ARMA History

The Original HACA

The ARMA concept grew from an original conception as a loose umbrella organization that would allow various Medieval and Renaissance sword practitioners and students of European arms & armor to train and practice together. ARMA was previously known as HACA - The Historical Armed Combat Association. HACA was originally first conceived around 1991 by Hank Reinhardt, then President of Museum Replicas Limited and a few like-minded associates. His idea was to provide an umbrella organization for individuals seeking some sort of group affiliation to share their common interest in Western swords and historical weaponry. Hank was not concerned with how people organized or what individuals called themselves whenever they got together. All he cared about was the rules they sparred under and the historical and physiological basis for them. He also envisioned a way to provide martial instruction in historical European weaponry. To this end, Hank advertised his newly formed group around a few of his apprentices and long-time associates and then made mention of it in the Museum Replicas Limited catalog. For a small fee interested persons could obtain a membership that included sparring guidelines, networking, and information on future events for certifying weapon proficiencies. Due to various complications, time constraints, and assorted other reasons, Hank was unable to follow through on his ambitious plans. By 1993, after almost a decade of similar prior pursuits and seeing that the unique HACA idea was essentially defunct and going nowhere, long-time sword enthusiast and practitioner John Clements (now ARMA Director) obtained from Hank permission to take over the HACA effort and try to make something out of the concept.  John had begun a mentoring process of sorts with Hank in 1991 and already had been growing increasingly distressed at the emphasis on role-play and fantasy in virtually all practice of Medieval & Renaissance fighting arts.

Determined to bring greater legitimacy and credibility and a serious martial approach to historical Western fighting arts, Clements re-formed the HACA and developed the first small Study Group.   Under the new Affirmations & Study Approach, the HACA was thus reinvented as a club for historical Western martial arts research and practice. By establishing a virtual headquarters online in 1996 as one of the very first historical fencing websites, the HACA was then able provide a haven for similar students and scholars of the sword worldwide. Since then, the HACA’s steady growth has been impressive. The HACA’s contribution to the subject has been significant and its influence notable and many of HACA innovations have become standard for enthusiasts and practitioners. Throughout the 1990’s HACA has been a leading force in the revival of Medieval and Renaissance fighting skills. 

The Transition from HACA to ARMA

In July of 2001 we came to the realization that we had outgrown our HACA label. We determined this subject was richer and more involved than anyone previously believed and we further came to perceive that the emerging historical fencing community itself had grown and–with no changed –in no small way thanks to HACA. When we first took over and reconceived HACA in 1994, we did so as a means of studying the works of the historical masters and resurrecting their arts rather than just creating our own new conceptions.  In that time HACA grew popular, became tremendously successful, and extremely influential in the historical fencing community.  The environment today, seven years later, is a very different landscape as a result, and to continue to advance the subject in this new climate HACA was once again ready to innovate and change the scene: thus, its rebirth as the ARMA!  

ARMA’s conceptualization has been largely influenced by the work of Dr. Sydney Anglo, as presented in his monumental and revolutionary book, The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe (Yale University Press 2000).  As our official advisor, Dr. Anglo has been instrumental in retooling our vision of historical fencing.  His research, along with other recent advances in this subject, has changed the face of fencing and martial arts and had a profound impact on our subject.  HACA was about crusading for serious treatment of arms and armor and recognition of the historical manuals as legitimate sources of study.  Mission Accomplished!  ARMA takes it from here. We felt we had outgrew the HACA identity and came to the decision it was time to refine, expand, and evolve into an even more effective educational organization for the study and practice of Medieval and Renaissance fencing.  HACA referred to “historical” armed combat, yet our focus was specifically on Medieval and Renaissance periods, and it did lead to minor confusion for some. Additionally, HACA referred to “armed” combat and yet we have always included a substantial emphasis on unarmed skills. The historical material on Medieval and Renaissance grappling and wrestling arts increasingly coming to light only underscored this for us. 

Further, as recent research has shown, the connection between Medieval and Renaissance fencing methods is direct and undeniable.  In this subject the ARMA focuses on both Medieval and Renaissance eras and the two ages are not distinctly separable.  Medieval and Renaissance fighting arts are intertwined and historians find it difficult to offer a precise demarcation between them. The fighting arts we study date from at least the 13^th century and show a clear continuity in principles and concepts into the 17th. Indeed, since the vast majority of our source texts are from post 1400, with the only evidence for “Medieval” systems of fencing coming from a mere two earlier texts, the phrase “Renaissance martial arts” is thus actually more fitting and accurate for this subject.  At present, when it comes to actual “Medieval” text sources, only one surviving text from the late 1200s and one from the late 1300s are known in contrast to dozens from the period 1400-1650.

Thus, our new name is not only more accurate but better suited to our function and objective.  We chose the word “Renaissance” in our title specifically because it is doubly appropriate, not only in the sense of the historical period itself, but also the idea of renewal and revival, of reawakening. The word Renaissance, meaning literally “rebirth” or “renewal”, describes the radical and comprehensive changes that took place in European culture during roughly the 14th to 16th centuries. The Renaissance is the name given the great intellectual and cultural movement which occurred in these centuries.  Rebirth was often a key concept in Medieval and Renaissance literature, which spoke of “restoration” and a “reflowering” of civilization.  This is indeed what we are currently witnessing in our subject –an unprecedented resurgence and recovery—a renaissance—in lost knowledge of historical European fighting arts!  

Primary aims of the ARMA are to advance the quality of skill demonstrated with Medieval and Renaissance weaponry, offer authoritative information, and improve the relationship between practitioners and academics in order to improve understanding of these skills. Raising the quality of discourse on the subject of historical European Martial Arts while promoting its serious investigation has always been one of our foremost goals, as has promoting both interest in and advancement of the subject.  In the noise of the Internet, this message has sometimes gotten lost.

We now have within the ARMA three distinct program Branches: Our National Training Program has a two-tier track, one for general enthusiasts of all dispositions, and another for long-term oriented practitioners seeking eventual instructor-level certification.  The Enthusiast track is well suited to casual practitioners, theatrical combatants, LARP gamers, SCA, reenactors, and just anyone.  Plus you will soon see an exciting new Youth Program for those under 16, allowing kids and teens to learn about Medieval and Renaissance history and participate with their very own historical fencing association!  We also have another momentous addition with our new Professional Stage Combat Certification Program –a long-need alternative means of acquiring these specialized skills through workshops emphasizing historical skills and headed by none other than new ARMA Provost, Keith Ducklin, a Senior Fight Interpreter of the Royal Armories and soon to be head of fight interpretation at the Higgins Armory Museum. 

Thus, the ARMA (previously known as the HACA) has re-established itself for individuals to pursue Medieval and Renaissance fighting skills with like-minded colleagues sharing a love for historical European weapons and swordsmanship.  This effort is primarily focused through the ARMA’s system for historical fencing, online historical manuals and translations, Free-Play Guidelines, National Training Program certification curriculum, Online Forum, promotion of new local Study Groups, plus Training Tips, articles, video clips, and new training gear. The future holds exciting possibilities as ARMA attempts to bring greater structure, credibility, and authority to authentic Medieval and Renaissance fencing studies.  Now, more than ever, the ARMA is the cutting edge in the study and practice of Renaissance martial arts. In 2001, we introduced our National Training Program curriculum for certification in historical fencing.