Thread by @MikeStuchbery_

Here's a story I came across on a site devoted to Western martial arts. It's the story of Paulus Hector Mair, or, as I like to call it - 'WHEN FANDOM GOES BAD!'

Paulus lived in the 16th century, in the city of Augsburg - a place where lots of new money was being made through trade & the (relatively) new idea of banking.

Now, like most dudes of a certain status in the Holy Roman Empire of the 16th century, Paulus was mad for two things - fightin' & feastin'.

Paulus wasn't the sort to go fighting his way across the HRE, he was more the trainspotter sort. He collected 'fechtbücher' - fighting manuals, that demonstrated techniques for different weapons. (Shown: BSB-Hss Cod.icon. 394 a)

Paulus wasn't happy with having a spectacular collection of fighting manuals - he wanted to create the *ULTIMATE FIGHTING MANUAL!1!*.

Thus he threw a sizable portion of his fortune at some local fencers and a painter called Jörg Breu the Younger to make it a reality.

After years of work, Paulus managed to create a sumptously-illustrated two-volume fighting encyclopedia - all you need to know to slice & dice a filthy Frenchman!

Today, three copies survive, kept in Dresden, Munich & Vienna.

Unfortunately, in creating his 'meisterwerk', Paulus, the silly bugger, had reached the limits of his finances and kept plowing onwards. As a civil servant in Augsburg's city administration, he'd been skimming the city coffers for years to make his dreams real.

On the 10th of December, 1579, Paulus was hanged for his embezzlement by the city of Augsburg.

So, my dears, control your passions, lest they control you.

If you've got an interest in historical Western Martial Arts - that is to say, slicing and stabbing dudes with sharp things, check out #Wiktenauer. - wiktenauer.com/wiki/Main_Page