Posta similarities between Spain and Italy

[Motley]

And I understand that 'Posta di Donna'/Guard of the Lady is in the Iberian material as well. How we interpret that information is a whole other thread though.

There you go, another thread for it!

Anyone know if the position described in teh Spanish material is the same, or similar, to the way Fiore dei Liberi holds it? Or it is just a similar name for a different guard?

[Mink]

The one reference to a lady 'something' that I know of is in Figueyredo's Memorial Of the Practice of the Montante:

X.
This rule is called the Lady Guard, presuming that she hides behind your shoulders, and you wish to defend her.

The link to Fiore's posta is less than clear to me, given that this is the name of a rule, i.e. a whole sequence of movements, that do not appear to ever have the blade behind the back (because that's where the lady supposedly stands )

If there are other references I too would like to know about them...

Regards,

[admin]

I'm afraid that I only know what has been said in lectures by Matt Galas and Steve Hick (both members of this forum), so it might be worth prodding them by PM. As far as I understood from the lectures, they do believe that position of the lady is the same/similar in the Iberian material and also of course in Fiore and Vadi (though Fiore and Vadi differ to some extent).

[Steve Reich]

The "Lady Guard" is Figueyredo isn't a position, it's a "rule" -- that is, a series of movements or actions. That is, by "Lady Guard" they mean "how to guard a lady", rather than the "guard of the lady". It's pretty clear in the text. In fact, Figeuyredo never actually names a guard position, instead, he describes them "long form".

For example, instead of using the Iberian version of something nice and sensible, like Coda Lunga Distesa, he'd say, stand with your left leg forward and your sword low and extended behind you.

Steve

[tim_stl]

I'm afraid that I only know what has been said in lectures by Matt Galas and Steve Hick (both members of this forum), so it might be worth prodding them by PM. As far as I understood from the lectures, they do believe that position of the lady is the same/similar in the Iberian material and also of course in Fiore and Vadi (though Fiore and Vadi differ to some extent).

That's news to me. Like Steve Reich said, the guarda dama (lady guard) is a rule, and not a position. So far as we know now, the Spanish didn't really name or describe in detail various positions. La verdadera destreza (LVD) really just had the one. Older Spanish styles, when they talked about postures at all, did so generically, such as the sword low or high, or at either hip or either shoulder. Puerto de hiero (iron door) is one exception, that was named by Pacheco and other LVD authors when talking about the common fencers. It's unclear as to whether that was common in Spanish fencing, adapted from the Italians, used by Italian stylists (LVD authors don't often differentiate, lumping all non-LVD fencers of whatever nationality together), or simply a common natural posture by untrained (or barely trained) swordsmen.


Tim

[admin]

As I said, I am simply relating what I remember (possibly wrongly) from a lecture about 3 years ago. I'll let others elaborate as they wish....

[steve hick]

And I understand that 'Posta di Donna'/Guard of the Lady is in the Iberian material as well. How we interpret that information is a whole other thread though.

There you go, another thread for it!

Anyone know if the position described in teh Spanish material is the same, or similar, to the way Fiore dei Liberi holds it? Or it is just a similar name for a different guard?

The guard of the lady is a "play" and not a position at all, in all three instances. So far we do not have any named posta or guardia from Iberia.

I think the problem was maybe a note or something that came out in the very beginning before we translated the stuff as it is named guarda dama.

Steve