Editing Savate (section)

==History==

The modern formalized form is mainly an amalgam of French [[street fighting]] techniques from the beginning of the 19th century. Savate was then a type of street fighting common in Paris and northern France.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v32oHSE5t6cC&pg=PA519 |title=Martial Arts of the World: R-Z|isbn=9781576071502|access-date=10 January 2015|last1=Green|first1=Thomas A.|year=2001|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X9kDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA98 |title=Black Belt September 1997|date=September 1997|access-date=10 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hdsDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA70 |title=Black Belt November 2004|date=November 2004|access-date=10 January 2015}}</ref>

According to one theory, in the time of [[Napoleon Bonaparte]], his soldiers publicly displayed their "aptitudes" by kicking their prisoners' behinds. The punishment was known as “Savate”, which can be translated as “old shoe”.<ref name="Chausson/Savate"/>

===Origin===

Savate originated in France in the 17th century and was practiced by some [[sailor]]s in the southern port of [[Marseille]]. According to historians, it was developed and learned by sailors on board the ships during their trips to the countries of the [[Indian Ocean]] and [[China Seas]].<ref name="Chausson/Savate">{{Cite web|url=https://www.efdeportes.com/efd158/o-chausson-savate-influenciou-a-capoeira.htm|title=Crônica da capoeira (GEM). O 'Chausson/Savate' influenciou a capoeira?|website=www.efdeportes.com}}</ref> Subsequently, in every bar fight in French ports, it was common to see savate kicks. Sailors called this type of combat "Chausson", in reference to the slippers normally worn on board.<ref name="Chausson/Savate"/> 

Contact with African and Brazilian fighting styles also occurred through interaction between French sailors and martial arts practitioners in the country's colonial holdings. French naval ships between 1820 and 1833 travelled from France to ports in Brazil ([[Capoeira]]), [[Martinique]] ([[Danmyé]]) and Madagascar ([[Moraingy]]).<ref name="Chausson/Savate"/>

===Early history===
[[File:Savate (colorized).jpg|thumb|Illustration from [[1847]] of French sailors practicing savate on a ship.]]
[[File:Bleu a la savate.jpg|thumb|Savate illustration from the 19th century, showing a kick similar to a ''[[rabo de arraia]]'' in capoeira.]]

In the south, especially in the port of [[Marseille]], sailors developed a fighting style involving high kicks and open-handed slaps. It is conjectured that this kicking style was developed in this way to allow the fighter to use a hand to hold onto something for balance on a rocking ship's deck, and that the kicks and slaps were used on land to avoid the legal penalties for using a closed fist, which was considered a [[deadly weapon]] under the law. It was known as the ''jeu marseillais'' (game from Marseille), and was later renamed ''chausson'' ([[slipper]], after the type of shoes the sailors wore). In contrast, at this time in England (the home of [[boxing]] and the [[Marquess of Queensberry rules|Queensberry rules]]), kicking was seen as unsportsmanlike.

Traditional savate was a northern French development, especially in Paris' slums, and always used heavy shoes and boots derived from its potential military origins. Street fighting savate, unlike chausson, kept the kicks low, almost never targeted above the groin, and they were delivered with vicious, bone-breaking intent. Parisian savate also featured open hand blows, in thrusting or smashing palm strikes (la baffe) or in stunning slaps targeted to facial nerves. Techniques of savate or chausson were at this time also developed in the ports of northwest Italy and northeastern Spain—hence one savate kick named the "Italian kick" (''chassé italien'').

=== Reform ===

The two key historical figures in the history of the shift from street fighting to the modern sport of savate are [[Michel Casseux]] (also known as ''le Pisseux'')<ref>Thomas A. Green, ''Martial Arts of the World'', ABC-CLIO, 2001, p.519</ref> (1794–1869) and [[Charles Lecour]] (1808–1894). Casseux opened the first establishment in 1825 for practicing and promoting a regulated version of chausson and savate (disallowing head butting, eye gouging, grappling, etc.).

