[lit-ideas] Re: Big Army versus Special Forces

Mike spits:


Honor???  I spit on it.  Men kill one another over insults -- for honor.
Over Christmas, the discussion came around to whether women have ever fought duels. Was this a men-only activity? I've never heard of women fighting duels. 

So, reach for the Google and...

http://www.lothene.demon.co.uk/others/women.html

Here are two examples:
"A duel occurred between the honor president of the Vienna Musical and Theatrical Exhibition Princess Pauline Metternich and Countess Kilmannsegg, the president of women committee of this exhibition. The disagreements were regarding principles of the exhibition organization. The second for Princess Metternich was Princess Shvartzenberg. 

Duels between women were common enough to have their own name: "petticoat 
duels."
"In England in1792, Mrs. Elphinstone paid a social call upon Lady Almeria Braddock. Alas, the call did not remain social when an unpleasant conversation regarding the truth about Braddock's age caused Lady Braddock to challenge Mrs. Elphinstone to a duel. The ladies met in Hyde Park, where they first exchanged pistol shots at ten yards. Elphinstone's ball pierced Braddock's hat but no other damage was done. Though urged to consider a reconciliation by their seconds, the fight was not finished. Elphinstone and Braddock continued with swords, and Elphinstone was pinked in the arm. Honor satisfied, the petticoat duel was declared at an end. The conventions were drawn up and signed, the ladies curtsied to one another and quitted the field. 

More at http://www.corrieweb.nl/amazon/historicax14.htm
Women have fought several hundred duels, both against other women and even against men (and sometimes winning). However, Mike is right: the vast majority of duels were between men, and all of these duels, both men and women, were idiotic. 

yrs,
andreas
www.andreas.com 
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