QI | History's Most Unusual Duels
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 4 сен 2024
- Follow QI on Twitter ▶ / qikipedia
Follow QI on Facebook ▶ / officialqi
Follow QI on Instagram ▶ / theqielves
Subscribe on RUclips ▶ / theqielves
For more visit ▶ qi.com
This clip is from QI Series L, Episode 7, 'Lethal' with Stephen Fry, Alan Davies, Bill Bailey, Jason Manford and Sandi Toksvig.
"I challenge you to a duel!"
"Very well. The weapon?"
"Compliments."
"A capital choice."
"Thank you, I- oh! I see you've dueled before!"
This may be my favourite comment in years, well done good sir!
Monkey Island?
the Galants of Yonderland??
"There's only one example of a billiard ball duel that we've been able to discover"
That's one more than I would've thought had happened!
I also know a great story about a sausage, it's called baldrick and he lived happily ever after
How about the great poem? Boom boom boom, boom boom, boom boom boom....boom boom....boom.
Sausage? SAUSAGE?!?! OH, BLAST YER EYES!
Ha!!! Nice reference. I salute you :)
"Oh damn!"
"What's that, sir?"
"The Russians have pulled out of the war."
"Ah! Well, we soon saw them off, didn't we? The slant-eyed, sausage-eating swine."
"George, the Russians are on our side."
A Louisiana legend of an unusual duel in 1817 has it that Bernard de Marigny, a Louisiana aristocrat, politician, and "an ardent duelist and expert with sword and pistol" challenged - after perceived insult - blacksmith and fellow Louisianan politician, James Humble, to a duel.
Marigny was about 5' 8" and of slight stature, and James was a giant of a man "almost seven feet in his stockings" - the former was well-known to be an expert duelist, and the latter had no experience in such matters, nor any interest in dueling Marigny. Even so, James' friends encouraged him to accept the duel, lest he suffer the public shame of declining - even though James wasn't concerned with such matters of "gentlemanly honor" and the like.
In any case, it was James' right as the challenged to decide when, where, and how the duel was to be fought. James thought on the matter for a day or two before accepting the duel, telling Bernard: "I accept your challenge, and in the exercise of my privilege, I stipulate that the duel shall take place in Lake Pontchartrain in six feet of water, sledge-hammers to be used as weapons."
Needless to say, such a field and choice of weapons put Marigny at a significant disadvantage - though his friends encouraged him to go through with it, perhaps by standing on a box or the like. But - as the legend goes - "Marigny declared that it was impossible for him to fight a man with such a sense of humor, and instead, he apologized to Humble, and the two became firm friends."
Gotta love any story that starts out with murderous intent then ends with friendship and forgiveness. In the words of Hal Emmerich: "It's just like one of my japanese anime!"
@@Roronoa2zoro thumbs up for the reference
That made my day .
What I'm getting from this story is they both had terrible friends. So I guess it's good they found each other.
Good god, I just laughed so hard I probably woke up the neighbors
I would have thought the Monty Python ''fish slapping dance'' was appropriate for a ''sausage duel.'' This is what immediately comes to mind.
The balloon duel is referenced and re-enacted in Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, Both contestants end up in a sewage pond.
There was once a duel between 2 noble women in France (not french nobles, this was late 19th century, they were just in France at the time) over flower arrangements and gardening. While the weapon choice was very normal (swords) the duel itself was very much unusual for being female. Only women were allowed actually, because one of the noble women's friends pointed out the problem of how the bulky dresses would interfere with both dueling ability and possibly lead to unnecessary injury, they actually fought topless. That way it would be clear when first blood was drawn and there would be no risk of a corset getting in the way of dressing a possibly dangerous wound.
How about a Pacifist Duel?
"I challenge you to a Duel..!"
"I accept! I choose... TIME.. as the weapon!"
"So.. the first one to AGE TO DEATH loses..."
I've read of a number of duels and I have to say this is the most sensible one I've come across.
I'm reminded of one of Ed Byrne's superhero gags on MTW: "I am Patient Man! I exercise regularly, eat a high-fibre diet, and simply outlive my opponents!"
"They're getting away! What do we do, Patient Man?"
"... We wait."
the picture of the 2 duelists is from the movie the duelists which is also the best moive about dueling made by riddley scott 2 years before alien ,its an amazing movie with many scenes that look like big open grand master paintings
I frequently duel with sausages. Usually on a Friday night
The duel is called off if anyone draws first blood... Always lubricate your weapons
Call me
Hahaha
Funny thing, in Preussia and early Germany. You almost WANTED to loose in a fencing duel.
