Dueling was supposed to be the final, grim recourse when a gentleman’s honor was bruised beyond repair. In theory, a man of refinement would first attempt a civil resolution, but the strict 17th‑ and 18th‑century code of conduct left little wiggle room: fail to obey, and you were stripped of your gentlemanly status forever[1]. That loss was considered worse than death, and it birthed a parade of absurd confrontations that still make us chuckle.
Why 10 ridiculous gentleman duels still fascinate us
The allure lies in the sheer pettiness of the provocations—an insult about age, a whispered rumor of infidelity, a political disagreement over a bill—yet the participants treated each slight with the gravitas of a life‑or‑death showdown. Below, we rank the most outlandish of these face‑to‑face feuds, from political titans to ballroom scandals, each a reminder that honor can be both noble and nonsensical.
10 Alexander Hamilton And Aaron Burr
Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, two of the United States’ founding architects, shared more than a revolutionary résumé. While Burr climbed to the vice‑presidency, Hamilton became the inaugural Treasury Secretary. Their rivalry, however, simmered beneath the surface, fueled by personal slights: Burr’s triumph over Hamilton’s father‑in‑law in a Senate contest, Hamilton’s dazzling public acclaim that eclipsed Burr’s, and a whispered, scathing remark Hamilton allegedly made about Burr at a dinner gathering.
By 1804, the tension boiled over. Hamilton refused to apologise for the alleged insult, prompting Burr to demand satisfaction. The two met for a duel—historical accounts differ, but a popular theory suggests Hamilton, adhering to the gentlemanly custom of deliberately missing, let his pistol fly harmlessly. Burr, whether by design or accident, fired a lethal shot that pierced Hamilton’s abdomen, shredding organs and leaving him paralyzed. Hamilton succumbed thirty‑six hours later. Burr fled to evade murder charges, returned to finish his vice‑presidential term once the accusations were dropped, but his political trajectory never recovered.
9 Lady Almeria Braddock And Mrs. Elphinstone
Dueling was not an exclusively masculine pastime; the genteel salons of the late 18th century occasionally witnessed fierce confrontations among women. In 1792, the Carlton House Magazine recorded a scandalous tea‑time clash between Lady Almeria Braddock and Mrs. Elphinstone. The latter dared to claim that Lady Braddock “had been” a beautiful woman—a subtle jab implying that her beauty was a thing of the past.
Lady Braddock, affronted not only by the past‑tense insinuation but also by Mrs. Elphinstone’s audacious speculation about her age—suggesting she was nearer sixty than thirty—demanded satisfaction. Mrs. Elphinstone retorted, “Name your weapons. Swords or pistols?” to which Lady Braddock replied, “Both!”[3]
The morning of the duel saw Mrs. Elphinstone discharge a shot that pierced Lady Braddock’s hat, inflaming the dispute further. The two women then engaged with swords; Mrs. Elphinstone sustained a blow to her arm before both parties deemed the matter settled and called a truce.
8 Alexander Pushkin And Georges D’Anthes
In 1834, Russia’s most celebrated poet, Alexander Pushkin, received a scandal‑laden letter announcing his election to “The Most Serene Order of Cuckolds.” In plain English, the note alleged that his wife, Natalya, was engaged in an affair with the dashing Frenchman Georges d’Anthes. While the rumors never proved definitive, they struck a nerve; Pushkin, already accustomed to duels, could not ignore a suggestion that his honor was besmirched.
Earlier, Pushkin had endured unsubstantiated accusations of an affair with Tsar Nicholas—an impossible challenge, as dueling a reigning monarch was forbidden. However, a mere captain was a permissible target. The taunts festered, and Pushkin finally challenged d’Anthes. Though the duel was initially averted when d’Anthes married elsewhere, the tension lingered, culminating in a January 1837 pistol showdown.
The encounter proved fatal for Pushkin: he was mortally wounded and died two days later. D’Anthes, stripped of his rank, was ordered to leave Russia permanently, his reputation forever tarnished by the tragic outcome.
7 Ben Jonson And Gabriel Spenser
Ben Jonson, the eminent Elizabethan playwright, rose from humble laborer to celebrated poet‑dramatist, mastering both the stage and the scholarly world. His ascent, however, collided with tragedy when his leading actor, Gabriel Spenser, became embroiled in a bitter dispute after one of Jonson’s satirical plays landed both men in jail.
Spenser, notorious for violent outbursts—including a chilling episode in which he stabbed a man through the eye—proved a dangerous foil. In September 1598, the two crossed paths by chance, and Spenser issued a challenge. He wielded a sword ten inches longer than Jonson’s, using it to flamboyantly display his advantage. Jonson, refusing to be intimidated, struck decisively, slashing Spenser dead on the spot.
Jonson’s victory landed him in legal trouble; he was arrested for murder. Yet, a loophole known as the “benefit of clergy” saved him—by reciting a Latin psalm, he proved his literacy, granting him clerical immunity. He was released from Newgate Prison with an X branded on his thumb, a marker to prevent future abuse of the exemption.
6 Andrew Jackson And Charles Dickinson
In 1806, a heated dispute erupted between future President Andrew Jackson and attorney Charles Dickinson. The conflict originated over a wager involving Dickinson’s father‑in‑law, but quickly escalated when Dickinson publicly insulted Jackson’s wife and branded Jackson a “poltroon and a coward” in the Nashville Review.
Incensed by the affront, Jackson issued a challenge. Dickinson, a seasoned duelist and one of Tennessee’s finest marksmen, elected pistols as the weapon of choice—a privilege granted to the challenged party. In the duel, Dickinson fired first, shattering two of Jackson’s ribs and lodging a bullet a mere two inches from his heart. Jackson’s seconds claimed his gun misfired, allowing him a moment to recover before he returned fire, killing Dickinson.
