Forming and Understanding the Guards of Coda Lunga Stretta and Porta di Ferro Stretta

By Steven Reich Thanks to Michael Edelson, Julia Purviance, and Keith Myers for reviewing and editing. One of the hallmarks of 16th century Bolognese swordsmanship is the wide range of guards described and utilized in the material. Depending upon the source and the manner of differentiating the guards, the primary sources describe from ten to more than twenty. However, the core of the system is founded upon the left-foot-forward and right-foot-forward versions of two guards: Coda Lunga Stretta and Porta di Ferro Stretta. The key differences between these two guards are not always clear to students of this system and to many they seem to be very similar with only a minor variation in the position of the sword-hand. However, the differences are deeper than just the hand-position, and they have important tactical and mechanical implications for executing the actions described in the treatises. By reading the five sources which describe these guards (Antonio Manciolino, Achille Marozzo, the Anonimo Bolognese, Giovanni dallAgocchie, and Angelo Viggiani) and the sources that provide figures for them (Achille Marozzo, and Angelo Viggiani), we can get a clear picture of how to form each of these guards. First, let us look at how to form the right-foot-forward version of each of these guards. Here is how we form Porta di Ferro Stretta. Stand with your feet rather far apart (what the authors call a Grande Passo or Great Step) with your front foot pointed at your opponent and your rear foot turned obliquely to the left. Your heels can line up or your rear foot can be a little to your inside as you deem more comfortable when you position the rest of your body. Your right shoulder should be turned toward your opponent so that your body is somewhat in profile. Your sword-arm should be straight so that your sword-hand is either directly above or a little to the inside (to the left) of your right knee and lower than your right hip. If you have a buckler, you should hold it forward so that it defends your head, but without extending your arm so much that you turn your left shoulder forward or feel strain in your left arm or shoulder. If you do not have a buckler or companion weapon in your left hand, then put your left hand in the small of your back or hold it behind you (as illustrated in the figure below on the right).

Two Variations of Porta di Ferro Stretta

Now we will form Coda Lunga Stretta. Set yourself with your feet in a large step (perhaps a little closer together than in Porta di Ferro Stretta, but not much so), and your right foot either directly forward or somewhat obliquely to your right. Your left foot should be turned a little sideways, but your heels should not be in line as they were in Porta di Ferro Stretta. Your body should be square to your opponent, 1

although it may be turned at little one way or the other depending upon whether or not you have a companion weapon in your left hand. Extend your sword-arm with your sword-hand a little to the outside of your right knee at around the height of your waist. If you have a buckler, hold it directly forward with your left arm fully extended at your opponent; this will tend to draw your left shoulder forward of your right shoulder. If you do not have a buckler or companion weapon in your left hand, then put your left hand at the small of your back (this might draw your left shoulder back a little behind your right shoulder). Alternatively, if you do not have a companion weapon, you can hold your left hand as illustrated in figure below on the right, understanding that such a position offers your hand as a target to an attack.

Two Variations of Coda Lunga Stretta, Right Foot Forward

In forming these two guards, it might seem that they are rather similar positions. In fact, some treatises (e.g. Giacomo di Grassi) would treat them as the same guard since there is little difference in the position of the sword from one to the other. However, there are a few important differences once we consider more than just the position of the sword. When forming Porta di Ferro Stretta, you hold the body somewhat profiled, but when forming Coda Lunga Stretta, it will be nearly square to the opponent. Also, note how much more extended the buckler-arm is in Coda Lunga Stretta; this is because the left shoulder is farther forward than it is in Porta di Ferro Stretta. There are important reasons for these differences, but first we will look at the left-foot-forward version of each of these guards.

Porta di Ferro Stretta and Coda Lunga Stretta, Right Foot Forward

To form the left-foot-forward version of Coda Lunga Stretta (which Manciolino, Marozzo, and DallAgocchie name as Coda Lunga Alta), set yourself in the right -foot-forward version of this guard as instructed above. Then maintain the position of your hands, arms, and shoulders and pass directly forward with your left foot. Note how the upper and lower parts of your body are now in concordance; your left shoulder is turned forward, and with your left leg forward, your hips are turned to the same orientation.

Coda Lunga Stretta, Right Foot Forward and Coda Lunga Stretta, Left Foot Forward

Now we form the left-foot-forward version of Porta di Ferro Stretta, which is called Cinghiara Porta di Ferro Stretta. Once again, we must maintain the same position of our upper body as we have in the rightfoot-forward version of this guard. From Porta di Ferro Stretta, if you attempt to maintain the turn of your upper body with the characteristic turn to the right as you pass directly forward with your left foot, you will see that the upper and lower parts of your body are in discordance; each is turned the opposite direction of the other. Therefore, instead of passing directly forward, you will pass obliquely to your left so that your left foot turns outward. However, in the case that your left foot is nearly directly forward of your right foot, your left foot should still turn obliquely outward. (In the image below, the left foot is almost directly forward of the right foot; however, most of the texts describe an oblique step when forming this guard). In any case, the resulting position should maintain the turn of your upper body, but with your sword-hand just inside or in front of your left knee.

