The Attacks (Offese): Moving Between the Guards

Tackling Manciolino’s Opera Nova: A Primer of Bolognese Swordsmanship

The Cuts (Tagli)

Cuts are classified in several ways: the general direction (mandritto or riverso), the specific path (fendente, tondo), the edge with which they are delivered (true- or false-edge cuts) and even whether they are executed in a wheel-like fashion (stramazzone and mulinetto)

mandritto fendente

a true-edge cut proceeding downwards right-to-left, almost vertically.

mandritto squalembrato, or simply mandritto

a true-edge cut proceeding at a downward slant right-to-left

mandritto tondo

a true-edge cut proceeding horizontally right-to-left.

mandritto ridoppio

a true-edge cut ascending at a slant right-to-left

Falso dritto

a false-edge cut having the same path as the mandritto ridoppio

Montante

a false-edge ascending cut proceeding vertically

Riverso fendente

a true-edge cut proceeding downwards left-to-right, almost vertically

Riverso squalembrato, or simply riverso

a true-edge cut proceeding at a downward slant left-to-right.

Riverso tondo

a true-edge cut proceeding horizontally left-to-right.

Riverso ridoppio

a true-edge cut ascending at a slant left-to-right

Falso manco

a false-edge cut having the same path as the riverso ridoppio

Stramazzone

a fendente-like cut delivered with a wheel-like motion of the wrist, with the sword turning to the left of the sword-hand.

Mulinetto

a fendente-like cut delivered with a wheel-like motion of the arm (may be from the elbow or shoulder).

Pushed riverso (riverso spinto)

a riverso (most likely a tondo) in which the sword is pushed rather than pulled at the moment of impact; thus, the cut begins closer to the point and proceeds towards the middle of the blade.

The Thrusts (Punte or Stoccate)

Thrusts are offensive actions that use the penetrative power of the sword’s point to inflict injury on the opponent. In Bolognese swordsmanship, the most common targets for the thrust are the face, the chest and the flank. Unlike how it is taught in later styles, the thrust in the Bolognese swordsmanship is often prepared by withdrawing the sword-hand, so that it may be delivered with a strong extension of the arm.

Stoccata

a) a generic name for a thrust

or

b) an underhand thrust delivered with the false edge pointing up or pointing right.

Imbroccata

an overhand thrust often proceeding downward.

Punta dritta

a thrust executed with the hilt turned to the outside (the false edge pointing left) and directed more or less right-to-left

Punta riversa

thrust executed with the hilt turned to the inside (the false edge pointing right) and directed more or less left-to-right.

Punta in falso

an ascending thrust delivered with the false edge pointing up.

Drilled thrust (punta trivellata)

although this thrust is not strictly defined in extant treatises, it is most likely an underhand thrust accompanied by a quick turn of the hand at the moment of impact, achieving a drill-like effect.