SPØTTRUP, Denmark — Clad in steel armor and armed with blunted swords, axes, and shields, competitors from 30 nations descended on a northern Danish fortress this week for a modern take on ancient warfare.
The International Medieval Combat Federation held its annual world championship at the grounds of Spøttrup Castle, a formidable Danish stronghold completed around 1520. The event, which first took place in Spain in 2014, features armor-wearing fighters using weapons modeled after those from the 14th century — all while operating under a structured set of modern safety rules and sporting conventions.
“It’s historically inspired,” said combat federation spokesperson Kamila Studencka. “It’s a mix of modern techniques with historical ones. We have something between full combat sports and fencing.”
Despite the weapons being blunted, the competition is far from a harmless theatrical performance. Studencka noted that some fighters are drawn in by “the violence,” while others are more interested in the technical precision of one-on-one dueling. “Some people like the friendship and being a team member … to be a part of something bigger,” she added.
The four-day event, which kicked off Thursday, includes individual “duel” competitions consisting of two one-minute rounds. A fighter is eliminated after being knocked to the ground three times or when they submit. If neither condition is met, trained marshals determine a winner based on points. There are also large-scale team battles — called “Buhurt” — in which up to 10 fighters per side clash simultaneously in chaotic, full-contact skirmishes.
Among those competing is Brazilian fighter Rodrigo Sinckevicius, who made the trip from São Paulo with a team of eight. The 33-year-old sales professional previously competed in jiu-jitsu and other mixed martial arts disciplines, but said when he first witnessed this style of medieval combat, he “couldn’t believe it.” “People falling and grabbing and the sound of the steel cracking, it’s like something that you cannot fake,” he said.
Martin Gill, a 37-year-old geotechnical engineer from Milton Keynes, England, said his initial motivation for joining the sport was straightforward — he wanted “to hit someone in the face with an ax.” He described the appeal of a community where people willingly consent to full-force combat: “This had that kind of niche appeal to it, that people were willing to consensually come up and say, ‘You can hit me in the face with the ax, as hard as you can.’”
Gill noted that nearly all of the equipment competitors wear — including his own 30-kilogram (66-pound) suit of armor — is historically accurate. Fighting techniques are drawn from the writings of 14th-century Italian knight Fiore Dei Liberi and German fencing master Johannes Liechtenauer. “We follow manuscripts as best we can,” Gill said. “Everything is legitimate techniques from all of their writings throughout the 14th century.”
The federation says fighters wear thick, shock-absorbing padded garments beneath their armor to help distribute the force of blows, and that all bouts are strictly overseen by trained marshals. Overall injury rates, the organization says, are comparable to those seen in mainstream full-contact martial arts.
With nearly 600 fighters participating this year, the sport appears to be gaining momentum. Alex King, a 37-year-old financial crime specialist from Shoreview, Minnesota, said when he joined three years ago, his local team had roughly 10 members. That number has since grown to more than 50. “In America, it’s definitely growing, with the short videos you see now highlighting the sport,” King said. “A lot of people have become interested.” He added that the last major U.S. event drew more than 40 teams.
Men and women compete in separate categories. Miisa Kaivos, a 27-year-old bartender from Helsinki, Finland, said the women’s side of the sport is also “drastically growing all around the world.” “It’s amazing to see,” Kaivos said. “It’s always nice to come to these events and fight each other, and have that awesome girl power.”
