Pennod 2 Y Cleddyf gyda John Ogwen

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-I enjoyed playing the part

-of Twm Sion Cati in Hawkmoor.

-Forever fighting,

-I learnt a lot about weapons.

-This programme features medieval

-combat...

-..as portrayed in the past

-and the present.

-We'll see

-the famous Japanese sword...

-..and combat

-in Shakespeare's plays.

-In the Dark Ages, the Saxons

-and the Vikings reached Britain.

-Then,

-the Normans provided a challenge.

-After 1066

-and the Norman Invasion...

-..the wide-blade sword became

-the standard sword on a battlefield.

-It changed very little

-during the Middle Ages...

-..because it was such a good weapon.

-Thanks to the tales

-of King Arthur...

-..and the Knights

-of the Round Table...

-..the code of chivalry developed.

-These were the rules of how to fight

-with courage and courtesy.

-The sword was a powerful symbol

-of the code.

-A knight mirrored the ideals.

-Who better than a knight

-with his sword...

-..to lead the Holy Crusades?

-The sword was the root of this idea.

-You were forbidden to unsheathe

-your sword without reason.

-The tip of the sword

-was forbidden to touch the ground.

-Before battle,

-a knight would kiss the handle.

-The Crusades were battles between

-Christianity's wide-blade sword...

-..and the Muslim scimitar.

-Paramount represents

-Cecil B DeMille's production...

-..The Crusades.

-Over two centuries,

-there were nine Crusades.

-The European Christians

-challenged the Muslims.

-Jerusalem had to be reclaimed

-from the enemy.

-Battles in the name of religion

-were often massacres.

-At the Battle of Hattin in 1187...

-..the Crusaders

-were conquered by Saladin.

-The wide-blade sword

-surrendered to the scimitar.

-This is the type of wide-blade sword

-a Crusader would have used.

-It was found near the Thames

-in London...

-..when the Houses of Parliament

-were built.

-It could wound a soldier

-where his body wasn't protected.

-These are Arabian swords

-with fine decoration.

-Saladin's soldiers would have

-used swords similar to these...

-..which are part

-of the Royal Collection in Leeds.

-Arabian swords were long and curved.

-This shape developed

-in central Asia...

-..where nomads rode horses

-into battle.

-The curved sword, the scimitar...

-..made it easier for a knight

-to strike his enemy down.

-It also made it easier for him

-to remove the sword from the body.

-The Arab sword was shrouded

-in mystery.

-The Damascus sword.

-The sword's sharp blade

-was legendary.

-The blade was made using

-wootz steel from India and silicon.

-Since the 16th century...

-..no-one has managed

-to make a similar one...

-..because the technology

-has been lost.

-It's believed that the source

-of the raw material ran out.

-It will never be possible to

-manufacture another sword like this.

-Welsh knights were involved

-in the battles in the Holy Land.

-The Earl of Pembroke

-came from Wales.

-He was a Crusader

-and accomplished knight.

-William Marshall was the most famous

-tournament fighter...

-..and knight of his time.

-This sprawling castle was his home.

-He was rewarded generously

-for his loyalty to King Richard I.

-In a time of treason and deception,

-loyalty was rare.

-I'm in the Royal Armouries Museum in

-Leeds to witness a grand tournament.

-Marshall would have enjoyed

-being here.

-Before the tournament,

-I want to see more of the armour.

-By the middle of the 13th century,

-knights wore plate armour...

-..instead of chain mail.

-A heavier sword was required

-to cut through the plate armour.

-Incredible.

-Wearing it was another story.

-The tournaments were competitions

-between teams of knights.

-Accidents happened

-but the aim wasn't bloodshed.

-It was a way of training knights

-but the price could be high.

-The defeated knight

-was taken prisoner.

-A ransom had to be paid

-for his release.

-That's how the Earl of Pembroke

-amassed his fortune.

-This joust

-is an international competition...

-..between France,

-Holland and Britain.

-The purpose of armour was to protect

-a soldier from a sword.

-Circular discs were added to protect

-the body's most fragile areas.

-The neck...

-..armpit and groin

-were important targets.

-They're movable parts of the body

-so hard to protect.

-It's a dangerous game according

-to the Dutch team's captain...

-..Arne Koets or Lord of the Eagle.

-Even if the visor is closed...

-..you try and strike through it

-to wound the brain.

-If the visor is open,

-that offers an easier target.

-It depends on the helmet.

-Sometimes, the front of the neck or

-the side of the neck is more open.

-The armpits are important.

-This is the primary target.

-A weapon can pierce the chain mail

-to wound the heart and the lungs.

-You'd expect moving to be difficult.

-The armour allows you

-to move relatively easily.

-You can raise your arms

-above your head.

