Dueling in Libertas Omnium Maximus

Two men duel with witnesses, mid 19th century.

Dueling was somewhat prevalent in Libertas Omnium Maximus from the nation's founding until the 1880s. Although the practice was highly discouraged, a number of high profile duels, usually fought over personal grievances or, less frequently, political disagreements, shaped Maximusian politics and public life. Unlike in other nations, Maximusian duels were not intended to result in fatality—and were designed chiefly as a means for aggrieved parties to prove their personal conviction—but did occasionally produce casualties, such as during the 1859 duel between Arthur Blayne and James Duncan.

History

Single combat, originally with swords, was commonplace in early medieval Valahandian society, and often played an integral role in clan politics. As Christianity was adopted across the realm, however, the practice fell out of favor, and was increasingly viewed as an act too barbaric for nobility to engage in. In the 17th century, young men of the Valahandian lesser gentry, often employed as military officers, gradually reintroduced ceremonial bladed duels to prove their martial prowess and settle disputes. Over time, duels grew more ritualized, frequent, and deadly, as firearms replaced sabers. Valahandian landowners in the royal colonies, eager to emulate the customs of the mainland gentry, quickly adopted dueling as a means of defending honor and redressing interpersonal disputes. They practice continued in the colonies long after dueling was banned on the mainland by regnal decree in 1770.

Structure

Around the 1750s, a standardized structure to formal duels, known as devil's advance, came about. Upon agreeing to a duel, and accompanied by witnesses, parties would stand 15 meters (50 feet) apart and fire upon each other simultaneously with single shot flintlocks. Because smoothbore pistols of the time were generally inaccurate at such a range, there was an understanding that neither party was likely to be struck in the initial salvo. If both parties were satisfied with the outcome of the duel after the first shot, the duel would end. If not, the duelists would advance towards each other 10 paces before, again, firing simultaneously. This process would repeat until one of the participants was shot, or both agreed to terminate the engagement. While historians have not reached an absolute consensus, most agree that very few duels proceeded after the initial salvo. Most casualties of devil's advance engagements occurred either after several salvos or when improper firearms were used. By the 1850s, cap and ball revolvers, which offered much better precision, reliability, and accuracy, were far more prevalent in Libertas Omnium Maximus than traditional single shot smooth-bore pistols, and thus were occasionally used in duels, but doing so significantly increased the risk of striking an opponent.

Notable Duels in Libertas Omnium Maximus

• 1834: Solomon Clarke & W. Ellis Bell - Clarke, a prolific duelist and then-president pro-tempore of the Iustitian Republic, dueled the offices' previous occupant over fundamental political disagreements. Both Bell and Clarke were struck during the initial engagement. Bell received a glancing blow to the shoulder, while Clarke was struck in the hand, resulting in the loss of two fingers and ending his dueling career. Neither men felt their grievances were adequately addressed, but chose not to continue the duel as a result of their injuries.
• 1859: Arthur Blayne & James Duncan - Perhaps the most well known duel in Maximusian history, Arthur Blayne, the sitting Chancellor, challenged former President of Libertas Omnium Maximus, James Duncan to a duel, culminating more than a decade of fierce rivalry between the two statesmen. Blayne accused Duncan of "professional impropriety," attempting to seduce his wife, and "eroding the moral character" of the Maximusian Republic. Although Duncan was reportedly hesitant to accept the challenge, he ultimately relented in hopes of clearing the accusations of philandry. The duel proved disastrous for both men. Duncan was shot through the heart and spine during the first salvo, failing to land a hit on on Blayne, and dying moments later. Although Blayne escaped from the confrontation unscathed, his political career never recovered and he was ousted from the Chancellorship within a year.

Legality and Decline

In Iustitia and, later, Libertas Omnium Maximus, dueling was not formally prohibited until the 1840s. Even after the nationwide ban, many duelists avoided conviction on grounds of mutual combat. It was not until the 1880s that Maximusian courts fully rejected the mutual combat defense. However, many historians argue the horrors or war, particularly Maximusian participation in the War of the Seven Provinces, did far more to sour public opinion of dueling than increased conviction rates. Regardless of the underlying cause, dueling fell out of favor by the 1880s. According to tradition, the final "proper" Maximusian duel was called in the autumn of 1886 by Constantine Renshaw against John Delaney over outstanding gambling debts and a host of other slights. Both men survived the duel, retiring after two salvos and no successful hits.

Legacy

Many anthropologists contend that the culture of honor that made duels seem attractive to Maximusians of the 19th century persists today, even if dueling, especially to the death, is a thing of the past. Climactic duels between the hero and antagonist are a hallmark of Maximusian fiction, and many a beloved narrative premises on a morally erudite protagonist who sets out to exact extrajudicial justice on those who have wronged him or his family.