Paulus Hector Mair

Paulus Hector Mair (1517–1579) was a German civil servant and fencing master from Augsburg. He collected Fechtbücher and undertook to compile all knowledge of fencing in a compendium surpassing all earlier books. For this, he engaged the painter Jörg Breu the Younger, as well as two experienced fencers, whom he charged with perfecting the techniques before painting illustrations of them. The project was very costly; it took four years and, according to Mair, consumed most of his family's income and property. Three versions of his compilation and one manuscript have been preserved.