-I can touch the opposite side

-of my head, cross my arms...

-..and raise my arms

-to protect myself.

-The apron is very flexible.

-It allows me

-to lunge forward or leap.

-The plate moves like a concertina.

-The footwear and knees - all parts

-are flexible and can bend.

-Even the tops of the legs.

-I can raise them easily.

-It's rather comfortable,

-to be honest.

-Owain Glyndwr was raised

-in this tradition.

-He would have learnt the skills

-as a young boy.

-I spoke to Dr Kate Olson

-from Bangor University...

-..about his military background.

-He was descended from the princes

-of Powys, Deheubarth and Gwynedd.

-As a boy, he would have received

-a lot of weapon training.

-We know that he was involved

-in battles in Scotland in 1385.

-He also fought in France.

-The poets commend his skills

-on horseback.

-He was also very skilled

-with his spears and his sword.

-I wonder which sword Glyndwr used.

-We have the only contemporary image

-of Owain - the Great Seal.

-On the one side...

-..it shows Owain

-sitting on his throne...

-..holding a sceptre and an orb.

-He looks like a nobleman

-and, more importantly, a king...

-..in the style of the English kings.

-On the other side...

-..we see Owain on horseback

-carrying a sword.

-This is a very important image

-of Owain with a sword in his hand.

-Here's an example of the sword.

-The blade near the handle

-is wide and the sword is heavier.

-Receiving a sword as a gift

-was a special honour.

-Our information suggests he received

-a sword from the King of France...

-..in 1404.

-He was trying to forge

-diplomatic relations with France...

-..during the rebellion.

-Two of his men visited France.

-The King of France

-gave him a sword and armour.

-He was very fond of weapons.

-This was the best gift

-he could give Owain.

-Glyndwr's battles were savage.

-The method of combat during the

-Middle Ages caused terrible wounds.

-The knight's main weapon

-was the sword...

-..but its sharp point

-wasn't its only threat.

-Since swords were rarely cleaned,

-the dirty, infected blades...

-..were also a deadly threat.

-Some people still enjoy fighting

-like knights from the Middle Ages.

-They grab every opportunity

-to show their combat skills.

-I visited Hanover

-in northern Germany...

-..to witness a unique event.

-The competition is sponsored

-by Knights Gone By from Conwy.

-They manufacture

-medieval armoury and weapons...

-..for history societies

-and film companies.

-A few of the competitions

-were held in the leisure centre.

-This is the first ever international

-open sword fighting contest.

-The focus is on the fighting!

-There are strict rules

-but in the heat of battle...

-..a lot of showmanship can be seen.

-You may have noticed that no armour

-is worn to protect these men.

-This building is a stone's throw

-from the leisure centre.

-It's a schloss - a castle.

-It's home

-to Baron von Hammerstein...

-..a suitable backdrop

-for sword fighters.

-Alex Kiermayer, a Munich policeman,

-is one of the judges.

-I've asked him

-for a simple sword-fighting lesson.

-We'll start from the shoulder.

-Come forward.

-Yes.

-This is a long sword.

-The knight would grasp it

-with two hands...

-..to try and strike

-his opponent's helmet and armour.

-The idea of power with this weapon

-in your hand is very strong...

-..but I think he knows more than me.

-I'll attack you

-with the same strike you did to me.

-Use the same strike against

-the sword and thrust to the face.

-Once again.

-OK? Are you OK?

-Release the power,

-it doesn't matter.

-I've got a mask on.

-Yes.

-Well done.

-Steel isn't the only material used.

-Bamboo swords can cause injury too.

-This isn't child's play.

-They're going at it hammer and tongs,

-as you can see.

-Armour can protect

-several parts of your body...

-..but accidents do happen.

-Ah!

-Ah!

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-Break.

-This fighter has wounded his wrist

-but first aid is on hand.

-The final

-pits Holland against Israel.

-The tall fighter in white

-is the Israeli.

-The winner receives a huge sword

-as a prize from Magnus...

-..the blacksmith from Conwy.

-The winner is Alex from Tel Aviv.

-See you after the break.

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-One of the earliest manuscripts

-describing sword fighting...

-..is the I.33 from Germany.

-These 13th-century monks

-are skilled sword fighters.

-They describe moves in

-a scientific way for the first time.

-These masters analysed

-the art of sword fighting.

-It was possible to improve

-the basic skills...

-..speed, balance

-and the use of the mind and body...

-..by practising the technique.

-This attitude had existed

-in the East for centuries.

-For over 1,000 years in Japan,

-one sword ruled the battlefield.

-This was the katana,

-the Samurai warriors' sword.

-The technology of the katana

-lives on today in Japan.

-This is where the process starts.

