Pennod 3 Y Cleddyf gyda John Ogwen

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-I've portrayed many heroes

-in action-packed dramas.

-I have a keen interest

-in the world of the sword.

-This week, we'll feature

-the Battle of Waterloo...

-..we'll look at

-a Welsh artist's fencing pictures...

-..and watch the graceful style

-of salon fencing.

-First, we'll look at the role of

-the sword during a brutal rebellion.

-The Civil War in the 17th century

-tore the country apart.

-Supporters of the Long Parliament

-fought King Charles 1st's army.

-Most of the Welsh

-supported the King.

-By now, the musket and cannon

-were the army's standard weapons...

-..but most soldiers used a sword

-in hand-to-hand combat...

-..especially the cavalry.

-The blade was not dissimilar

-to the sword of the Middle Ages...

-..but the handle was covered

-by a heavy, elegant guard.

-Battles were fought

-between brother and brother.

-There were sieges

-in Pembroke and Raglan castles...

-..and battles were fought

-in St Fagans and Powys.

-Men weren't the only ones

-on the battlefields.

-Women died too.

-During the Battle of Naseby

-in 1645...

-..100 Welsh women were killed

-as they supported their husbands.

-European soldiers

-started using spears and muskets...

-..to defend themselves against

-the cavalry and their swords.

-The cavalry's aim was to strike

-a heavy blow on the infantrymen.

-These are the army's shock troops.

-Horses wouldn't rush through

-the spears to reach the guns.

-Safely under the shadow

-of the spears...

-..an experienced marksman

-could fire two rounds a minute...

-..towards the enemy.

-During the breaks, the cavalry

-had time to wreak some havoc.

-They removed their armour -

-it was useless against a gun.

-During this battle, the King's army

-defends the castle...

-..on the left-hand side

-of the field.

-Most of the King's Welsh infantrymen

-wore sub-standard armour.

-They relied on their cavalry

-for support...

-..but the noblemen on horseback

-didn't protect them.

-Thousands of Welsh infantrymen

-were killed fighting for the King.

-Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentarians

-won the Civil War...

-..after years of fighting.

-Under the Puritans, the form

-of government changed completely.

-The old order ended and there were

-many changes for the sword too.

-The sword had a new lease of life

-with the introduction...

-..of sword fighting and fencing.

-Scholars started taking an interest

-in forms of combat.

-Among the many books published

-is this one by Ridolfo Capoferro.

-It's packed with detailed

-descriptions about swords.

-The illustrations

-are rather graphic.

-There is no attempt to hide the

-effect swords can have on the body.

-They also show

-a new kind of sword...

-..one that was designed specifically

-to strike a deadly blow.

-This book, written by Gerard

-Thibault and published in 1628...

-..illustrates and analyses

-the movements of the sword.

-It also shows the sword

-moving into the world of fashion...

-..and sport.

-A sword for court appearances

-and social occasions was needed.

-Here was the answer.

-The rapier.

-It was designed in Spain...

-..and accepted in Italy, home

-of the Renaissance and fashion...

-..with much enthusiasm.

-The rapier was the perfect accessory

-for young, fashionable men.

-The rapier was light and thin.

-A gentleman could wear it all day

-comfortably.

-On the one hand,

-it was fashionable...

-..and on the other hand, a dangerous

-weapon to settle arguments.

-In Europe, sword fighting,

-or duelling...

-..was rife amongst the gentry.

-If someone taunted you,

-it was an excuse for a fight.

-In Wales, duelling was a way

-to settle a dispute.

-It could happen

-at any time and any place.

-According to 17th century

-court records...

-..swords could be seen

-in taverns and churches...

-..and on the sea.

-Welshman Black Bart

-was the inspiration...

-..for Errol Flynn's Captain Blood.

-He's holding a rapier.

-The sword, not the gun, was the

-weapon of choice in pirate films.

-The real rapier had a deadly blade.

-It was very long...

-..and a danger to anyone

-who passed it.

-In London, you had to leave

-your sword at the city's gates...

-..or it would be cut short

-there and then.

-Early in the 19th century,

-duelling was still popular.

-If you weren't a soldier...

-..you had to learn combat skills

-to defend your honour.

-Teachers offered self-defence

-lessons in salons.

-This insane interest in duelling

-continued.

-However, it wasn't backed

-by social reformers...

-..politicians or army officers.

-Due to public protest,

-a control system was introduced.

-Now, you needed a referee

-and a substitute for a duel.

-The rapier

-wasn't banned completely...

-..but a shorter weapon replaced it.

-It was called an epee,

-the court sword.

-This epee has been decorated with

-blue and golden roses and patterns.

-It looks pretty

-but it can very dangerous.

-Wealthy men and women, and Italians,

-had it by their side at all times.

