In this thesis late medieval fight books (1350-1550) are placed in various martial contexts. In chapter 1 a proposal is made for defining the concept of ritual combat and this concept than is...Show moreIn this thesis late medieval fight books (1350-1550) are placed in various martial contexts. In chapter 1 a proposal is made for defining the concept of ritual combat and this concept than is applied to the late medieval period. Three types of ritual combat could be recognised: judicial combat, courtly combat and commoners combat. In chapter 2 a methodology is proposed for both for analysing and reconstructing the combat techniques described fight books, including filming the reconstructions, and a methodology for placing these techniques in the discussed ritual combat forms using ‘dimensions of meaning’. In chapter 3 both methodologies are tested on the two manuscripts of Johannes Lecküchner and demonstrate that his work was intended for the contexts of courtly combat and commoners combat.Show less
