The duel in European history : honour and the reign of aristocracy
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
The duel in European history : honour and the reign of aristocracy
Zed Books, 2016, c1988
- : hb
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Note
Originally published by Oxford University Press in 1988
Bibliography: p. [333]-340
Includes index
Description and Table of Contents
Description
For centuries, duelling played an integral role in the preservation of the aristocratic order in Europe, defying attempts by both church and state to ban the practice. Moreover, the romance and drama of the duel has made it an enduring fixture in films, literature, and the theatre.
In The Duel in European History, renowned historian Victor Kiernan writes with his characteristic wit and insight of duelling's evolution from its medieval origins - when it was regarded as a badge of rank - to the early twentieth century, by which time it was seen as an irrational anachronism. In doing so, he shows how the duelling tradition was something unique to Europe and its colonies, and, in its contribution to the development of the officer corps, played a key part in shaping European military power.
Drawing on a vast range of historical and cultural sources, this is the definitive account of a violent ritual that continues to fascinate even today.
Table of Contents
Introduction by David Blackbourn
1. The Problem of the Duel
2. Ancient and Primitive Analogies
3. Europe of the Knights
4. Emergence of the Modern Duel
5. The Spread of the Duel
6. The Duel at its Apogee
7. Grudges and Grievances
8. Procedure and Etiquette
9. The Psychology of Honour
10. Honour and Enlightenment
11. Decline and Rebirth
12. Britain: The Final Decades
13. Walter Scott and Honour
14. Later British Writers
15. Western Europe: The Last Hundred Years
16. Under the Old Monarchies
17. Europe Overseas
18. Epilogue and Retrospect
Works Cited
Index
by "Nielsen BookData"
