Ars Gladii is a martial arts school devoted to the research, reconstruction, practice, and promotion of historical European Martial Arts. Specifically, we currently concentrate on several Medieval manuals written in Germany between the early 14th century and the late 15th-early 16th centuries. The group operates out of the Detroit Metro area.

What are Historical European Martial Arts?

Thanks to Hollywood, many people associate the martial arts with Asia and the East. European warriors, especially those of the Medieval period, are shown often times lumbering around in what seems to be tons of armor, madly crashing through anything in their path. Their main combat tactic seems to be "Hit Hard, Hit Often, Hit Wherever." Combine this with numerous inaccuracies promoted by various "historical" or "educational" cable outlets and the medieval knight is seen as nothing more than a directionless, unrefined tank that swings his 15 lb. sword with wild abandon. The concept of knights having a refined, systematic method of fighting similar to those that have come out of the East is a very hard one to match up with the picture we are shown through the media of the knight. Where there brutes in Medieval times? Most probably, just as there were probably brutes in China and as there are brutes in today martial communities. Was this the whole picture? No.

European martial arts have no "unbroken lineage" as can (sometimes) be claimed by Eastern martial artists. Only certain aspects of the Medieval martial experience has survived to this day, and these aspects are so far removed from the actual fighting methodology of the Medieval warrior as to be no more than martial commonalities common to almost all fighting systems. Instead, European (also called Western Martial Arts or WMA) martial arts are primarily reconstructed arts, that is they have been arrived at through research and experamentation based upon contemporary written works and extrapolation from existing arts and other martial systems. Numerous period manuscripts exist that depict through both the written word and/or images the use of a wide variety of weapons. It is from these that we take the majority of our material from.

What "styles" do you work with?

Within the body of manuscripts available currently, there appears to be several "lineages" or "traditions" that can be codified, though this codification is most probably an anachronism. These "traditions" usually refer to a body of common techniques, passages, terms, or other such technical information that is shared between two or more manuscripts or "authors" [the actual authors of several manuscripts is often unknown, or if the author is known, it is uncertain whether they were the sole author or even the creator of the work contained in the manuscript - this is a historiographical point that affects researchers more than practitioners]. These traditions are also sometimes referred by the geographical area or language used in the manuscripts. AG concentrates on sources that came out of Germany and specifically those that share a common heritage with the master Johannes Liechtenauer. See the About AG section for more information on the specific sources we use.

Are you a re-enactment group?

No, Ars Gladii is not a re-enactment group or a Living History group in that we do not create personas or work to represent life in the Middle Ages. Our focus is wholly martial and practical. However, we are available to present on historical topics that concern the personal use of arms in the late Medieval period. Included in these presentations are demonstrations done with an eye towards as much historical accuracy as possible. Contact us through our Contact page for more information.

How can I join? How much does it cost? When are classes?

Anyone over the age of 18 in good physical condition can join and participate. Membership and classes in AG currently do not cost anything. If we ever find a new site, a fee may be implemented to cover the cost of the site. You must, however, provide your own equipment. We do have "loaner" gear available for those who wish to see what the WMA is all about, but we do ask for you to work towards having your own gear after you make the decision to stay with the group. See About AG for a list of equipment used. You can find a schedule of classes here.