On June 12-15, 2014 the town of Trogir (Croatia) will host the fifth anniversary World Championship “Battle of the Nations” in historical medieval battle (HMB). The event promises to be massive, with national teams from more than 25 countries attending.
“Battle of the Nations” is the World Championship for full-contact combat, in armour. Battles aren’t staged or choreographed – those hits and blows are delivered with full strength. Group full-contact battles that will be held in terms of “Battle of the Nations” are represented only in HMB sport. HMB is a spectacular and extreme sport which has won fans worldwide and moreover it has a major cultural part.
HMB utilizes defensive and offensive authentic medieval equipment, all the protective elements and armour of HMB fighters are recreated using carefully researched provenance from extant museum pieces and artwork of their specific medieval time-period; weapons are steel in decommissioned state, not sharp.
People who practice HMB are not professional sportsmen they have regular life with regular jobs. Countries hold competitions nationally to qualify to the World Championship which gathers huge audiences – tens of thousands of people. Hundreds of thousands of devotees will be watching battles online.
Each country forms national team through qualifying selections to participate at “Battle of the Nations”. There are several competitive categories which differ in rules and the number of competitors: “Duel” (1 vs1), “Group Battles” (5 vs 5), “Mass Battles” (21 vs 21). This year for the first time there will be Women’s Category in “Duel”. There is also “All against All” category which offers audience a great spectacle of mass infantry battles with more than 100 fighters at once.
“Battle of the Nations” is not only about combat – the event includes medieval cultural performances of historic music and dance; master-classes on traditional crafts; medieval market with artisan goods made using authentic medieval processes. During the Championship, participants and teams live in encampments recreating medieval field-life in fine detail, including kitchen utensils and food. Spectators will have a perfect view on fights from comfortable tribunes right next to the list (special area for fights).
Together with medieval cheer-leaders in medieval clothes, variety of competitions, medieval workshops atmosphere at “Battle of the Nations” is indescribable and unforgettable.
Participant enthusiasm and public interest in full-contact fighting in armour has led to the creation of Battle of the Nations and to the new world sport – historical medieval battle. This annual event attracts the best fighters from five continents. The first “Battle of the Nations” World Championship tool place in Ukraine, then Poland, France and 2014’s event will be held in Croatia, in June.
We are very happy and honored that the fifth edition of Battle of the Nations will be held in Croatia a country with a rich cultural history and convenient location in the heart of Europe, where participants and audience can enjoy the splendour. Each Championship attracts a huge number of participants and spectators that will get acquainted with a country, its history, places of interest which will develop tourism.
We invite everyone to touch HMB cultural and sport movement at the “Battle of the Nations” 2014 in Trogir and get unforgettable experience!