-Domenico Angelo

-was born in Livorno, Italy.

-Working with Welsh artist,

-John Gwyn...

-..he produced the greatest book

-about the art of sword fencing.

-John Gwyn Delin

-was born in Wrexham...

-..but made a name for himself

-in London.

-He drew 47 illustrations

-for Angelo's successful publication.

-Angelo himself posed for the moves.

-Under the influence of his powerful

-sponsor, the Earl of Pembroke...

-..Angelo opened a fencing

-and riding school in London.

-One of his most famous pupils

-was King George III.

-Fencing was seen

-as good education...

-..which promoted discipline,

-confidence and bravery.

-The rich masters

-learned to ride and dance.

-Today, Andrew Dean

-is trying to teach me.

-Get back into the starting position

-- the en guard position.

-Quickly, you bring underneath.

-You're already moving.

-Straighten your arm -

-it's going over my shoulder.

-What some beginners do is have

-all the energy in the back foot.

-They leap forward. Your shoulders

-and head go everywhere - bunny hops.

-You get this...

-..which is great if you're doing

-a pastiche of 1930s Hollywood.

-When you're fighting,

-your shoulders and head stay still.

-Shoulders over your hips,

-straighten that arm.

-Recover.

-Recover. Recover.

-Then you're away.

-I'm more of a bunny than a Nureyev!

-That's it. Good.

-And again. Good.

-And then.

-Can you see how important

-it is to have that relaxing?

-The moment your hands

-look relaxed...

-..it puts tension

-in your wrist, arm and shoulder.

-It's difficult to get

-that quick moment.

-I'll just defend.

-If I don't, there'll be a pool of

-blood and we'll know it went wrong.

-Good. That's sharper.

-Better. Good. Good. Good.

-Eh, Errol Flynn!

-See you after the break.

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-I have all the requirements needed

-to become a gentleman.

-Angelo had a keen eye for the girls.

-During one fencing contest...

-..a pretty actress threw a bunch

-of roses in his direction.

-He wore the roses over his heart

-and challenged his opponents...

-..to strike the roses

-with their swords.

-All who tried failed

-and Angelo won the girl's heart.

-Under Angelo's influence, the sword

-moved from the battlefield...

-..to the training halls.

-This famous move

-is the Angelo deception.

-A sly strike behind the back.

-A good teacher, whatever the field,

-is important.

-Drama schools offer fencing lessons

-for young actors.

-The man who taught us

-was a traditionalist.

-He enjoyed showing us

-the traditions...

-..not only of stage combat but also

-the true tradition of fencing.

-He gave us a number of lessons

-before we'd even picked up a sword.

-It was all to do with footwork.

-Our teacher at the time would say,

-"It's like dancing."

-Men, at the time when fencing

-was a popular pastime...

-..would learn two things -

-dancing and fencing.

-Both go hand in hand.

-So much of it involves the feet.

-We'd be in long rows for hours

-just practising our lunges.

-Lunge, recover, lunge, recover,

-until our footwork was perfect.

-By learning your skills properly,

-you can shine in Hollywood.

-What's interesting, since I'm not

-playing a role at the moment...

-..it's an unpleasant feeling

-to hold a sword.

-If I was playing a part

-and pretending to use a sword...

-..it would be a powerful feeling.

-Just as I am now, standing here

-talking to you, sword in hand...

-..there's danger in the air.

-I have an instrument in my hand...

-..that could kill

-or seriously injure you.

-In your eyes,

-I look far more dangerous...

-..than I would

-without a sword in my hand.

-Our teacher in RADA taught us...

-..that when your sword

-is unsheathed...

-..there's a strong possibility

-that you'll use the sword.

-You should be ready to take

-the impact of another sword...

-..by avoiding it or get ready

-to strike your opponent in return.

-Stars of another era

-were pupils to Domenico Angelo.

-Chevalier de Saint-Georges was

-a talented Afro-Caribbean musician.

-He was known as the black Mozart.

-He was also a professional fencer.

-Chevalier D'Eon was a diplomat,

-a soldier and a cross-dresser.

-He would wear women's clothing

-in public.

-Both were French. They were London

-celebs in the 18th century.

-Some of London's wealthy Welsh,

-such as Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn...

-..would have watched these two

-duelling in Angelo's salon.

-Both were famous

-for their fencing skills.

-Domenico's school encouraged them

-to fight in a contest.

-SaintGeorges was in his 30s,

-D'Eon was in his 50s...

-..but D'Eon won the contest

-by seven strikes to one.

-Fencing continued as a pastime...

-..but if you were eager for

-bloodshed, you could join the army.

-Another kind of sword was used

-in the military world - the sabre.

-Based on designs from the East...

-..this was the British

-light cavalry sword in 1796.

-It was a curved slashing weapon...

