The most unusual duels in the world. The most famous Russian duels: passions, excitement, carousing, cupids and politics

History remembers the duels that became famous a large number inhabitants of the planet. They owe their fame to the participation of such celebrities as Alexander Pushkin, Alexander Hamilton, Mikhail Lermontov and others.

Top most famous duels

The most famous duels are duels in which at least one of the participants is a famous person in the field of politics, literature, or science.

The duel could also become famous because it was followed by some other events that received wide publicity or influenced the course of history. Next, we will talk in more detail about the fights in which the duelists were Pushkin, Mark Twain, Lermontov, and Hamilton.

Duel of Pushkin and Dantes

Everyone knows about Pushkin’s duel with Heckern (Dantes) cultured person. A ridiculous duel claimed the life of the most talented Russian writer. This event took place at the end of January 1837 in St. Petersburg. Having received a mortal wound in a duel, Alexander Sergeevich died two days later.

Pushkin challenged Dantes to a duel because of such feelings as jealousy. There were rumors in society that Dantes was in love with the poet’s wife, as well as that he had achieved her favor. The last straw was an anonymous libel delivered to Pushkin and his friends. In it the poet was called a cuckold. This happened in November 1836. Because Dantes proposed sister Pushkin's wife, Alexander Sergeevich withdrew his challenge to the duel. Dantes' wedding took place at the beginning of 1837. Unfortunately, this marriage did not end the conflict between Heckern and Pushkin; in addition, jokes about Pushkin’s family continued to spread in society.

A few days later, the poet sent an insulting letter to Dantes’ adoptive father, after which he received a summons. The conditions of this duel were very harsh, but the poet accepted them. After Dantes was shot, the poet was fatally wounded in the stomach. Lying in the snow, he managed to fire back, lightly wounding his opponent in the right hand.

Duel between Lermontov and Martynov

In July 1841, another famous duel took place. We are talking about the competition between Lermontov and Martynov. Unfortunately, many of the circumstances of that event remained unclear, since Martynov and both seconds at the trial, when giving evidence, tried to downplay their guilt. During the duel, Lermontov was shot in the chest.

The fatal event for Lermontov occurred not far from Pyatigorsk near Mount Mashuk. There was no doctor present at the scene of the fight, nor was the crew standing there in case of injury or death of one of the participants in the fight. These circumstances suggest that all participants in the duel hoped until the last moment that Lermontov and Martynov would agree to reconciliation and no one would shoot. However, there was no peaceful outcome. The poet died without regaining consciousness, just a few minutes after the fatal shot.

Duel between Hamilton and Burr

In July 1804, a duel took place between two prominent politicians The USA is Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton. The latter issued several quite offensive pamphlets against Burr, which was the reason that Aaron Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel.

Duels in New York were prohibited by that time. Burr, Hamilton and their seconds went secretly to this fight. It took place in New Jersey in a secluded rocky place.

After the command was given, Hamilton noticeably hesitated to fire, but Burr fired and hit his opponent, whose liver and spine were damaged as a result. Hamilton had no opportunity to fire a return shot, and he did not want to fire one. Before the duel, the deceased wrote in his suicide note that his moral and religious principles were against duels.

The most famous duel in history

The most famous duel in history is considered to be the so-called “minion duel.” The duel took place in April 1578 in one of the Parisian parks. Its participants were those close to King Henry III, who were called minions, and those close to the Duke of Guise.

This duel had no political motives. The reason was an unflattering remark about the behavior of a certain lady. The main opponents of this fight are Quelus and D’Entragues. Each of them came to the duel with two seconds.

It should be noted that the king strictly prohibited showdowns through duels. However, this did not stop the opponents. The “Minion Duel” became famous for the fact that it involved not only D’Entragues and Quelus, but also four seconds, who, according to the dueling code, were obliged to do everything possible to reconcile the parties.

A marble monument was erected over the grave of the dead participants in this duel, by order of the inconsolable king. At the end of the sixteenth century, the rebel Legists destroyed this magnificent monument. “Minion Duel” became the reason for the emergence of fashion for participation in duels not only of the duelists themselves, but also of their seconds. A similar scene is described by Alexandre Dumas in the novel “The Countess de Monsoreau”.

