Duel
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
| Revision as of 15:42, 13 June 2008 Jahsonic (Talk | contribs) ← Previous diff |
Current revision Jahsonic (Talk | contribs) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| - | {{Template}} | + | {| class="toccolours" style="float: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:30em; max-width: 40%;" cellspacing="5" |
| + | | style="text-align: left;" | | ||
| # Combat between [[two]] persons, primarily over a matter of personal [[honor]]. | # Combat between [[two]] persons, primarily over a matter of personal [[honor]]. | ||
| # A [[struggle]] between [[two]] contending persons, groups or [[idea]]s. | # A [[struggle]] between [[two]] contending persons, groups or [[idea]]s. | ||
| + | |} | ||
| + | {{Template}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | A '''duel''' is an arranged engagement in [[combat]] between two people, with matched [[weapon]]s, in accordance with agreed-upon [[Code duello|rules]]. Duels in this form were chiefly practiced in [[early modern Europe]] with precedents in the medieval code of [[chivalry]], and continued into the modern period (18th to late 19th centuries, if not beyond) especially among [[Officer (armed forces)|military officers]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | During the 17th and 18th centuries (and earlier), duels were mostly fought with [[sword]]s (the [[rapier]], and later the [[small sword]]), but beginning in the late 18th century in [[England]], duels were more commonly fought using [[pistol]]s. [[Fencing]] and pistol duels continued to co-exist throughout the 19th century. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The duel was based on a code of [[honour|honor]]. Duels were fought not so much to kill the opponent as to gain "satisfaction", that is, to restore one's honor by demonstrating a willingness to risk one's life for it, and as such the tradition of dueling was originally reserved for the male members of [[nobility]]; however, in the modern era, it extended to those of the [[upper classes]] generally. On occasion, duels with [[pistol]]s or swords were fought between women. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Legislation against dueling goes back to the medieval period. The [[Fourth Council of the Lateran]] (1215) outlawed duels, and civil legislation in the [[Holy Roman Empire]] against dueling was passed in the wake of the [[Thirty Years' War]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | From the early 17th century, duels became illegal in the countries where they were practiced. Dueling largely fell out of favor in England by the mid-19th century and in [[Continental Europe]] by the turn of the 20th century. Dueling declined in the [[Eastern United States]] in the 19th century and by the time the [[American Civil War]] broke out, dueling had begun to wane even in the | ||
| + | [[Southern United States|South]]. Public opinion, not legislation, caused the change. | ||
| + | ==See also== | ||
| + | * [[List of duels]] | ||
| + | * [[Champion warfare]] | ||
| + | * [[Single combat]] | ||
| + | * [[Code duello]], a set of rules for dueling | ||
| + | * [[Julie d'Aubigny]] (1670–1707), a French woman duelist | ||
| + | * [[Duelling pistol]] | ||
| + | * [[Gunfighter]], a popular stock character commonly placed in a gun duel or showdown | ||
| + | * [[Holmgang]], a Scandinavian form of dueling | ||
| + | * [[Trial by combat]], judicially sanctioned duel | ||
| + | * [[Truel]], a duel with three participants | ||
| + | * [[Mutual combat]] | ||
| + | :''See [[Duel (1971 film)]]'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| {{GFDL}} | {{GFDL}} | ||
Current revision
|
Related e |
|
Featured: |
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two people, with matched weapons, in accordance with agreed-upon rules. Duels in this form were chiefly practiced in early modern Europe with precedents in the medieval code of chivalry, and continued into the modern period (18th to late 19th centuries, if not beyond) especially among military officers.
During the 17th and 18th centuries (and earlier), duels were mostly fought with swords (the rapier, and later the small sword), but beginning in the late 18th century in England, duels were more commonly fought using pistols. Fencing and pistol duels continued to co-exist throughout the 19th century.
The duel was based on a code of honor. Duels were fought not so much to kill the opponent as to gain "satisfaction", that is, to restore one's honor by demonstrating a willingness to risk one's life for it, and as such the tradition of dueling was originally reserved for the male members of nobility; however, in the modern era, it extended to those of the upper classes generally. On occasion, duels with pistols or swords were fought between women.
Legislation against dueling goes back to the medieval period. The Fourth Council of the Lateran (1215) outlawed duels, and civil legislation in the Holy Roman Empire against dueling was passed in the wake of the Thirty Years' War.
From the early 17th century, duels became illegal in the countries where they were practiced. Dueling largely fell out of favor in England by the mid-19th century and in Continental Europe by the turn of the 20th century. Dueling declined in the Eastern United States in the 19th century and by the time the American Civil War broke out, dueling had begun to wane even in the South. Public opinion, not legislation, caused the change.
See also
- List of duels
- Champion warfare
- Single combat
- Code duello, a set of rules for dueling
- Julie d'Aubigny (1670–1707), a French woman duelist
- Duelling pistol
- Gunfighter, a popular stock character commonly placed in a gun duel or showdown
- Holmgang, a Scandinavian form of dueling
- Trial by combat, judicially sanctioned duel
- Truel, a duel with three participants
- Mutual combat
- See Duel (1971 film)