Porta di Ferro Stretta and Cinghiara Porta di Ferro Stretta

In forming each of the guards with either foot forward, you should have noticed that the position of the upper body in a particular guard remains the same, regardless of which foot is forward. Conversely, you might have noticed that the primary difference between either form of Coda Lunga Stretta and either form of Porta di Ferro Stretta is not so much the position of the sword-hand (although that is different) as it is the turn of the upper body and how that affects the lower body. Therefore, we should think of Coda Lunga Stretta as a primarily square or left-side-forward position and Porta di Ferro Stretta as a right-sideforward position. Now that you know how to correctly form each of these guards, let us consider why each of them is formed the way it is. To do that, we must consider the mechanics of the cut. To correctly execute a cut, it must be powered by more than just the arms so that you involve the whole body in generating the power. In Bolognese swordsmanship, this is accomplished by turning your hips in the direction of the cut. Keeping that in mind, consider that DallAgocchie tells us that the ending guard of a Mandritto is a Porta di Ferro guard and the ending guard of a Riverso is a Coda Lunga guard. While the hand positions of each of these guards matches the ending position of the cut, the position of the hips is every bit as important as the position of the hand and arm. Now we can see why we form the two discordant guardsCoda Lunga Stretta, Right Foot Forward and Cinghiara Porta di Ferro Stretta with the front foot turned outward and usually in an oblique step. In order to allow the hips to turn with the cut when the wrong foot is forward, you must turn the front foot outward. Additionally, stepping obliquely in the direction of the cut helps your body to turn in that direction to better power the cut. There is one thing you should have noticed if you formed Porta di Ferro Stretta or Cinghiara Porta di Ferro Stretta with a buckler in your left hand: it was difficult or uncomfortable to fully extend your left arm or that if you did fully extend it, you would tend to bring your left shoulder forward. Notice that in the images for these two guards, the buckler is not held at arms length; this is necessary in order to maintain the turn or the body without straining the left shoulder. In the case of other companion weapons such as the dagger, the position of each weapon is given as a guard. If you look at the position of the body, you will find that the correct body position is maintained relative to each weapon. For example, if you assume a guard where your sword is in Coda Lunga Stretta, Left Foot Forward and your dagger is in Porta di Ferro Stretta, you will turn your left shoulder toward your opponent with your dagger over or just inside your left knee. Alternatively, if you assume a guard where your sword is in Guardia di Lioncorno and your dagger is in Cinghiara Porta di Ferro Stretta, you will set yourself with your right foot forward in an oblique step, turning the left side your upper body in profile.

Two guards for Sword and Dagger with the dagger in Porta di Ferro Stretta (L) and Cinghiara Porta di Ferro Stretta (R)

Up to this point, we have only discussed the Stretta versions of Coda Lunga and Porta di Ferro. However, all of the instructions apply equally to the Larga versions where the point is downward at the ground and the Alta versions where the sword -hand is higher than in the Stretta version. The rules for the position of your body and feet for Coda Lunga Larga are identical to those for Coda Lunga Stretta; only the position of your sword-hand and sword-arm will vary. While an in-depth discussion of cutting is beyond the scope of this article, we can briefly consider how the variations of the two guards arise from the paths of their respective cuts. The Stretta ver sions of the guards are the ending positions of half-cuts. It is proper to say that each form of Coda Lunga Stretta is the ending position of a Mezzo Riverso (Half Riverso) and that Porta di Ferro Stretta and Cinghiara Porta di Ferro Stretta are each the ending position of a Mezzo Mandritto (Half Mandritto). In addition, we have Alta versions of the guards which would be considered ending positions of half -cuts completed with the sword-hand higher and the sword-arm extended forward (rather like the Longpoint guards found in longsword traditions). The Larga versions are the ending positions of full cuts; for example, Porta di Ferro Larga is the ending position of a full Mandritto. Finally, there are guards which are the ending positions of cuts that you execute so that the sword continues its motion until it turns to point behind you. Coda Lunga Lunga (Marozzo and DallAgocchie name this guard Coda Lunga Distesa) is the ending position of a Riverso delivered in this way. However, the ending position of a Mandritto delivered so that it finishes with the point directed backwards is not a form of Porta di Ferro. Instead, it is called Guardia di Sotto Braccio if your sword-arm is below your buckler-arm or Guardia di Sopra Braccio, if your swordarm is above your buckler-arm. When either of these two guards is the ending position of a Mandritto, you apply the same rules of body position as you use for Porta di Ferro. Now that we have looked closely at the form of the primary guards of the Bolognese system, you should have a general idea of what to consider when forming any of the other guards I did not cover. Beyond just the position of the sword and sword-arm, a guard is a position of the whole body with mechanical and tactical attributes and implications; be sure to pay attention to all of these considerations when looking at the figures and reading the descriptions of the guards in the original sources. When looking at the figures and reading the descriptions for other guards of the Bolognese system, do not only consider the position of your sword; instead, pay close attention to how you position all of the parts of your body.

A Note about Terminology

In this article, I used the naming conventions of the Anonimo Bolognese for the guards, although in a few places I give alternative names for the guards when they exist. Readers who are more familiar with Marozzos nomenclature should substitute Coda Lunga Alta in pla ce of Coda Lunga Stretta, Left Foot Forward and Coda Lunga Distesa in place of Coda Lunga Lunga. Additionally, the guard of Coda Lunga Alta as used in the Anonimo Bolognese does not have a direct analog in Marozzo. However, it is simple to form: from Coda Lunga Stretta, you merely extend your sword-arm until your sword-hand is at about the height of your shoulder while keeping your point directed at your opponent.

Coda Lunga Stretta, Right Foot Forward

Coda Lunga Stretta, Left Foot Forward

Porta di Ferro Stretta

Cinghiara Porta di Ferro Stretta