In addition to one-on-one confrontations, there were other interesting fights in the world. .
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Fights between rivals were commonplace at all times - among various classes and different nations. In some places they fought only until first blood was drawn (like, for example, the Vikings), and in others they fought until the death of one of the duelists. In some countries, the fights took place in the presence of many spectators, while in others they were held in complete secret. The weapons could also be very diverse. (website)

Psychology of duelists

An interesting thing: if two people get together and punch each other, this is considered undignified behavior. And if two fighters have a duel, this speaks of their honor and dignity. Of course, some people thought that duelists were just bullies who set a bad example, but many people believed that this is how real men should behave.

Over time, duels became the main way to resolve private conflicts, which is why many people died. In a number of countries, duels were prohibited by law, but were still carried out. There were even rules for conducting them. For example, in 1836 In France, a special code for duelists was issued, although duels themselves were already officially prohibited here. And this code was successfully adopted not only in France, but also in many other countries of the world, for example, in Russia.

The rules strictly regulated the behavior of combatants, who previously could trip the enemy, hit him in the back, and even finish off the wounded. Also, according to the rules, when challenged to a duel, the offender should have been hit in the face or a white glove thrown at his feet. After this, a “scene of action” was chosen, a doctor and two seconds were invited, one of whom was appointed as the manager. Duelists were allowed to be no more than fifteen minutes late for the duel. When everyone was in place, the manager traditionally turned to the opponents with a proposal to make peace. If they refused, then a weapon was selected for the duel and the distance was measured. The fighters dispersed to the barriers and, after the manager’s command, shot at each other.

Before the duel, they also agreed on whether they would shoot simultaneously or alternately. Usually shooting was carried out from thirty steps. Sometimes both opponents were injured or even killed.

If they shot in turn, then the first shot was fired by the one who challenged the duel. The one who was called could discharge his weapon into the air. A wounded duelist was allowed to shoot while lying down. If both opponents remained alive and unharmed, they shook hands and dispersed.

In addition to firearms, duelists also used edged weapons - swords, sabers, knives. Some originals used axes, canes, razors, candelabra, and so on to sort out relationships. However, in such battles it was not easy for the seconds to monitor the actions of the fighters, and in addition, the strengths of the duelists often turned out to be unequal. Therefore, most rivals tried not to resort to this kind of weapon.

Prohibition of duels

Duels were banned in France in the 16th century. The reason for this was the death of thousands and thousands of aristocrats. Similar laws were also in force in other states, but everything was in vain...

If the authorities became aware of the duel, they roughly punished the duelists so that others would be discouraged. Cardinal Richelieu, for example, introduced the death penalty for them, which in rare cases was replaced by exile with complete confiscation of property. This applied not only to the duelists, but also to the seconds and spectators.

Under Peter the Great, Russia also introduced (for the first time) the death penalty for participating in a duel, and according to the decree of Catherine the Great, those guilty were either exiled to Siberia or imprisoned. Nicholas II sent duelists to war as privates.

However, it was all in vain. Moreover, in Russia they began to shoot without doctors, without seconds, from a distance of ten steps! Having fired once, the opponents did not disperse, but fought “until they hit.” It is clear that most duels ended in someone's death.

Women's duels

Surprisingly, among the duelists there were also women who fought even more severely and more sophisticated than men: women’s fights much more often ended in death. Often they turned into a real massacre with the participation of seconds and fellow spectators. If they fought with swords, then the tip of the weapon was often moistened with poison, but if they shot, then until they were seriously wounded or someone died.

The famous opera singer Julie d'Aubigny fought many duels with ladies and even men. Once at a ball she competed against three opponents and managed to injure them. To avoid execution, Julie had to spend several years outside of France.

The stories are well known and quite funny. For example, the one that happened because of the composer Franz Liszt between his lover Marie d'Agoux and the loving French writer George Sand. These determined ladies chose... their long nails as a weapon. The duel took place in Liszt’s house, and the composer himself was holed up in his office at that time. "Duel on Nails" ended in a draw; Having yelled and pretty much scratched each other, the ladies went their separate ways. After this, George Sand no longer sought Liszt's favor.

How about this fact: the Empress Catherine II we mentioned, who prohibited duels in Russia, in her youth (before her accession to the throne) participated in an armed duel and more than once served as a second for other ladies.

