes fought at full speed and power in an effort to survive rather than score points.

This approach leads to a better understanding of fighting techniques and learnings that may not be as evident in a more modern sports-like context. In addition to this focus on technique, Dequitem puts a lot of effort into the aesthetics of the background, choosing historically plausible locations and turning sparring and dueling videos into cinematic works of art.

In this live stream, Dequitem discusses all these aspects with host Gabriele Culot.

Make sure to follow and support Dequitem on:

YouTube: / @dequitem -Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user/membersh... -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dequitem/?h...

Website: https://www.hema-deathcorps-unicorns....

Giovanni Sartori is a bladesmith and swordmaker from Bassano del Grappa, in Italy.

His work centers around recreating weapons that are authentic not only in terms of measurements and proportions but also in terms of materials and processes. This holistic approach to swordmaking has led to his work being displayed in several museums, including the Deutsches Klingenmuseum in Solingen.

In today's chat, Giovanni discusses his approach to studying and making swords with host Gabriele Culot, and dives into the world of Medieval and early modern bladesmithing in Northern Italy.

To learn more about Giovanni and his work, make sure to visit his current project, Fusina Feraro: https://www.fusinaferaro.com/

Eric Estlund is a custom bike maker turned swordsmith. He focuses on crafting high-end swords (and knives), basing his work on extant examples of antique swords while ensuring he also imbues his work with his own creative vision.

With an educational background in art and an interest in fencing, that comes as no surprise.

In today's episode of The Armoury Roundtable, Eric talks about his philosophy in swordmaking, how he approaches research, the challenges of adapting objects of the past to the modern world, and much more, with host Gabriele Culot.

Make sure to check out his work at:

https://www.wintercutlery.com/

And follow him on IG/ FB:

@wintercutlery