-..and it achieved infamy

-at the Battle of Waterloo.

-In 1815, the French Emperor,

-Napoleon, escaped from prison...

-..and reformed his army

-with astonishing speed.

-Napoleon was determined

-to conquer Belgium...

-..as he tried to rebuild his Empire.

-He gathered a huge army

-to face his enemy in the north.

-His army were veterans

-of earlier campaigns.

-They faced

-an inexperienced allied army.

-Among the 80,000 soldiers

-from Holland, Britain and Prussia...

-..was a regiment from Wales...

-..including infantrymen from

-south Wales - the 23rd regiment.

-Waterloo is a village

-outside Brussels.

-It attracts thousands of tourists

-and historical societies.

-This colourful event

-has drawn the crowds today.

-People actually watched the battle

-when it happened in June 1815.

-On the morning of June the 18th...

-..the heavy cavalry

-attacked the French.

-Captain Rees Gronow

-later wrote in a letter...

-..about the incredible scene -

-it shone like a wave in a storm.

-Britain's cavalry counter-attacked...

-..under the leadership

-of Lord Uxbridge...

-..who later became

-the Marquess of Anglesey.

-He continued to lead his men

-after losing his leg in battle.

-Gronow described

-how the earth shook...

-..under the weight

-of the French swordsmen...

-..and how the noise

-of cold steel upon cold steel...

-..was like the din

-of some monstrous metal forge.

-The British held firm.

-Napoleon's front line was broken.

-100 soldiers

-from the Welsh regiment perished...

-..but they were part

-of a campaign...

-..that routed

-the French imperial guard.

-The swords used

-by the French cavalry...

-..were primarily stabbing weapons.

-The swords used by the British

-were designed to cut and slash.

-The French complained...

-..because British swords

-caused terrible wounds.

-British swords acted like cleavers.

-These pictures were drawn

-by a surgeon during the battle.

-Eventually,

-Napoleon's fate was sealed...

-..when Prussia strengthened the

-British front line on June the 18th.

-After 10 hours of combat, 40,000

-soldiers were dead or injured.

-Thousands of bodies were stripped

-by looters during the night.

-Women searched the carnage

-for husbands or lovers.

-Although the French

-lost the battle...

-..their stabbing sword

-had been more effective.

-This was the style of sword the

-British army would use in future.

-By the 1840s,

-breeches were no longer fashionable.

-Men started wearing trousers.

-The custom of duelling and carrying

-a sword in public died away.

-Duelling continued

-behind closed doors, though.

-The mensur is a traditional kind

-of German fencing.

-By fencing,

-young men showed courage and honour.

-Well, at least

-that's what they said in Germany.

-The mensur is still practised

-in the older universities.

-A duelling scar

-was a badge of honour...

-..a sign that you had become a man.

-I asked Alex,

-my fencing instructor from Munich...

-..how he felt

-about the tradition of the mensur.

-The mensur developed

-from the duelling tradition...

-..when men fought for honour.

-Later on, it developed

-into a form of discipline...

-..and a way of showing your courage.

-Many who continue the tradition

-of the mensur today try to be macho.

-They want to show how hard they are.

-What's important

-is standing your ground...

-..and showing your commitment

-to your club.

-German people have negative

-attitudes towards the mensur today.

-They believe followers of the mensur

-are linked to far-right politics.

-That's not necessarily true.

-The schlager is used

-for mensur combat.

-The sharp point

-can give you a desirable scar...

-..if you're into that kind of thing.

-Many rituals are linked

-to the mensur.

-The societies, especially

-those in Heidelberg University...

-..are exclusive.

-The Germans can be a strange bunch.

-Girls used swords

-in a far more interesting way.

-This is an American advertisement

-for The Farmers Bank.

-Americans can be strange too.

-This is an early attempt

-to fight for women's rights.

-The woman has out-fenced

-the soldier.

-He's trying to make excuses

-to his mates.

-He must have been blinded

-by the moonlight.

-If that didn't get him,

-the First World War would.

-The military still clung to swords.

-Tradition demanded it.

-The old guard were convinced...

-..that there was still a role

-for the cavalry in the 20th century.

-When World War I began, 500,000

-horses were in military service.

-Cavalrymen were used

-in the early exchanges...

-..but the decision

-was futile and tragic.

-The British army

-had refined its fighting sword...

-..but it was too late.

-Combat had been mechanized.

-If this was the perfect

-military sword...

-..it arrived just as

-the age of the sword was ending.

-Tanks and guns replaced it.

-The sword found work

-in another field.

-In the movies...

-..the sword played an important part

-in the fight against evil.

-Next week, we'll see how it starred

-in some of the greatest shows...

-..of film and sport

-in the 20th century.

-S4C Subtitles by Simian 04 Cyf.

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