The most famous men's duels

A.S. Pushkin participated in more than a hundred duels. Many were his opponents famous people of that time (for example, Kuchelbecker), but the last for the poet was a duel with Dantes, who spread evil jokes about Pushkin and his family. Having received a mortal wound, the Russian genius died two days later.

The Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, who lived during the Renaissance, once fought with swords with a relative who managed to cut off part of his nose. Brahe spent his entire subsequent life with a silver prosthetic nose...

Lermontov and Martynov were considered friends, which, however, did not save them from the fatal duel. The reason for the confrontation was the jokes that the poet made about Martynov. The result of all this turned out to be far from funny: the bullet pierced Lermontov’s heart and lungs...

Two English gentlemen - Member of Parliament Humphrey Howarth and nobleman Earl Barrymore - quarreled in a pub and decided to duel. Howarth, a former army surgeon, showed up completely naked, although he was no joker, much less a pervert. It’s just that, as a physician, he knew that the wounded die, as a rule, not from the wounds themselves, but from infection brought in from their clothing. Seeing his opponent in this form, Count Barrymore burst out laughing and announced that he would not shoot at a naked man, and also did not want to be killed by him. The duel thus did not take place.

Alexandre Dumas took part in a rather peculiar duel: the loser by lot had to kill himself. The famous writer was unlucky. Dumas went into another room and fired into the air, after which he returned and announced that he was aiming for the temple, but missed.

The seventh American president, Andrew Jackson, fought a duel as a young man with a man who insulted his wife. Andrew was shot in the chest and surgeons were unable to remove the bullet. She stayed with Jackson for the rest of her life...

The duel of minions (close French king Henry III) with the Guizards (supporters of the Duke of Guise), in which four participants were killed and two were seriously wounded. By order of the king, a marble monument was erected on the grave of the victims.

A French aristocrat, also a handsome man and a womanizer, Comte de Boutville fought duels twenty times, and this despite the fact that Cardinal Richelieu banned them in the country under penalty of death. Of course, Richelieu knew about all these fights of his favorite and constantly forgave him. However, for the twentieth time, Boutville crossed all boundaries, staging a showdown in broad daylight, and in large cluster Parisians. The cardinal simply could not forgive this without damaging his reputation. And the count's head was publicly cut off.

The first German chancellor, Bismarck, also fought duels; in twenty-seven duels, he lost only two battles, receiving minor injuries. By the way, in Germany at that time only duels with a fatal outcome were prohibited, but those that resulted in minor injuries were not.

But the most remarkable duel in the world took place in 1808, it took place on balloons. The young people did not share the lady and decided to sort things out in this original way. The winner in this fight was not the most accurate, but the most cunning shooter, who shot at the ball - and his opponent simply crashed.

And finally, it is worth saying that in many countries Latin America fights were banned only at the turn of the millennium, that is, quite recently, but in Paraguay they are still allowed to this day...

Defending one's honor through a duel has always been considered a noble cause. Among the duels, a top list of the most unusual ones has been compiled. It is also known about the most curious, most terrible and fastest duel.

Top most unusual duels

Duels have been known since the times of the Vikings. They called them “holmring”. The battle, carried out on the top of the hill, ended with the appearance of the first blood. After this, the loser was obliged to pay the winner a certain amount.

Despite the fact that over time duels were officially prohibited in many countries around the world, they were still carried out. Rivals believed that this was the only way to find out who was right, defend honor, determine the winner in a dispute, and so on. Unusual duels were in fashion. Next, let's look at some of them included in the top.

The most interesting and fastest duel

There is a known duel that took place in the fourteenth century between two friends, one of whom was already dead. The names of these friends are Jacques Chevantier and Andre Marchand. Together they went hunting, however, only Chevantier returned back.

Many noticed that after this event, the missing friend’s dog, for unknown reasons, began to be very aggressive towards Chevantier. This was regarded as a challenge to a duel. The dog allegedly wanted to take revenge on his owner’s friend for killing Marchant. Chevantier accepted the challenge. He took a club with metal spikes as a weapon, and the dog took his own teeth. As soon as the dog was released, it sank its teeth into its opponent's throat. Andre Marchand died, but before his death he managed to confess that it was he who killed his friend.

The most terrible duel

The most terrible and unusual duel took place in Africa. The subject of the dispute was the girl. The Africans, who had never swam more than a hundred meters before the duel, decided to compete in swimming. They sailed on boats about five kilometers from the seashore and jumped into the water. The seconds watched the progress of the duel.

