Donald McBane

It would be an understatement to suggest that Donald McBane, arguably one of Europe's greatest fencers ever, led a full life. He fled his home at the age of 23 and enlisted in the British army. He was born in Inverness in 1664. He engaged in his first encounter with organized conflict at the Battle of Mulroy in 1688, where he sided with the Mackintoshes against the Macdonalds, two of the most influential Scottish highlands clans at the time. Although they were victorious, for McBane, it was only the beginning.

He would later engage in numerous engagements for the British army not just in Scotland but also throughout in Europe, notably the Nine Years' War with France. After engaging in a duel with his governor to resolve a payment issue, he picked up the sword. After years of training, he became so proficient at it that he quickly challenged and defeated some of the most well-known fencing instructors in Europe.

In the years to come, Donald McBane would open numerous fencing schools, brothels, gambling dens, and a variety of other businesses across the continent. One of the best fencing treatises ever written is his autobiography, The Expert Sword-Companion, Man's which was first published in 1728.