trial by combat

E741109

Trial by combat was a medieval judicial practice in which disputing parties settled legal accusations through armed combat, with the outcome believed to reflect divine judgment.

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Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf judicial practice
legal procedure
ordeal
abolishedIn England NERFINISHED
abolishedYear 1819
allowedRepresentationBy champion
alsoKnownAs judicial duel
trial by battle
appearsIn chivalric epics
medieval romances
associatedWith chivalric culture
honor culture
ordeal by fire
ordeal by water
basedOnBeliefIn God’s intervention
divine judgment
decisionRule defeat or death implied guilt
victor deemed to have just cause
declineReason church opposition to ordeals
increasing use of written evidence
rise of rational legal procedures
influenced dueling traditions
literary depictions of chivalry
legalContext Germanic customary law
common law (early English)
feudal law
legalSystemType medieval European law
method armed combat between parties
notableCase Carrouges–Le Gris duel NERFINISHED
notableCaseYear 1386
participants accuser
champion
defendant
practicedIn Holy Roman Empire NERFINISHED
medieval England NERFINISHED
medieval Europe
medieval France NERFINISHED
medieval Germanic territories
regulatedBy feudal courts
royal courts
timePeriod Middle Ages
typicalArmor mail armor
plate armor
typicalWeapons club ONNER
lance ONNER
sword
usedFor determining guilt or innocence
resolving accusations
resolving legal disputes

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Jean de Carrouges legalStatusOfDuel trial by combat