I must say that everything was not at all harmless, since the water was infested with sharks. Soon the seconds realized that the duelists urgently needed to be pulled out of the water. Although they were exhausted, they were both alive. The sharks didn't have time to eat them.

Duel with the most ridiculous type of weapon

General Bismarck decided to challenge a certain scientist named Rudolf Virchow to a duel. In itself, such a challenge was non-standard, since Bismarck held a very high position, being the Chancellor of Germany, and the scientist headed the opposition liberal party. Since, according to this scientist, Bismarck was fluent in any weapon, ordinary sausages were chosen for the competition, one of which would be with poison.

The scientist proposed to eat one sausage each during a duel, after which fate would decide which of them would live and which would die. Bismarck refused this duel, because he believed that a hero could not die after overeating.

"Skirt Fight"

Duels also happened between representatives of the fairer sex. One of these fights took place after a harmless tea party in France between two friends. Lady Braddock and Mrs. Elphinstone became the duelists. The reason for the duel was that one of the friends described the appearance of the other in the past tense, namely, she said that she used to be a beautiful woman.

Considering such words offensive to herself, the offended woman challenged her friend to a duel. They immediately went to Hyde Park with the intention of shooting with pistols. Lady Braddock's hat was shot through, however, she insisted that the duel continue with swords. Soon after the fight began, Braddock slightly wounded her offender. The wounded offender also brought her a written apology.

An unusual duel of the mid-twentieth century

Even in the twentieth century, duels took place from time to time. It is known about a duel that took place in the middle of last time in America. Both duelists are farmers who fell in love with the same girl. They chose cars as their weapons. The lovers planned to accelerate and drive towards each other at great speed. They chose a plateau as the place for the duel.

At this duel, in addition to the seconds, there was also a girl present, who became the subject of a dispute among the young and ardent farmers. Having accelerated, they decided to turn off at the last moment, thus preventing the instant death of both. The duelists continued to fight, trying to push each other into the abyss while sitting behind the wheel. One of the lovers and the car soon flew into the abyss, while the winner had to go to prison for fifteen years. The girl became the wife of the bus driver, who kindly gave her a ride when she was returning from this duel.

The most unusual duel in history: balloon battle

Perhaps the most unusual duel took place in the air over Paris. Two contenders for the diva's heart decided to rise in balloons and shoot each other. We are talking about Monsieur de Picquet and Monsieur de Grandpré. Each of them took a second with them.

First after the necessary approach balloons managed to shoot Monsieur de Grandpré. The ball in which Monsieur de Piquet was with his second caught fire and collapsed. It should be noted that the diva did not appreciate the duel that took place, leaving the city with the third contender for her heart.

Mass confrontations are also interesting. .
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On November 24, 1817, on Volkovo Field, in northern Palmyra, a duel took place between Count Alexander Zavadovsky and the officer of the Cavalry Regiment Vasily Sheremetev. They fought over the 18-year-old brilliant ballerina Avdotya Istomina. This duel, which went down in history as a “duel of four,” ended with the death of Sheremetyev and a duel of seconds - the future Decembrist cornet Alexander Yakubovich and an official of the College of Foreign Affairs, poet Alexander Griboedov. However, Russia also knew not such dueling vicissitudes.

Tsar's decrees did not save Russia from duels

The first strict laws against duels, which provided for punishment up to the death penalty, appeared in Russia under Peter I. However, these laws were not applied in practice, and duels in Russia were quite rare until the end of the 18th century. Duels became widespread among the young nobles under Catherine II, who was even forced to publish the “Manifesto on Duels,” which provided for lifelong exile to Siberia for a bloodless duel, and murder and wounds were equated to a criminal offense. Nicholas I also had a great aversion to duels. Under him, duelists were sent to serve in the Caucasus, and in case of death they were deprived of their officer rank.

But laws against duels in Russia turned out to be ineffective. Moreover, Russian duels were particularly cruel: the distance between barriers did not exceed 10 meters (usually 7); often duels took place without doctors or seconds, so the fights ended tragically.

