Description
Ahoy, Lords, Ladies, Nobles, Burghers, and Peasantry!
The Vanguard Centre is proud to bring you another short course in niche Historical European Martial Arts, featuring many peoples’ favourite big knife, the Messer. The Messer (sometimes Langesmesser) was a tool of self defence, tournament and judicial duelling, and something of a great leveller of medieval society in the Germanic states and further afield – it was a weapon common to every strata of society, used against swords of both one and two hands, daggers, shields, and more, and was a trusty and reliable sidearm for soldiers, bandits and the regular working man.
In this short course we will be hosting a series of lessons on some fundamentals and more advanced concepts of using this interesting tool, from simple strikes, stabs and parries, to wrestling and physically manipulating your opponents to get the best of them – all interpreted and adapted from historical sources and authentic writings and images of the period.
Basic equipment will be provided by the Vanguard Centre as part of the course, but suitable clothing and footwear must be brought by each participant.
The course will be suitable for people over the age of 16 years.
The course will cost ยฃ90 for 6 lessons over 6 weeks, with entrance available for purchase through our online shop.
The lessons are scheduled at 7.30pm on Tuesday nights, on the 17th and 24th of February 2026, and on the 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th of March 2026.
17/02/2026 Week 1: Basics – Guards and Strikes
24/02/2026 Week 2: Body Mechanics, Footwork, and Horses
03/03/2026 Week 3: Edges and Points
10/03/2026 Week 4: Getting Close
17/03/2026 Week 5: Tactical Considerations
24/03/2026 Week 6: Applications and Games
