ARMORUM Authority Record

Sir William Hope

Hope, William 9 linked works

United Kingdom 1660 - 17241687-1724

Scottish gentleman, baronet, and one of the most important British authors on smallsword and self-defence in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Through works such as `The Scots Fencing Master`, `The Compleat Fencing-Master`, and `A New, Short, and Easy Method of Fencing`, he helped shape the British printed tradition on fencing, duelling, and practical sword use.

9 Linked works

0 Works with PDF

2 Chronology points

Previous Authority Donald McBane Next Authority Zachary Wylde

Authority Overview

Authorized nameSir William Hope

Sort nameHope, William

Given namesWilliam

Family nameHope

Birth year1660

Death year1724

Floruit1687-1724

NationalityUnited Kingdom

Editorial notes

He appears to have been an accomplished amateur theorist rather than a salaried fencing master in the usual urban-professional sense; that distinction should be kept in mind in later authority cleanup.

Sources: [The Hanging Guard: William Hope's Invention of Self-defence and the Spirit of Enlightenment](https://www.redalyc.org/journal/6639/663972805007/html/) | [Google Books: Hope's New Method of Fencing](https://books.google.com/books/about/Hope_s_New_Method_of_Fencing_Or_The_True.html?id=2IV1xAQMowkC) | [PRPH Books: Hope's The Compleat Fencing-Master](https://www.prphbooks.com/blog/compleat-fencing-master)