Fencing began as a form of combat and is known to have been practised well before the birth of Christ. Relief carvings in the temple of Madinet-Habu near Luxor, Egypt, dating from approximately 1190 BC depict fencers competing. Many other ancient civilisations, including China, Japan, Persia, Babylonia and Greece, practised swordplay as training for combat.

As a sport, fencing began in either the 14th or 15th century and both Italy and Germany lay claim to the origins of the sport. German fencing masters organised the first guilds in the 15th century, notably the Marxbruder of Frankfurt in 1480. In 1570 Henri Saint-Didier of France gave names to fencing's major movements and most of that nomenclature remains. From the 16th to the 18th century, sword fights and duels were common. Combatants in these duels used a variety of weapons, including singlesticks, quarterstaffs, and backswords, and the bouts were often bloody and occasionally fatal.

Three innovations in the 17th century led to the popularity of fencing as a sport. The first was the development of a light practice weapon with a flattened or "foiled" tip that was also padded to reduce the risk of injury. This weapon was soon called the foil. Second was the development of a set of rules that limited the target to certain areas of the body. The final innovation was the quadrille wire-mesh mask which protected the face and made fencing a safe activity.