All the young students and officers wanted a cool scar across their face. (they had protectors for their nose and eyes and wore padded armor)
Yes, and it was true even in the early 20th century. Some famous Nazi leaders had these scars. The swordfights, called Mensur, are practiced even now, but as a traditional sport, not for honour.
@@imokin86 Skorzeny comes to mind, but what other famous Nazi leaders had these scars?
@@RetiredBrass Kaltenbrunner and Roehm.
Interestingly they would make sure the scars did not heal properly as they needed to be seen. Duellists with such scars were highly regarded and gave them quite a career boost.
Prussian Roulette is a lot tastier.
Up until the Trichinosis sets in that is.
I'm so sad they missed that pun
Prussian Rillette.
Fun fact: Bismarck was obsessed with dueling and in his younger years used to wander the streets covered in weapons and challenge random strangers.
But ironically significantly more dangerous
We have historical records of judicial duels to first blood, and they were very rarely lethal it seems. It has to be noted that those duels were fought with single rapier which heavily incentivizes strikes to the hands and legs from measure. A duel with other weapons fought to first blood might be more commonly lethal.
Interestingly in many countries the use of the rapier was banned by the duelling code because with its the long thin blade it was too easy to pierce the body right the way through, killing your opponent.
There was once a female duel in france between 2 highborn women. The duel was only attended by other women as a nurse that would oversee it explained the combatants would need to do it topless so in case of serious injury they would not bleed to death while taking off the corsets.
Catfights were much better back then.
So you would end up with a Monty Python situation of lots of men pretending to be women in order to attend.
@@sergarlantyrell7847 I think the communities were much smaller back then - the women would have known each other, you couldn't just disguise yourself and blend in.
@@weareallbornmad410
Yeah, but, knowing what men are like- being one myself and all, I imagine a fair few chaps would probably still have tried the old “Reverse Python” technique, if they’d heard that it was going to be a topless event; especially back then, when they didn’t have a smorgasbord of free boobage at their fingertips, as we do today...my god, it must have been hard times, indeed haha.
(Also, I love your name; and, as a rather mad fellow myself, I agree with the sentiment completely haha)
Hope you, and your nearest, and dearest, have been keeping safe, well, and sane, during these crazy times.🤞😀
Hopefully the light, that seems to be at the end of this very dark, shitty tunnel, isn’t just an approaching train of new misery heading straight for us...jeez, what a cheery sod I am haha.
Anyway, all the very best. 👍😀
The first blood rule wasn't universal. For example in the 1919 Polish Honour Code, stopping the duel after first blood is discouraged as it makes the whole event less serious. Interestingly though, the same Code forbids using death of the opponent as the win condition as well.
Sandi with the Bismarck knowledge, yet another host in the making moment!
Nice that this features a still of Harvey Keitel and Keith Carradine from the film 'The Duellists'.
There is only one way to duel; insult swordfighting.
"You fight like a dairy farmer!"
Well with swords it is a partial true. It all depend what both parties agreed to. In most cases it was to the first blood, but not always...
A duel by C.M.O.T. Dibbler's sausage inna bun would result in nobody feeling they won.
Except Throat.
Here would come a witty reference from Ankh-Morpork, but I just can't think of one
They couldn't be used for a duel, there's a more than 50/50 chance of death with them.
Rat onna stick!
With or without ketchup?
@@fearlessfred67 rats expensive, luxury product.
Abraham Lincoln is alleged to have been challenged to a duel by a rather short man. Lincoln of course got the choice of weapon and location. The weapon? Swords. The location? Under a particular tree. When the challenger approached, ready to fight it out, he saw Lincoln standing under the tree, casually swinging his blade in the air at the high branches of the tree, far out of the reach of the first man. The duel was called off.
A little more detail for this one as it's a fascinating story. The man who challenged Lincoln was James Shields. Lincoln had embarrassed him with a bit of satire when Lincoln wrote a few letters to the editor of a newspaper that called one of Shields' decisions into question. As State Auditor, Shields had sided with the bankruptcy of the Illinois State Bank (the bank refused to accept paper currency and would only accept payments of gold and silver, which most of its customers did not have). Lincoln pretended to be a woman in his satirical letter, not only did he attack Shields' policy decision, Lincoln (as "Rebecca") also attacked his "pursuit of women". Upon showing Mary Todd his letters, Mary thought they were hilarious, and she too wrote a letter chastising Shields, who became incensed at the perceived insults. He demanded the editor tell him who was behind the letters, and, even though the editor was a friend of Lincoln, the editor told him... this only deepened his ire upon learning who was really behind the letters. Shields demanded Lincoln write a retraction. Lincoln was open to the idea of a retraction, but requested Shields rewrite his request "in a more gentlemanly fashion"... this enraged Shields. And so, the challenge to a duel was made forthwith. Since dueling was illegal in Illinois, the duel was to take place in Missouri.