"Duel of Four" over a brilliant ballerina

The name of Avdotya Istomina was immortalized by the great Pushkin in the poem “Eugene Onegin”:
Brilliant, half-airy,
I obey the magic bow,
Surrounded by a crowd of nymphs,
Worth Istomin; she,
One foot touching the floor,
The other slowly circles,
And suddenly he jumps, and suddenly he flies,
Flies like feathers from the lips of Aeolus;
Now the camp will sow, then it will develop,
And with a quick foot he hits the leg.
The famous Avdotya Istomina, the daughter of a drunken policeman, the same age and friend of Pushkin and the beloved of the Cavalry Regiment officer Vasily Sheremetev, once quarreled with her beau. Upset, she accepted Alexander Griboyedov’s invitation and went with him to tea with the chamber cadet Alexander Zavadovsky. The tea party lasted for 2 days. Sheremetyev, incited by cornet Alexander Yakubovich, challenged Zavadsky to a duel, as a result of which Sheremetyev was mortally wounded and died the next day. His grave is located at the Lazarevskoye cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

But this duel continued. There was also a quarrel between the seconds, which resulted in a challenge to a duel. Due to the investigation into the Sheremetyev case, the duel had to be postponed, and it took place a year later in Georgia. They shot in a ravine near the Tatar grave in the vicinity of Tiflis. Yakubovich managed to shoot Griboedov’s little finger on his left hand. It was by this sign that the mutilated body of the author of “Woe from Wit” was identified and Russian ambassador, when a crowd of religious fanatics dealt with him in Tehran.

The most famous love match

One of the most famous Russian duels is the duel that took place on September 14, 1825 on the northern outskirts of St. Petersburg between lieutenant of the Semenovsky regiment Konstantin Chernov and adjutant Vladimir Novosiltsev. The reason for the duel was Novosiltsev’s refusal to marry Chernov’s sister due to the resistance of his mother, the heir to Count Orlov’s huge fortune. She idolized her son, and marriage with the poor and humble girl Chernova was not at all to her liking. Novosiltsev's mother made every effort to upset her son's marriage, and she succeeded.

The offended brother of the bride challenged Vladimir Novosiltsev to a duel, which took place on the outskirts of Forest Park. Chernov had his second as cousin K.F. Ryleev, who was a member of the Northern secret society of “Decembrists”. Both duelists were mortally wounded, and Ryleev did everything to turn Chernov’s funeral into a demonstration.

Novosiltsev’s mother, having learned about the duel, still managed to find her son alive and promised the famous doctor Arendt 1000 rubles for saving her son, but all the efforts of the doctors were in vain.

The inconsolable woman spent about 1 million rubles to purchase the inn where her son was shot, and built the Novosiltsevsky charitable institution and the Prince Vladimir Church on this site. The places where the duelists fired from a distance of eight steps were marked by two tables.

Pushkin - the most famous St. Petersburg duelist

Ekaterina Karamzina, a contemporary of the great Russian poet, stated in one of her letters: “ Pushkin has duels every day" And Ivan Liprandi, famous duelist, left a note in his diary: “ I knew Alexander Sergeevich to be hot-tempered, sometimes to the point of frenzy; but in a moment of danger, when he came face to face with death, when a person reveals himself completely, Pushkin possessed highest degree equanimity. When it came to the barrier, he appeared to him as cold as ice».

In his first duel, Pushkin fought with his lyceum comrade Kuchelbecker. The reason was a kind of review of Pushkin’s epigrams. By lot, Küchlya shot first, and when he began to aim, Pushkin shouted to his second Delvig: “Take my place, it’s safer here!” Kuchelbecker lost his temper, his hand trembled, and he actually hit the cap on Delvig’s head. The comic nature of the situation reconciled the opponents.

It is also known about Pushkin’s duel with Colonel Starov, who was a famous sniper. The duel took place on January 6, 1822. According to eyewitnesses, on that day there was such a strong snowstorm that nothing could be seen a few steps away. Both duelists missed. Subsequently, Pushkin’s friends did everything. So that the duel does not resume.

But already in the spring in St. Petersburg they were discussing a new duel between the poet and General Staff officer Zubov. Zubov missed, and Pushkin, who was calmly eating cherries while the enemy was aiming at him, abandoned his shot. “Are you satisfied?” he asked Zubov, and when he tried to hug Pushkin, he restrainedly remarked: “This is unnecessary.”

