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Come for the sword, stay for the fun.
Ludolph van Ceulen – Schermschoole voor studenten aan den Leidsche Universiteit
Welcome
Welcome to the official page of “Ludolph van Ceulen” Schermschoole der studente aan den Leidsche Universiteit (Fencing school for students of the University of Leiden). We give lessons in Historical European Martial arts based on historical sources and archeological research. Although our club has been founded by students of Leiden University, our club is open to everyone over the age of 18.
What weapons do we focus on?
- Langes Messer
- Pikes, Halberds and other Polearms
- British Military Swordsmanship (Sabre, Spadroon & Broadsword)
- Klewang & Carbine
- Dagger
What is HEMA?
Europe has a long standing tradition of martial arts which is in no way less impressive than the popular oriental martial arts. The arts practised in Europe have been used for many different purposes- such as fighting battles, settling personal disputes, self- protection or as a part of education of a well- born citizen.
Parts of those traditions has unfortunately been forgotten over the course of time, however, several manuscripts and books have been handed down to us. These works were written by the masters of their disciplines, and here at Ludolph van Ceulen, we aim to revive those traditions and practise side to side with the spirits of the long- gone masters of fencing.
Our training is based on historical sources and we fight using historically accurate steel weapons (with blunt edges) and their safe training replicas.
Even though H.E.M.A. is based on historical sources, it has a modern spirit. Practitioners wear protective clothing which meet contemporary standards, and use a modern version of the pre-1950 CE weapons. This is the reason why H.E.M.A differs from re-enactment; the latter is not only focused on historically accurate, yet safe weapons, but also on historically accurate clothing and gear.
Training
We train every Monday and Thursday between 8 pm and 10 pm. The trainings are freeform sessions where you
are free to study and practise whatever source you’d like. Besides sparring with our club’s main weapons, we practise and spar with other weapons too like spear, montante, rapier, sword and shield, and much more under the supervision of our instructors. Whilst these trainings are free sessions, oftentimes there will be studygroups working to study a weapon together.
The training sessions are conducted in Dutch and English.
The address is as follows:
Basisschool Lucas van Leyden
Sint Ursulasteeg 28
2312 XA Leiden
First training is for free!
If you would like to join us, send us an email to info@ludolphvanceulen.com
or use the contact form on the website.
Our amazing Instructors
Oskar ter Mors
Langes Messer
Oskar has been practising H.E.M.A. since 2009, seeking a past-time that would unite his love of history and his wish to learn martial arts. Although he practices multiple weapons and systems, he is most at home when wielding a Langes Messer or a longsword. When teaching from Lecküchner’s Langes Messer system, Oskar focuses on historical context, form and the application of principles.
Dirk Schut
Dagger
Dirk started doing HEMA in 2017, swinging longsword and doing stuns. He would eventually go on to join HSSV Ludolph van Ceulen where he started doing dagger and grappling. These days, Dirk teaches inventive old ways to stab and bend people into pretzels, as Fiore dei Liberi has shown in Fior di Battaglia. Dirk considers the most important thing in fencing to be: having fun.
Our Board Members
Laurens Feijten
Praeses
Laurens has been involved in Medieval Re-enactment since 2002. Initially training with a group that both did HEMA and re-enactment, he focussed on Late Medieval fighting styles such as sword and shield, polearm and pike. In 2015 he joined Ludolph van Ceulen and has since then also tried other styles of fencing.
Alette Farzad
Treasurer
Alette joined Ludolph van Ceulen in 2020, never having done HEMA before. Ever since however, she’s been extremely passionate about both the sport and the club, and has since late 2021 been functioning as the club’s Treasurer. Her main weapons of choice are Langes Messer and Pike, but she doesn’t shy away from branching out to other weapons such as dagger and smallsword.
Yvonne Dijksterhuis
Secretary
Yvonne has been a member of Ludolph van Ceulen since 2022, and joined us as a member of the board in August 2023. Whilst still finding her footing in the HEMA world, she’s so far thoroughly been enjoying practising with both Dagger and Langes Messer, amongst other weapons.
Our Wonderful Ere-luden
Anouk Post
Sabre & Spadroon
Anouk started doing H.E.M.A. in 2012. Although her interest includes various military fencing sources, she likes to focus on the British side of things.
Using Charles Roworth’s Art of Defence as a base she is a firm believer that the devil is in the details, and loves focusing on good posture and discipline.
Her weapons of choice are the sabre and the spadroon.
Casper J. van Dijk
Langes Messer
He has been handling medieval and historical weapons since 2008 and have been teaching H.E.M.A. since 2015. Casper’s interest lies particularly in as faithfully reconstructing historical techniques based on research and understanding their historical contexts. Understanding the ‘why’ question of techniques is thus an important part of the lessons he teaches. While Casper trains a host of different weapons and styles, his specialization is Lecküchner’s teachings on Langes Messer.
Martin de Jong
Klewang
Martin discovered H.E.M.A. in 2015. At first he started with longsword but soon he was drawn to the more one handed weapon styles like dagger and sword & buckler.
As military fencing was added to his repertoire of interests, it was the klewang which became his favorite weapon. Reachersing the KNIL (Royal Dutch-Indies Army) treatises Martin studies not only how to fight with the klewang but also with bayonet and other weapons and styles which the KNIL could face against it.
Martin’s classes are filled with history, context, form and most importantly fun and passion in this sport..
LUDOLPH VAN CEULEN
Master of mathematics and fencing: Ludolph van Ceulen
Ludolph van Ceulen was born in the year 1540 and moved from Delft to Leiden around 1594, where he
submitted a request to establish a fencing school on 9 June 1594. The city consented and granted him
permission to establish it in the Faliedenbegeinkerk (what is now Rapenburg 70-74).
Unfortunately, there are only a few remains of this building and no manuscripts left of his school in our
time. In addition, most people would associate van Ceulen with his book Vanden Circkel. This work shows his
recalculation of pi (which was also the inspiration for his memorial in the Pieterskerk in Leiden).
Contact info
Email:
info@ludolphvanceulen.com
Come fence with us! The first fencing class is always free. Fill out the contact form and we’ll be in touch to plan your introduction.