However, the sport had not shaken its reputation as a street-fighting technique. 
Charles Lecour created a modern edition of the martial art by 1830.  Charles Lecour incorporated boxing techniques with kicking techniques and showed how to use them together.  He was the first to see savate as both a sport and self-defense system.  Charles Lecour was the first to add English [[boxing gloves]] to the martial art which allowed his students to train their punches without injuring their hands.<ref>Coleman, J. (1982, February). The Fighting Sport of France. Black Belt, 28-32.</ref>

Charles Lecour was exposed to the English art of boxing when he witnessed an English boxing match in France between English pugilist [[Owen Swift]] and Jack Adams in 1838.<ref>''Savate – Canne – Baton au fil des siècle:  la vérifiable histoire de la boxe française'' and Swift's own biography in ''The Handbook To Boxing'' by Renton Nicholson, London 1840.</ref>  Lecour also took part in a friendly sparring match with Swift later in that same year. Lecour felt that he was at a disadvantage, using his hands only to bat his opponent's fists away, rather than to punch. He trained in boxing for a time before combining boxing with chausson and savate to create the sport of savate (or ''boxe française'', as we know it today). At some point ''[[Canne de combat|la canne]]'' and ''[[Bâton français|le baton]]'', [[stick fighting]], were added, and some form of stick fencing, such as ''la canne'', is commonly part of savate training. Those who train purely for competition may omit this. Savate was developed professionally by Lecour's student [[Joseph Charlemont]] and then his son [[Charles Charlemont]]. Charles continued his father's work and in 1899 fought an English boxer named [[Jerry Driscoll (boxer)|Jerry Driscoll]]. He won the match with a round-kick (''fouetté median'') in the eighth round although the English said that it was a kick to the groin. According to the well known English referee, Bernard John Angle of the National Sporting Club, in his book ''My Sporting Memories'' (London, 1925), "Driscoll did not know what he was taking on" when he agreed "to meet the Frenchman at his own game". Angle also said that, "The contest ended in Jerry being counted out to a blow in the groin from the Frenchman's knee." He further alleged that "the timekeeper saved Charlemont several times". After the fight Driscoll bore no grudges, considering the blow to have been "an accident". The French claimed victory for their man by stoppage, following a round-kick to Driscoll's stomach.

=== Codification ===
[[File:Boxe-francaise.jpg|thumb|alt=19th century picture of boxe française|French boxing "tireurs" in 1900]]
Savate was later codified under a Committee National de Boxe Française under [[Charles Charlemont]]'s student [[Pierre Baruzy|Count Pierre Baruzy]] (dit [[Barozzi]]). The Count is seen as the father of modern savate and was 11-time Champion of France and its colonies, his first ring combat and title prior to the [[First World War]]. ''Savate de Défense'', ''Défense Savate'' or ''Savate de Rue'' ("street savate") is the name given to those methods of fighting excluded from savate competition. The International Savate Federation (FIS) is the official worldwide ruling body of savate.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X9kDAAAAMBAJ&dq=savate+revival&pg=PA98|title = Black Belt|date = September 1997}}</ref>

Perhaps the ultimate recognition of the respectability of savate came in 1924 when it was included as a [[demonstration sport]] in the [[1924 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games in Paris]]. In 2008, savate was recognised by the [[International University Sports Federation]] (FISU) – this recognition allows savate to hold official University World Championships; the first was held in [[Nantes]], France in 2010. The 25th anniversary of the founding of the International Savate Federation, in March 2010, was celebrated with a visit to [[Lausanne]], to meet with [[International Olympic Committee]] President [[Jacques Rogge]]. FISav President Gilles Le Duigou was presented with a memento depicting the [[Olympic Rings]]. In April 2010, the International Savate Federation was accepted as a member of SportAccord (previously known as AGFIS) – a big step forward on the road to Olympic recognition.