Although the duel technically violated the code—each participant should fire simultaneously, and a premature shot warranted an intentional miss—Jackson faced no murder charges. The wound haunted him for life, yet his political career flourished, culminating in his election as the seventh President of the United States.
5 The Duke Of Wellington And The Earl Of Winchilsea
Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, while serving as British Prime Minister, entered a duel in 1829 with the Earl of Winchilsea over the contentious Catholic Relief Bill, which permitted Catholics to sit in Parliament. The Earl, a staunch Protestant, accused Wellington of an “insidious design” to infiltrate the state with “Popery.”
In contemporary terms, the accusation sounds mild, yet Wellington perceived a direct insult to his honor and issued a challenge. After considerable clandestine maneuvering by both parties’ seconds to locate a secluded venue, the duel unfolded with both men deliberately missing their shots, aiming wide as a show of controlled restraint.
Winchilsea subsequently offered an apology, and the two gentlemen returned home, their weapons unused. The entire episode, steeped in pomp and ceremony, ultimately resulted in no bloodshed—a dramatic, yet anticlimactic, episode in dueling history.
4 Francois Fournier And Pierre Dupont
In 1794, during the turbulent era of the French Revolutionary Wars, messenger Pierre Dupont was tasked with delivering an unwelcome communiqué to Francois Fournier. Little did Dupont know that this errand would ignite a nineteen‑year saga of duels. Fournier, notorious for his fiery temperament, was a fervent duelist despite Napoleon’s explicit ban on the practice within the French army.
Fournier took umbrage at the message and, adhering to the code, “shot the messenger”—though in this case he drew a sword. Their first encounter left Fournier wounded, prompting a demand for further satisfaction. Subsequent meetings saw Dupont wounded, then both men inflicting injuries on each other, leading to a stalemate. They eventually formalized a contract: whenever they came within 160 kilometres of one another, a duel would ensue.
Over the next 27 confrontations, they wielded swords, pistols, sabers, rapiers, and even lances—fighting on foot and horseback. The feud climaxed in 1813 when Dupont, during a sword bout, stabbed Fournier through the neck. As Dupont announced his impending marriage, he urged an end to the violence. The pair agreed to a final pistol duel; Dupont tricked Fournier into firing wide, then closed in with a loaded pistol. Recognising the futility, Fournier finally conceded, bringing the protracted duel to a close.
3 Lucius Marshall Walker And John Sapington Marmaduke
During the American Civil War, two Confederate brigadier generals—Lucius Marshall Walker and John S. Marmaduke—found themselves at odds over battlefield tactics. Both West Point graduates, they were stationed in Arkansas when Walker’s maneuvers allegedly exposed Marmaduke’s troops to unnecessary enemy fire. Marmaduke questioned Walker’s bravery, and a heated exchange of letters ensued.
The dispute escalated when each general’s messenger took it upon themselves to act as seconds, arranging a duel without higher authorization. In September 1863, the two met near Little Rock, firing from fifteen paces. Their first shots missed. On the second exchange, Marmaduke’s bullet struck Walker fatally, though the wound may have been accidental. Marmaduke rushed to Walker’s side, inquiring about his condition and even providing a personal ambulance.
Walker succumbed to his injuries the following day. The episode underscores a stark lesson: entrusting others to settle personal grievances can lead to fatal consequences, especially amidst the chaos of war.
2 Baron Mohun And The Duke Of Hamilton
In 1712, after a decade of litigation over an inheritance, Baron Mohun challenged the Duke of Hamilton to a duel. Both men’s wives descended from the 1st Earl of Macclesfield, and upon the 3rd Earl’s death without an heir in 1702, each claimed the family estate. Mohun, already named heir to the 2nd Earl, was no stranger to dueling; he had previously faced murder charges twice and emerged acquitted.
The November 1712 encounter was a fierce sword duel. Both combatants sustained grave injuries and ultimately died. Controversy swirled around the Duke’s death: while Mohun was the obvious opponent, many accounts suggest the fatal blow came from Mohun’s second, Lieutenant‑General MacCartney, who allegedly thrust his sword into the Duke’s chest—a clear breach of dueling etiquette.
MacCartney fled the country, was tried in absentia for murder, stripped of his army rank, and declared no longer a gentleman. The tragedy highlights how even the most carefully observed codes could be shattered by a rogue second.
1 Monsieur Granpree And Monsieur Le Pique
When Monsieur Granpree discovered his ballerina mistress tangled with Monsieur Le Pique, he was, unsurprisingly, incensed. Determined to defend his honor, Granpree challenged Le Pique to a duel—yet, in a twist befitting the absurdity of the era, the combatants elected to duel from hot‑air balloons.
Both men spent a month training before meeting in a Parisian field in May 1808. Accompanied by their seconds and armed with blunderbusses, they ascended into the sky at nine o’clock, their balloons rising above a gathered crowd. They maneuvered to achieve the proper distance, and Le Pique fired first, his shot missing the target entirely.
Granpree returned fire, and his bullet tore through the silk of Le Pique’s balloon, causing it to plunge rapidly. Le Pique and his second were “dashed to pieces” against the roof of a nearby house. Granpree, in a triumphant yet whimsical gesture, let his balloon drift higher, only to drift uncontrollably and finally descend some thirty‑nine kilometres from the original site.
These ten outlandish duels remind us that the code of honor, while earnest, often produced spectacles that were as comedic as they were tragic.