A duel with Georges de Heckern (Dantes), which took place on February 8, 1837 in the Black River area on the outskirts of St. Petersburg, became fatal for Pushkin. Pushkin himself insisted on conditions that left virtually no chance of survival. The distance between opponents was 20 steps, the barrier was set at 10 steps, and you could shoot at any time. Already with the first shot of Dantes, Pushkin was wounded in the stomach. After 2 days, Pushkin died. Dantes was sentenced to death for the duel. He hastily left Russia, lived to an old age and made successful career in politics.

The witty Lermontov provoked a duel in which he died

The official reason for the duel, in which Lieutenant Lermontov died from Major Martynov’s bullet, was the witticisms and barbs that the poet regularly made towards the officer. Martynov's patience was overflowing when Lermontov called him “a highlander with a big dagger.” Although it was rumored that the reason for Lermontov’s behavior was rivalry over a lady.

On July 15, 1841, the duelists met at an agreed upon location on Mount Mashuk. What the conditions of the duel were are no longer known today. Lermontov was mortally wounded by his opponent in the chest and died on the spot, not having time to fire his shot. To confirm that Lermontov's pistol was loaded, a shot was fired into the air.

Russian anarchist challenged the founder of Marxism to a duel

The anarchist revolutionary Bakunin challenged the author of Capital, Karl Marx, to a duel. The reason was the fact that Marx allowed himself a disparaging review of the Russian army. Bakunin, although he was an anarchist and an opponent of any regular army, decided to stand up for the honor of the Russian uniform, since in his youth he was an ensign-artilleryman. Marx, who fought with swords more than once as a student and was very proud of the scars on his face, did not accept Bakunin’s challenge. He declared that his life now belonged not to him, but to the proletariat.

Tolstoy wanted to shoot with Turgenev, and Voloshin with Gumilyov

Many famous people were duelists. It is known that the young Leo Tolstoy threw down the gauntlet to Ivan Turgenev. The duel, fortunately, did not take place. The last known duel was the duel between the poets Lev Gumilyov and Maximilian Voloshin that took place before the revolution. Gumilyov was offended by the joke. Then the offender fired into the air, but Gumilyov missed.

However, weapons can be used for very peaceful purposes, and this is proof of this.

The most famous duels in the world:

1. Alexander Pushkin - Georges de Heckern (Dantes), 1837, St. Petersburg.

The reason for the duel was feelings. The conflict between Pushkin and the cavalry officer, the adopted son of the Dutch ambassador, had been brewing for a long time. The first planned duel - after the poet received an anonymous “cuckold diploma”, which hinted at Dantes’ relationship with Natalya Pushkina - did not take place due to de Heckern’s matchmaking with his wife’s sister. The second challenge came from his newly-minted relative.After Dantes' marriage to Ekaterina Goncharova, unpleasant rumors about the poet's family continued to circulate in society. Pushkin, who was not distinguished by his easy character and believing that de Heckern was their distributor, reacted very sharply, excommunicating him and his relatives from home in a rather rude manner. Immediately, as was predictable, a challenge followed. The fatal shot was fired on February 8, 1837, not far from the Black River near St. Petersburg. The conditions of the duel (which Pushkin himself insisted on) were harsh and left little opportunity for survival. The distance between the opponents was only twenty steps. The barrier was set at ten paces, and opponents could shoot at any time on the way to it. Dantes shot first, wounding Pushkin in the stomach. After changing the weapon, which was clogged with snow, the bleeding poet also fired a shot, lightly wounding de Heckern in the arm. Two days later, Alexander Pushkin died from his wound. And Dantes, sentenced to death for a duel, had to quickly leave Russia. He lived to old age and had a good political career.

2. Mikhail Lermontov - Nikolai Martynov, 1841, Pyatigorsk.

The official reason for the duel, in which Lieutenant Lermontov died at the hands of Major Martynov, was the barbs and witticisms that the poet regularly allowed himself to make towards the officer. They say that the last straw was when, two days before the duel, a famous wit called his opponent “a highlander with a big dagger.” However, it is believed that the real reason for the deadly fight could have been rivalry over the lady’s heart. Martynov and Lermontov met on the slope of Mount Mashuk on the evening of July 15, 1841. The exact conditions of the duel are unknown - the major and his seconds talked about different “barriers”. However, the fact remains that Mikhail Lermontov was fatally wounded in the chest and died on the spot, without having time to fire a shot. To confirm that his weapon was loaded, it was later fired into the air. After the duel, Martynov was sentenced by a military court to three months of arrest, and served the spiritual penance imposed on him in Kyiv.

