{"product_id":"masters-of-the-longsword-the-marxbruder-in-the-holy-roman-empire-9783982918501","title":"Masters of the Longsword: The Marxbrüder in the Holy Roman Empire","description":"\u003cp\u003eDocumented since the 1450s, the Marxbrüder became the foremost brotherhood of swordsmen in the Holy Roman Empire-and for generations, they decided who could teach others the art of swordsmanship.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom their base in Frankfurt, they built an institution that stretched across central Europe: a network of fencing masters who instructed and examined candidates, enforced a monopoly granted by successive emperors, and fought rivals in council chambers as fiercely as on the fencing floor. Among their ranks were figures of lasting fame, including Hans Talhoffer, one of the most prominent fencing masters of the Late Middle Ages.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMasters of the Longsword\u003c\/em\u003e is the first comprehensive history of this remarkable brotherhood. Drawing on largely untapped archival sources from Frankfurt, Basel, Prague, and Vienna, it recovers the Marxbrüder's long-lost coat of arms of 1541, maps the trades and origins of over 300 masters, and follows their bitter rivalry with the Federfechter to their eventual decline. That this institution was built and sustained for over 250 years not by nobles or soldiers but by craftsmen makes its story all the more compelling.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlthough the Marxbrüder are almost entirely forgotten, their legacy endures: they are a key reason why the longsword is so thoroughly documented and today practiced again by thousands of historical fencers.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Kilian Theil\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Myrica Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 10\/31\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 310\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.44lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.27h x 5.83w x 1.00d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9783982918501\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eTheil, Kilian:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - Kilian Theil lives in Frankfurt am Main and leads a data science team at a sustainable finance firm. In his spare time, he fences longsword and researches the martial culture of the Holy Roman Empire. His PhD in natural language processing and his first degree in German studies proved unexpectedly useful for this book. More at kiliantheil.com.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThis title is not returnable\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Kilian Theil \/ Hardcover \/ English","offer_id":67804806185117,"sku":"9783982918501","price":71.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_6ffac970-215f-4e85-801e-9abf2d9062c9.jpg?v=1794383417","url":"https:\/\/booksdeli.com\/products\/masters-of-the-longsword-the-marxbruder-in-the-holy-roman-empire-9783982918501","provider":"booksdeli.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}