-Men feed the furnace with pure iron

-which looks like sand.

-Carbon from charcoal ashes

-is already in the furnace.

-Both are mixed

-to create this unique steel.

-The carbon is a key element.

-It can withstand heavy blows

-in battle.

-After sweating without sleep

-for three days...

-..it's time for the men to remove

-the tamahagane from the furnace.

-Faith plays an important part

-in the sword blacksmith's ritual.

-He prays to Buddha

-for the perfect sword.

-The Samurai belonged

-to the highest class.

-According to their religion, honour

-in life and death was all-important.

-Samurai spiritual development

-was achieved...

-..by following

-the ways of the sword.

-A piece of scripture

-is placed on the metal.

-A thin layer of clay and dust

-keeps air out during the procedure.

-The hammer

-welds the pieces together...

-..and removes the impure elements.

-The katana is now a block of steel.

-It's folded over. Dozens of folds

-produces 5,000 layers.

-The best and sharpest katana sword

-was produced in the 15th century.

-To fight with a katana,

-a man had to be quick.

-By attacking Korea and China...

-..the Samurai claimed

-precious property for the warlords.

-The katana

-brought wealth and treasures.

-This sword was second to none.

-The katana is a mixture

-of two different steels...

-..hard and sharp steel

-for the blade...

-..and soft steel in the middle

-to give the sword flexibility.

-In the Middle Ages, a new sword was

-tested on a criminal's dead body...

-..but not a murderer

-or someone with a skin disease.

-No-one wanted to contaminate

-a new sword.

-It was also used

-for the ultimate punishment.

-One of the final steps

-is the polish.

-The aim is to create a sharp edge

-and illustrate the grain...

-..which is characteristic

-of the katana.

-A Samurai and his sword

-are inseparable.

-It was his most precious belonging.

-He would carry it all day

-and even take it to bed.

-It represented power and status.

-It was a symbol

-of the Samurai's authority.

-Only death would come between them.

-Which sword is superior?

-The katana

-or the medieval wide-blade sword?

-The katana is light and quick.

-The wide-blade sword

-is just as sharp but heavier.

-The katana cuts thrice in the time

-it take the other sword to cut once.

-A Samurai would prevail

-in a contest.

-It takes three months

-to make this handcrafted sword.

-Traditional skills are transferred

-from generation to generation.

-Western Europe in the 15th century

-witnessed the Renaissance.

-Many books were published.

-Some were written by experts

-in order to teach fencing skills.

-Before long, these ideas

-were adopted by the theatre.

-In Shakespeare's plays, there

-are over 400 references to fencing.

-Shakespeare's audience

-loved sword fights on stage.

-They were very familiar

-with the art.

-Some would join in...

-..until they prohibited swords

-in the theatre.

-Here, in Stratford-upon-Avon, home

-of the Royal Shakespeare Company...

-..many famous Welsh actors

-have performed...

-..including Matthew Rhys.

-I had a good period of stage

-combat in Stratford-upon-Avon...

-..when I was a member

-of the company.

-I was Edmund in King Lear.

-I was also Macduff in Macbeth.

-Maybe the most prominent part

-is Romeo from Romeo & Juliet.

-There is an element of risk

-in stage combat.

-It can be very dangerous.

-Personally, I think it has more

-to do with the actors.

-That's the greatest danger.

-I don't want to blow

-my own trumpet...

-..but I count myself lucky

-to have been trained.

-I'm always happier fighting

-other actors who have been trained.

-When I've filmed scenes with actors

-who haven't been trained...

-..I've sustained injuries.

-I have a few scars -

-I don't know if you can see this.

-These happened

-when it all went wrong.

-In a production, such as Romeo &

-Juliet which I played for a year...

-..taking part in a play for

-12 months with so much fighting...

-..someone's going to be tired,

-ill or hung-over one day...

-..and something will happen.

-Life on the street in Elizabethan

-times was packed with dangers.

-Gangs of men would threaten people

-with swords and knives.

-In Shakespeare's day,

-you had to play to the audience...

-..because they knew everything

-about fighting with swords.

-The audiences of the day

-loved violence.

-Bear-baiting, bullfighting,

-cockfighting, dog fighting.

-If an actor wanted to survive

-to perform another day...

-..he had to learn fencing carefully.

-Shakespeare's fencing teacher

-was an Italian.

-Lessons were held

-in London's Blackfriars Theatre.

-The sword was the primary

-combat weapon at the time.

-Before long, another weapon

-came to replace the sword.

-Gunpowder was discovered

-by the Chinese in the 9th century.

-By the 16th century,

-it was used in muskets.

-The gun would change

-the face of fighting...

-..and change the world

-of the sword forever.

-S4C Subtitles by Simian 04 Cyf.

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