EPISODE 119: The History of Duels

“Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split.” Robert E. Howard.

"If he had shot me through the brain, sir, I should still have killed him." Andrew Jackson

Since the dawn of time, human beings have killed each other in all kinds of ways for all kinds of reasons. One of the most peculiar forms of violence humans have engaged in is the duel.

Far from being the most effective way to dispose of one’s enemies, the duel has been tied to issues of reputation and honor. At its core, it’s a form of highly ritualized violence that served deep cultural purposes.

In this episode, we dive deep into the history of duels, trials by combat, and jousting.

From the pages of the Old Testament to tales from Roman history, from Miyamoto Musashi to Benito Mussolini, from Germanic tribal customs to French knights invoking God’s judgment while slaughtering rivals, the vice-president of the United States killing the first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, German university students and their facial scars, Caravaggio, Andrew Jackson, the death of one the greatest Russian poets, and much more.

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