3. Vladimir Novosiltsev - Konstantin Chernov, 1825, St. Petersburg

The cause of the sensational duel was the refusal of one of the richest suitors of that time, adjutant Vladimir Novosiltsev, to marry the sister of Lieutenant Semyonovsky Regiment Konstantin Chernov. Mother insisted on canceling the engagement young man. As a result, he succumbed to her persuasion, but Chernov considered that the honor of his family was hurt and sent a challenge. Despite all the efforts of the influential Ekaterina Novosiltseva, the duel took place on September 14, 1825 on the outskirts of St. Petersburg, on the outskirts of Forest Park. Novosiltsev and Chernov fired from a distance of eight steps, which left them practically no chance. They pull the triggers at the same time. Lieutenant Chernov died on the spot, and adjutant Novosiltsev lived another day. Not far from the site of the duel, the inconsolable mother built a church and an almshouse.

4. “Duel of the Minions”, 1578, Paris.

This plot was later included in the novel “The Countess de Monsoreau” by Alexandre Dumas the Father. Three “minions” (that is, supporters) of King Henry II took part in the bloody battle on one side, and supporters of his political opponent, the Duke of Guise, on the other. The cause of the conflict between the two instigators of the duel, as usual, was a lady. The Count de Quelus found the Baron de Entrages with his mistress, and the next day he allowed himself to joke that this lady was “more beautiful than virtuous.” The call came immediately. The opponents met on April 27, 1578 in Tournelle Park. First, one pair of fighters entered the fight, later four seconds joined them. Actually, only a couple of the instigators of the duel survived - Kelus, who received a total of 19 wounds, and Antrag, who was wounded in the arm. Their seconds did not survive the fight. But the count did not live long after the duel. A month later he mounted a horse, his wounds opened and he died a few days later.

5. Andrew Jackson - Charles Dickinson, 1806, Kentucky.

Twenty years before becoming President of the United States, Jackson took part in a famous duel, killing the famous marksman, lawyer Dickinson. The reason for the call was an unflattering statement about the past of the wife of then-Senator Jackson. The challenge did not take long to arrive. The duelists met on the border of Kentucky and Tennessee, at Harrison's factories on the Red River. However, technically this was Kentucky territory, since dueling was already outlawed in Tennessee. The first to shoot, as the party that accepted the challenge, was Dickinson, who wounded the future US President. The bullet passed very close to the heart. However, the politician did not flinch and killed Dickinson on the spot with a return shot.

6. Alexander Hamilton - Aaron Burr, 1804, New Jersey.

This duel is considered the most famous American history. The reason for it was a long political conflict between the former US Secretary of the Treasury and chief federalist Hamilton and the vice-president of the country (Thomas Jefferson was then president) Aaron Burr. The latter ran for governor of New York, but his old enemy did everything he could to prevent him. Burr wanted to resolve the issue with a duel. Political opponents met near the village of Weehawken (New Jersey). Hamilton missed his enemy (and, according to some accounts, simply shot into the air), after which he received a bullet in the stomach from Burr. The next day he died. The duel served as one of the reasons for the persecution of the politician, who was also accused of treason and a number of other crimes. He had to flee to Europe and only a few years later was he able to return to the United States.

7. Miyamoto Musashi and Kojiro Sasaki, 1612, Gonrui Island.

In Japanese culture, duels were great value, but they went differently than in Europe. There, the opponents froze for a long time in front of each other, circled, and the matter was most often decided with one blow. Moments of fights Japanese samurai Directors are very fond of them, often including them in their films. One of the most famous duels in the country rising sun occurred in 1612 between two famous swordsmen Miyamota Musashi and Kojiro Sasaki. The reason for the duel, according to legend, was their different views on the art of fencing. They say Musashi appeared a few hours late to break the will of the enemy. Kojiro attacked the samurai with his signature Swallow Lunge move, but before his blade could descend, Musashi was able to deliver the killing blow. Later, the winner of this duel, who had to flee from the students of the defeated enemy, became a famous Japanese artist.