Paulus Hector Mair
Paulus Hector Mair (1517–1579) was a German civil servant and fencing master from Augsburg. He collected Fechtbücher (combat manuals) and undertook to compile all knowledge of fencing in a compendium surpassing all earlier books. For this, he engaged the painter Jörg Breu the Younger, as well as two experienced fencers, whom he charged with perfecting the techniques before painting illustrations of them.
Paulus Hector Mair
Jörg Breu der Jüngere (died 1547), Paulus Hector Mair (died 1579) · Bayrische Staatsbibliothek Cod. icon. 393 · Public domain
- Born
- 1517. · Augsburg.
- Died
- 1579. · Augsburg.
- Nationality
- Germany.
- Occupation
- writer, fencer, civil servant, chronicler, collector and artist.
- Fields
- central government, chronicle writing, collecting and fencing.
- Languages
- German.
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Paulus Hector Mair (1517–1579) was a German civil servant and fencing master from Augsburg. He collected Fechtbücher (combat manuals) and undertook to compile all knowledge of fencing in a compendium surpassing all earlier books. For this, he engaged the painter Jörg Breu the Younger, as well as two experienced fencers, whom he charged with perfecting the techniques before painting illustrations of them.
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wikidata · Q77358 · wikipedia · Paulus Hector Mair
In this article
Martial arts compendium
Martial arts compendium
The project was very costly; it took four years and, according to Mair, consumed most of his family's income and property. Three versions of his compilation and one manuscript have been preserved. Mair spent huge sums of money on his collections and projects. He also had an expensive lifestyle, frequently hosting receptions for important burghers of Augsburg. His own income was not sufficient for this and for many years, he misappropriated funds from the city treasury, the supervision of which he had been entrusted since 1541. Mair's embezzlements were discovered in 1579 and he was hanged as a thief at the age of 62.
Paulus Hector Mair compiled a voluminous, encyclopedic compendium of the martial arts of his time, collected in 16 books in two volumes. The book was titled Ars Athletica: A Compendium of Renaissance German Martial Arts. The compendium survives in three manuscript copies. The subject matter is: Volume 1: German longsword Dussack (backsword) Staff Pike Halberd Fighting with the scythe Fighting with the sickle. Unarmed combat (wrestling) Volume 2: Dagger Spanish rapier Battle axe Joust, mounted combat for sport Tournament history and rules Judicial combat Mounted combat, serious (self-defense) Fencing in plate armour (shield, spear, longsword)
Manuscripts
Manuscripts
Three copies of the compendium, in two volumes each: German version: Saxon State and University Library, Dresden, Mscr. Dresd. C 93/94, after 1542, two volumes, 244+328 folia. online facsimile: Digital Collections of the SLUB Dresden Latin version: Bavarian state library, München cod. icon 393, after 1542, two volumes, 309+303 folia. This is the most luxurious production of Mair's, and he sold it to Duke Albert V. of Bavaria, allegedly for 800 fl., in 1567 (online facsimiles: De arte athletica Tome I, De arte athletica Tome II, daten.digitale-sammlungen.de Bilingual Latin-German version: Austrian national library, Vienna, Codex Vindobensis 10825/26 after 1542, two volumes, 270+343 folia. Online facsimiles: microfilm scans (thearma.org) Jörg Breu Sketchbook (Cod.I.6.2°.4), Augsburg city archive, Schätze B2 Reichsstadt, 1553, 110 folia, illustrated by Heinrich Vogtherr, based material acquired from Anthon Rast of Nürnberg (d. 1549). Online facsimile: media.bibliothek.uni-augsburg.de, gesellschaft-lichtenawers.eu
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1517
Paulus Hector Mair born at Augsburg.
1579
Paulus Hector Mair died at Augsburg.
Primary material
Documents and archives
scholarly publication
- Collecting Martial Art Knowledge on Paper in Early Modern Germany and China: The Examples of Paulus Hector Mair and Qi Jiguang and their Reading in the 21st Century, Martial Arts Studies, 2020
Scholarly · Crossref registry · 2020
- Paulus Hector Mair (cca 1517-1579), Studia Historica Nitriensia, 2016
Scholarly · Crossref registry · 2016
reference work
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q77358: Paulus Hector Mair
Reputable secondary · Wikidata
- “Paulus Hector Mair”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Literature
Knight, David James and Brian Hunt. Polearms of Paulus Hector Mair. Paladin Press, 2008. ISBN 978-1-58160-644-7.
page of Paulus Hector Mair, Mscr. Dresd. C 93 (1540s), German longsword section: fol. 75v: 112: Am schnit mit ainem uberfallen aus der Kron fol. 76r: 113: Die ersten Kampfstuck des langen Schwerts sorry, this image is misnamed. It is not from cod. Winob. 10825, but rather from Mscr. Dresd. C 93. dab (ᛏ) 18:24, 27 Dec 2004 (UTC)
Dbachmann at en.wikipedia · immediate source: http:
Judicial duel between Marshal Wilhelm von Dornsberg and Theodor Haschenacker in the Augsburg wine market (1409). Dornsberg's sword broke early in the duel, but he succeeded to kill Haschenacker with his own sword. Their shields were kept in St. Leonard's Church outside Augsburg until they were destroyed in 1542.
Jörg Breu d. Jüngere (died 1547), Paulus Hector Mair (died 1579) · Bayrische Staatsbibliothek Cod. icon. 393
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