The Duel A History Author:Robert Baldick The concept of settling a controversy "by dint of sword" dates back to A.D. 501 and the reign of Gundelbald, King of the Burgundians. Since then, trial by combat has undergone centuries of subtle changes and refinements -- from the solemn purposefulness of the judicial duel to the pomp and pageantry of the duel of chivalry to the moder... more »n duel of honor, waged by gentlemen rather than knights and fought as private settlements rather than public battles.
Tracing the centuries-old evolution of duelling through history and examining its fascinating hold over Western civilization, the author analyzes real-life tales of drama and deceit, honor and valor, and the complexities of legal justice. Along the way, he provides accounts of notorious duels in France, Britain, and America, recounting the role of the duel in the literature of such notable writers as Rousseau and Samuel Johnson and discussing the factors in society that led to its extinction. B&W illus.« less