| Swordfighting as sport has existed since | | | | Cutting swords had been used in |
| ancient Egypt, and has been practiced in | | | | bloodsports such as backsword |
| many forms in various cultures since | | | | prizefights at least as far back as the |
| then. Although jousting and tournament | | | | 17th century. Broadswords, sabres, and |
| combat was a popular sport in the | | | | cutlasses were used extensively in |
| European middle ages, modern FIE fencing | | | | military circles, especially by cavalry |
| owes more to unarmoured dueling forms | | | | and naval personell, and saw some |
| that evolved from 16th century rapier | | | | dueling application in these circles as |
| combat. Rapiers evolved from | | | | well. |
| cut-and-thrust military swords, but were | | | | Training was performed with wooden |
| most popular amongst civilians who used | | | | weapons, and stick fighting remained |
| it for self-defence and dueling. Rapiers | | | | popular until Italian masters formalized |
| were edged, but the primary means of | | | | sabre fencing into a non-fatal sporting/ |
| attack was the thrust. Rapier fencing | | | | training form with metal weapons in the |
| spread from Spain and Italy to northwest | | | | late 19th century. Early sport sabres |
| Europe, in spite of the objections of | | | | were significantly heavier than the |
| masters such as George Silver who | | | | modern sport sabre and necessitated a |
| preferred traditional cutting weapons | | | | strong style with the use of moulinets |
| such the English broad sword. | | | | and other bold movements. As with |
| The Spanish school, under masters such | | | | thrusting swords, the sabre evolved to |
| as Narvaez and Thibault, became a | | | | lighter, less fatal dueling forms such |
| complicated and mystical affair whose | | | | as the Italian sciabola di terro and the |
| geometrical theories required much | | | | German schlager. Hungarian masters |
| practice to master. Italian masters like | | | | developed a new school of sabre fencing |
| Agrippa and Capo Ferro developed a more | | | | that emphasized finger control over arm |
| pragmatic school in the late 16th and | | | | strength, and they dominated sabre |
| early 17th centuries, introducing | | | | fencing for most of the 20th century. |
| innovations such as linear fencing and | | | | Dueling faded away after the First World |
| the lunge. | | | | War. A couple of noteworthy duels were |
| By the 18th century, the rapier had | | | | fought over disputes that arose during |
| evolved to a simpler, shorter, and | | | | Olympic games in the 1920s, and there |
| lighter design that was popularized in | | | | have been rare reports of sword duels |
| France as the small sword. Although the | | | | since then. In October 1997, the Mayor |
| small sword often had an edge, it was | | | | of Calabria, Italy, publicly challenged |
| only to discourage the opponent from | | | | certain Mafiosos to a duel. German |
| grabbing the blade, and the weapon was | | | | fraternity dueling (mensur) still occurs |
| used exclusively for thrusting. The | | | | with some frequency. |
| light weight made a more complex and | | | | The first modern Olympic games featured |
| defensive style possible, and the French | | | | foil and sabre fencing for men only. |
| masters developed a school based on | | | | Epee was introduced in 1900. Single |
| defence with the sword, subtlety of | | | | stick was featured in the 1904 games. |
| movement, and complex attacks. When | | | | Epee was electrified in the 1936 games, |
| buttoned with a leather safety tip that | | | | foil in 1956, and sabre in 1988. Early |
| resembled a flower bud, the small sword | | | | Olympic games featured events for |
| was known as le fleuret, and was | | | | Masters, and until recently fencing was |
| identical in use to the modern foil | | | | the only Olympic sport that has included |
| (still known as le fleuret in French). | | | | professionals. Disruptions in prevailing |
| Indeed, the French small sword school | | | | styles have accompanied the introduction |
| forms the basis of most of modern | | | | of electric judging, most recently |
| fencing theory. | | | | transforming sabre fencing. Foil fencing |
| By the mid-19th century, dueling was in | | | | experienced similar upheavals for a |
| decline as a means of settling disputes, | | | | decade or two following the introduction |
| partially because victory could lead to | | | | of electric judging, which was further |
| a jail term for assault or manslaughter. | | | | complicated by the new, aggressive, |
| Emphasis shifted to defeating the | | | | athletic style coming out of eastern |
| opponent without necessarily killing | | | | Europe at the time. |
| him, and less fatal dueling forms | | | | Women’s foil was first contested in |
| evolved using the dueling sword, or epee | | | | the 1924 Olympic games, and Women’s |
| de terrain, an unedged variant of the | | | | epee was only contested for the first |
| small sword. Later duels often ended | | | | time in 1996, although it has been part |
| with crippling thrusts to the arm or | | | | of the World Championships since 1989. |
| leg, and fewer legal difficulties for | | | | Women’s sabre made its first |
| the participants. This is the basis of | | | | appearance in the 1998 World |
| modern epee fencing. | | | | Championships as a demonstration sport. |