5 LEGENDARY DUELS: WHEN DISPUTES ENDED IN BLOODSHED

ENGAGED IN A TWITTER BRAWL? BE GLAD YOU WEREN’T BORN TWO CENTURIES AGO.

For hundreds of years, the ancient practice of dueling was a common method people used for settling their disputes. Though it may seem barbaric to many people now, challenging a person to a duel was often essential for men and women as a means of proving their courage and defending their honor. Here are five of those legendary duels, many of which ended in bloodshed.

1. ALEXANDER HAMILTON VS. AARON BURR (1804)

ILLUSTRATION SHOWING THE DUEL BETWEEN ALEXANDER HAMILTON AND AARON BURR, 1804. PHOTO BY BRIGGS CO.

The most famous duel in American history happened during Thomas Jefferson’s administration: Vice President Aaron Burr vs. Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton. Though political and personal tension had been rising between the two for years, most of the anger seems to have stemmed from the fact that Hamilton had a crucial role in preventing Burr from winning the presidency. Hamilton also actively campaigned against Burr during his failed 1804 bid to become governor of New York. Whatever the cause, rumors that Hamilton had been slandering Burr eventually led Burr to issue a formal challenge. On July 11, 1804, the day of the duel, Hamilton reportedly completed his will and settled his affairs before boarding a barge (accompanied by Dr. David Hosack) and setting sail from Manhattan to the New Jersey shore. The conflict officially took place at the dueling grounds near Weehawken, New Jersey. According to historical accounts, Hamilton intended to end the affair peacefully by firing a symbolic shot into the air; however, after the shot was fired, Burr aimed at Hamilton’s torso and returned fire. The bullet lodged in Hamilton’s spine, and he died the following morning. Charges of murder were later levied against Burr, and though he was arrested, he was eventually acquitted on a technicality.

2. “THE PETTICOAT DUEL”: LADY ALMERIA BRADDOCK VS. MRS. ELPHINSTONE (1792)



‘PETTICOAT DUELLISTS,’ PUBLISHED IN 1792. PHOTO BY HULTON ARCHIVE / GETTY IMAGES

This duel resulted after a hostess (Mrs. Elphinstone) made a seemingly harmless comment about the age of another woman (Lady Almeria Braddock). The Petticoat Duel, as it came to be known, began with the ladies meeting at Hyde Park armed with pistols. The first shot came from Mrs. Elphinstone, who blew a hole through Lady Almeria’s hat. Convinced their hostility wouldn’t be adequately expressed with pistols, the women drew swords. The duel came to a quick end, however, when Lady Almeria managed to inflict a wound on Mrs. Elphinstone’s sword arm, after which Mrs. Elphinstone agreed to write a letter of apology. While some researchers dispute whether the duel actually occurred, primarily because no account of a woman named Lady Braddock can be found, there is evidence that a Georgian actress named George Anne Bellamy not only played Almeria in Congreve’s The Mourning Bride but was a close acquaintance of a man named General Edward Braddock. Coincidently, she also knew a woman named Mrs. Elphinstone and fought a duel in Hyde Park using both swords and pistols.

3. SASAKI KOJIRŌ VS. MIYAMOTO MUSASHI (1612)



ILLUSTRATION BY YOSHITOSHI (1839–1892)

One of the most prolific duels in Japanese history involved the two best Japanese swordsmen of their time, Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojirō. Kojirō had developed a reputation for implementing a very effective Kenjutsu style based on the movement of the tail of a flying swallow. He had gained considerable notoriety for his innovative fighting techniques. Unlike traditional samurai, who used the traditional katanahis, Kojirō used a no-dachi (an extremely long, two-handed sword). Though the sword’s unusual length and weight may have presented problems for most skilled swordsmen, Kojirō somehow managed strikes with the weapon that were unusually quick and precise. According to legend, after hearing of Kojirō’s fame, Musashi asked an intermediary to arrange a duel. Kojirō agreed, and the two men met on April 13 on the remote shores of Ganryu-jima Island, located in the Kanmon Straits, just off the coast of the Bizen Province. Transported to Ganryu Island by boat thanks to the kindness of a local fisherman, Musashi reportedly arrived several hours late, in hopes of angering Kojirō, sporting a giant wooden sword he’d fashioned from the oar of a boat. As the duel began, both attacked simultaneously; however, Musashi quickly gained a reach advantage and wounded Kojirō’s head. During his second approach, Musashi exacted a fatal wound, slicing Kojirō’s throat and killing him instantly. Interestingly, before returning to his boat, out of respect, Musashi bowed to the officials and to his dead opponent. Later, a boat-shaped stone memorial was constructed on the island as well as statues depicting a scene from the duel.

4. ISABELLA DE CARAZZI AND DIAMBRA DE POTTINELLA (1552)

‘THE DUEL OF ISABELLA DE CARAZZI AND DIAMBRA DE POTTINELLA,’ A PAINTING BY JUSEPE DE RIBERA, 1636

Fabio de Zeresola, a handsome gentleman and highly sought-after bachelor who was very popular among the ladies of 16th century Naples, was the subject of the duel between two Neapolitan noblewomen named Isabella de Carazzi and Diambra de Pottinella. Hopelessly love-struck by Fabio, Isabella and Diambra agreed to meet in a field in Naples to fight for his affection. The event was an elaborate affair: Isabella wore blue and a helmet with a diamond in the crest, and Diambra wore green and a helmet emblazoned with a serpent of gold. When the trumpet sounded, the women charged at one another on horseback. Amid the clash of shields and the whinnying of horses, Isabella fell. Noticing this, Diambra quickly dismounted and demanded Isabella surrender. Rather than concede, Isabella quickly took up her sword and charged at Diambra, knocking her to the ground, surprisingly surrendering and proclaiming Diambra the victor. Rumors of the duel quickly spread across Italy, and the legend of the duel continued to be told for generations.

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