A duel is ... Rules of a duel

Many schoolchildren, and older people admired the knightly tournaments, the romance of medieval traditions and the feeling of unreal freedom. Boys, after reading books about brave musketeers, were ready to fight at swords, and the girls dreamed of being beautiful maid of honor at balls. Although what is beautiful at first glance is not always so exciting in fact. Dueling, conducted in order to defend their honor, was sometimes an ordinary slaughter.

Medieval justice

The first written information about the duels appeared in the days of the first kings who divided the lands of Europe among themselves. At that time such a way of clarifying the relationship was attributed to the judgment of the gods. Although even earlier the same method was used to decide the fate of convicts in both Ancient Greece and Rome. On the battlefield, two men were released, a convicted person and a person representing justice. It was believed that only the innocent could have won. If the condemned man perished, the court of the gods was perfected.

The history of the duel, which is more known to contemporaries, began in the XV century. At that time, the most common way to deal with the enemy were hired assassins, poisoning or resorting to the suzerain.

Few vassals dared to demand from the ruler the solution of their problems, thus making them public. But the increased class of noblemen, who received titles for feats of arms, was looking for a way to punish fugitives who dared to offend them.

The noble title made any family a step above the average citizen or wealthy merchant. The small impoverished families tried to show their superiority, but did not want to put up with the ridicule of the richer "comrades".

To defend his honor, scolded by an unjust word or action, a nee-nobleman could summon a duel. It is a way to defend one's dignity through a duel between two people in the strictly established framework of the dueling code.

Crazy Italy

The ancestor of such fights was Italy. Young people could not simply reward their enemies with unflattering epithets, but also invite them to a duel in a secluded alley on the outskirts of the city. Public fights were blamed, so the duelists tried to hide their actions.

It is this innovation that has replaced the judicial fights, arranged with the knowledge of the king or the measure of the city. From that moment the offended person could challenge the abuser and get satisfaction in a convenient place and with the weapons that he had with him.

Such fights began to be called "fights in the bushes" because of the desire to hide from the eyes of ordinary citizens. Such battles helped to solve the issue with less blood and the number of victims suffering from the conflict significantly decreased.

A good example could be Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet", when Romeo has to enter into a fight with Paris. The death of a young man from the sword of the protagonist was the result of just "battle in the bushes."

Hot Frenchmen and cold-blooded Englishmen

A little later, fights on the streets became part of the way of life of the French and English. And if the French fervently figured out relations in the streets, in the gateways, then for the inhabitants of the foggy Albion this was more like an extreme measure.

Already in the XVI century, a duel is a way not just to settle scores with the offender, but also an opportunity to show his ability to wield cold steel.

It was at this time that the first printed treatises containing the rules of the duel appeared. Thanks to them, spontaneous battles have acquired regulations, rules of conduct. It was such work that became the basis on which the duel code was built. Few of the titled persons bothered to read books and manuals. This ritual was passed on from generation to generation.

Duel Codex

In the modern world, two codes are most often mentioned: Russian, written by Durasov, and European in two editions - Count Verger and Count Shatovillar. They were used by nobles and servicemen of that time.

These editions described the rules of the duel. The weapon was indicated, the reasons for the call. The place of the duel was negotiated. The struggle could be waged with the help of cold and firearms. The duel code was very useful, especially during the appearance of small arms in the form of pistols.

Call

Any nobleman could challenge, if the actions or words spoken to him could damage his honor or the honor of the family. Thus, anything could become an insult: from accidentally abandoned words to open disrespect for the status and position of the individual in society.

If financial conflicts arose, they were not considered the cause of the challenge to the duel. Matters of a material nature were decided through a trial.

The reason for calling to a duel could be the death of a loved one from the hands of a murderer, a carelessly expressed acuity towards the lady of the heart or the family of the insulted.

In order to make a challenge, the duelists had to stand on the same level in the hierarchical ladder, not to yield to the title of each other and the position in society. Those who received such a call from the lowest in status could easily refuse it, since such a call could already be considered an insult.

Kinds of duels

The first duel was conducted with the help of cold weapons: rapiers, swords, sabers, swords, daggers, dagi. At the choice of rivals, she could become:

• Mobile - was conducted on a site of a certain size).
• Fixed - was held in one place, during the battle rivals could not move from the intended position.

Until the end of the 17th century, a mobile duel was allowed on swords using "dishonest" methods of fighting: kicks and kicks, an additional bonus in the form of a dagger or shield. With the advent of pistols, this method is obsolete.

The duel code described fights with firearms as a "meeting" with the use of twin pistols, which were not used by any of the duelists. Such weapons were available in any noble family.

For such a "meeting" the pistols were brought by both: both insulted and offended. One of the pairs was chosen by lot. In the original version of the rules of the duel allowed to do only one shot. With the passage of time, new varieties of duels and, consequently, new variants of combat arose.

Dueling on pistols

There were such types of duels:

• Fixed duel. Distance from 15 yes 35 steps, shot by command or by long draw.
• A mobile duel with an obstacle. On the level ground, the middle is marked with any object, the arrows count the necessary number of steps and shoot at the ready.
• Duel at a noble distance. The distance between the arrows is no more than fifteen steps.
• Blind shot. At a distance of fifteen steps, the duelists stand with their backs to each other, a shot is fired over the shoulder.
• Russian roulette. Only one pistol is charged, the shot is fired from a distance of 5-8 steps.

Thus, a duel is not just a way to express your dissatisfaction with the offense, but also a real opportunity to get rid of the enemy once and for all.

The most brutal way to kill was the so-called American duel. The duelists threw lots, and the one to whom he fell, had to commit suicide in the established time interval. Because of such a wild outcome, this method was removed from the duel code.

Referee and participants in a duel

For the correct conduct of the duel, seconds were needed. They made sure that opponents did not meet before the duel, they chose the venue. The favorite places where a duel was held are suburban forests, parks or fields.

A secandant could be anyone present when insulting and challenging a duel.

There were cases when, instead of the insulted person, a trusted person could leave - the next of kin, friend or person, who considers it his duty to protect the scorned honor of the weaker.