Editing Fencing (section)

==History==
{{main|History of fencing}}
{{See also|History of physical training and fitness}}
[[File:FencingSchoolLeiden1610.jpg|thumb|Fencing School at [[Leiden University]], Netherlands, 1610]]

Fencing traces its roots to the development of swordsmanship for [[duel]]s and [[self-defense|self-defence]]. Described as "high-speed chess", each bout begins and ends with a [[salute]]. Good [[sportsmanship]] and [[honor]] are stressed at every level of training and competition.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wells |first1=Jonathan |title=Fencing: A guide to the Olympics’ most gentlemanly sport |url=https://www.thegentlemansjournal.com/article/fencing-guide-olympics-gentlemanly-sport/ |website=Gentleman's Journal |publisher=Gentleman's Journal |access-date=25 August 2024}}</ref>

The oldest surviving treatise on western fencing is the [[Royal Armouries Ms. I.33]], also known as the Tower manuscript, written {{Circa|1300}} in present-day Germany,<ref name="Rachel E Kellett">{{cite journal |first=Rachel E |last=Kellett |title=Royal Armouries MS I.33: The Judicial Combat And The Art Of Fencing In Thirteenth- And Fourteenth-Century German Literature |journal=Oxford German Studies |volume=41 |issue=1 |year=2012 |doi=10.1179/0078719112Z.0000000003 |pages=32–56|s2cid=161823139 }}</ref> which discusses the usage of the [[arming sword]] together with the [[buckler]]. It was followed by a number of treatises, primarily from Germany and Italy, with the oldest surviving Italian treatise being ''Fior di Battaglia'' by [[Fiore dei Liberi]], written {{Circa|1400}}. However, because they were written for the context of a knightly duel with a primary focus on archaic weapons such as the arming sword, [[longsword]], or [[poleaxe]], these older treatises do not really stand in continuity with modern fencing.

From the 16th century onward, the Italian school of fencing would be dominated by the Bolognese or Dardi-School of fencing, named after its founder, Filippo Dardi, a Bolognese fencing master and Professor of Geometry at the University of Bologna. Unlike the previous traditions, the Bolognese school would primarily focus on the [[sidesword]] being either used alone or in combination with a buckler, a cape, a [[parrying dagger]], or dual-wielded with another sidesword, though some Bolognese masters, such as [[Achille Marozzo]], would still cover the usage of the two-handed [[greatsword]] or spadone. The Bolognese school would eventually spread outside of Italy and lay the foundation for modern fencing, eclipsing both older Italian and German traditions. This was partially due to the German schools' focus on archaic weapons such as the longsword, but also due to a general decline in fencing within Germany.

The mechanics of modern fencing originated in the 18th century in an Italian school of fencing of the Renaissance, and under their influence, were improved by the French school of fencing.<ref name="www.fencing.net intro2">[http://www.fencing.net/intro2.html Fencing Online] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929004425/http://www.fencing.net/intro2.html |date=2011-09-29 }}. Fencing.net. Retrieved on 2012-05-16.</ref><ref>[http://library.thinkquest.org/15340/historyessay.html A History of Fencing] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120906143821/http://library.thinkquest.org/15340/historyessay.html |date=2012-09-06 }}. Library.thinkquest.org. Retrieved on 2012-05-16.</ref> The Spanish school of fencing stagnated and was replaced by the Italian and French schools.

===Development into a sport===
The shift towards fencing as a sport rather than as military training happened from the mid-18th century, and was led by [[Domenico Angelo]], who established a fencing academy, Angelo's School of Arms, in [[Carlisle House, Soho#Carlisle House, Carlisle Street|Carlisle House]], [[Soho]], [[London]] in 1763.<ref>F.H.W. Sheppard, ed. ''Survey of London'' volume 33 ''The Parish of St. Anne, Soho (north of Shaftesbury Avenue)'', [[London County Council]], London: University of London, 1966, pp. 143&ndash;48, [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=41071 online at British History Online].</ref> There, he taught the [[aristocracy]] the fashionable art of [[swordsmanship]]. His school was run by three generations of his family and dominated the art of European fencing for almost a century.
<ref name="Evangelista">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TyJ8ebnS1HMC|title=The Encyclopedia of the Sword|author=Nick Evangelista|year=1995|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|pages=20–23|isbn=9780313278969}}</ref>

[[File:Angelo Domenico Malevolti Fencing Print, 1763.JPG|thumb|upright=1.65|left|1763 fencing print from [[Domenico Angelo]]'s instruction book. Angelo was instrumental in turning fencing into an athletic sport.]]
He established the essential rules of [[List of human positions|posture]] and [[Footwork (martial arts)|footwork]] that still govern modern sport fencing, although his attacking and [[Parry (fencing)|parry]]ing methods were still much different from current practice. Although he intended to prepare his students for real combat, he was the first fencing master to emphasise the [[health]] and sporting benefits of fencing more than its use as a killing art, particularly in his influential book ''L'École des armes'' (''The School of Fencing''), published in 1763.<ref name="Evangelista"/>

Basic conventions were collated and set down during the 1880s by the French fencing master Camille Prévost. It was during this time that many officially recognised fencing associations began to appear in different parts of the world, such as the [[Amateur Fencers League of America]] was founded in 1891, the Amateur Fencing Association of Great Britain in 1902, and the Fédération Nationale des Sociétés d’Escrime et Salles d’Armes de France in 1906.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/sports/fencing|title=Fencing|date=28 February 2024 }}</ref>

The first regularised fencing competition was held at the inaugural [[Royal Tournament|Grand Military Tournament and Assault at Arms]] in 1880, held at the [[Royal Agricultural Hall]], in [[Islington]] in June. The Tournament featured a series of competitions between [[British Army|army]] officers and soldiers. Each bout was fought for five hits and the foils were pointed with black to aid the judges.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fencingmuseum.com/Large/2013/2013-01-latest-Essay.htm|title=The development of fencing weapons |author=Malcolm Fare}}</ref> The [[British Gymnastics|Amateur Gymnastic & Fencing Association]] drew up an official set of fencing regulations in 1896.

Fencing was part of the Olympic Games in the [[Fencing at the 1896 Summer Olympics|summer of 1896]]. Sabre events have been held at every [[Summer Olympics]]; foil events have been held at every Summer Olympics except 1908; épée events have been held at every Summer Olympics except in the [[1896 Summer Olympics|summer of 1896]] because of unknown reasons.

Starting with épée in 1933, side judges were replaced by the Laurent-Pagan electrical scoring apparatus,<ref>Alaux, Michel. ''Modern Fencing: Foil, Épée, and Sabre''. Scribner's, 1975, p. 83.</ref> with an audible tone and a red or green light indicating when a touch landed. Foil was automated in 1956, sabre in 1988. The scoring box reduced the bias in judging, and permitted more accurate scoring of faster actions, lighter touches, and more touches to the back and flank than before.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/fencing-equipment3.htm|title=How Fencing Equipment Works|last=Freudenrich|first=Craig|date=2000-09-21|website=How Stuff Works}}</ref>