Member-only story
Marital Duels- When Arguing Husbands And Wives Could Legally Fight Each Other To the Death
Centuries ago, laws in a number of European areas permitted husbands and wives to fight each other to the death if they couldn’t work out their differences
It would be hard to identify a married couple who hasn’t had an argument of some sort over the course of their relationship. However, those are typically handled within the confines of the home and reasonably worked out over time. Hundreds of years ago, in parts of Europe, arguing husbands and wives had another legal remedy they could pursue — a marital duel, where they could lawfully engage each other in physical combat, with the loser being put to death.
Up until the Middle Ages, in the 15th-16th centuries, there were parts of Europe, including Switzerland, Germany, England and France, that had legal allowances for marital duels. Couples so far at odds that no other solution seemed reasonable, could challenge each other to these literal winner take all battles.
Due to typical size and strength differences, each side was given distinct advantages and disadvantages. Men usually were forced to fight standing in a pit of around three feet wide and up to about the height of their waist…
