Historical Pedagogy

Sword and Buckler: An Introduction

By HILT Official · Jun 28, 2026 · 8 min read

An introduction to sword and buckler, the oldest documented fighting system in HEMA, and why this beginner-friendly combination is harder to master than it looks.

A Sword in One Hand, a Shield in the Other Sword and buckler is the oldest documented fighting system we have, and it's one of the best places for a new fencer to start. The setup is exactly what it sounds like. A one-handed sword, usually an arming sword, in your dominant hand. A buckler, a small round shield roughly the size of a dinner plate, in the other. Two pieces of steel, both working at once. It looks simple. People glance at it and assume sword and buckler is the beginner toy you graduate out of on your way to the longsword everyone actually came for. That's a mistake, and it's…

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