Our group is named for Saint Didacus of Alcalá, known locally as San Diego. As a lay brother he, like common merchants and tradesmen, would have learned sword fighting for both exercise and civil defense. Without access to professional fencing masters from the large cities, they learned from manuals, travelers, and each other.
The Scholars of Alcalá focus on fencing manuals written in the 16th and early 17th century. This includes the knightly arming sword, the two-handed longsword, the common soldiers’ long knife, and the civilian’s rapier.
The Scholars of Alcala was founded in December of 2012 and joined the HEMA Alliance, a 501c3 non-profit, the next year.
Membership Cost
For insurance purposes, all participants must be a member of the HEMA Alliance. They offer a free two-month trial, after which you must pay $26/year.
Your first month with the Scholars of Alcala has no cost. We provide everything you need (other than groin protection).
After that we ask for $40/month from people who attend more than two sessions a month. This covers equipment rental/maintenance, handouts, and our other expenses.
If you only attend once or twice a month, or have significant financial limitations, we are willing to wave our normal dues.
For our other policies see the Policies page.