Fencing and Fightbooks: their Social and Cultural Contexts in Early Modern England - Progress Review - John Chinn

Fencing treatises had a long history in Europe having been subject to substantial change from the Middle Ages onwards before becoming increasingly widespread as the duel of honour rose to prominence in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. However, in England they were fewer in number and were composed at a substantially later date than their European counterparts. Therefore, this thesis examines the reasons why England was late to compose its first fencing treatise, analysing the social and cultural factors contributing to their late production. Additionally, to obtain a complete picture of the role and reach of fencing treatises in early modern England, this thesis undertakes a broader exploration of the reach of fencing treatises across social classes and how knowledge of these books was disseminated through a variety of methods and came to reach a non-specialist audience.