Lincoln not only chose _a sword,_ he specified *broadswords,* a weapon with a reputation for cleaving a man in half in a single blow... and he didn't just choose any old broadsword, but instead chose, _"cavalry broadswords of the largest size"..._ there would be no _"we'll stop at first blood"_ that would hopefully save whoever took the first hit. With this type of sword the duel stood a very large chance of ending in death. At best, the loser could hope for nothing worse than the permanent loss of an appendage. But, there were further conditions still... Lincoln also demanded that the duel be conducted in a pit, and in the middle of that pit there would be a wooden plank that neither duelist would be allowed to cross. Two gun-hands would be hired to stand atop the pit with instructions to shoot and kill the first man who, accidentally or otherwise, crossed that plank. It was only then that, when Shields arrived, Lincoln began making a show of jumping up and hacking limbs off the tree he was standing under. At 6'4", Lincoln was of course, very tall, lanky but also an extraordinarily muscular and nimble man. Lincoln had been a farmer for the majority of his life so he made sure to take his shirt off in order to show off the fact that he was fairly ripped (at least by 1842 standards)... Shields, on the other hand, was a bit doughy and stood only 5'9" tall. Lincoln would later say that he was not 100% sure that Shields would think better of it and call off the duel, however, Lincoln did not want to kill him either... he had hoped that, if forced to go through with it, he could disarm Shields and end it then an there. Upon seeing Lincoln's prowess with the sword and his ungodly reach (along with the advice of several gravely concerned onlookers), Shields was convinced to call a Truce. With only moments to spare, Shields asked Lincoln if they could perhaps take a moment to discuss their differences - you know... as gentlemen. Lincoln very graciously and very gratefully accepted.
Two decades later, Shields was now a Brigadier General, and as President, Lincoln was now his boss. Shields delivered Stonewall Jackson's only loss during the Civil War (the Battle of Kernstown)... however, Shields was severely injured during the battle. For his success opposing Jackson, Lincoln nominated Shields for a promotion to Major General... symbolically ending any ill feeling either man may have still been harboring. Lincoln absolutely hated discussing the incident. At one point, an officer asked then President Lincoln if the dueling story was true. In response, Lincoln said, _"I won't deny it, but if you desire my friendship you will never bring it up again."_
@@thebonesaw..4634 Did I just read a sexy Lincoln fan-fiction?
There was, of course, Mark Twain's suggestion. Brickbats at three quarters of a mile
Imagine being so enraged you challenge someone to a hot air balloon duel. How could the guy miss the 1st shot did he aim for his opponent instead of the balloon l gots to know
I does is has to know
The weapon they used was the blunderbuss, so missing isn't that much of a surprise.
@@HarbingerOfTruth1 a blunderbuss is kind of shotgun. The farther away you are from the target, the more stuff you hit.
Presumably the inspiration for the duel in "Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines"! In that film, the antagonists each hit the other's ballon, and both plunged into the largest vat (?) of poo at the local sewage farm. Find and watch the film. All star cast, never a dull moment...
@@scottyj6226 No. The further you are, the larger the area of pellet spray. That doesn't mean more likely to hit, because the gaps between them are bigger too..
When you've got something as inaccurate as a blunderbuss, that distinction matters.
I can only think of Chris Ramsey from taskmaster series 13 when I hear sausage dueling 😂
To the death! No! To the pain!
I really do enjoy these flashback segments but I can't wait for the full season to come again!
I have seen billiard ball duels (well fights) at the Wiluna (Western Australia) pub, between Aboriginal women, after the pool cues had been banned following previous fights.
If the cues had been removed due to fighting, why did they leave the balls out? Even if they weren't going to get used in a fight, they'd be bound to get chucked around or nicked or something.
The balloons made me think of those magnificent men.
The sausage duel: According to some blogs, there is no evidence in the press of those days, nothing in Virchow's letters to his parents, nothing in his autobiography. That just didn't happen.
What about pointed sticks?
POINTED STICK!?
Or a banana
or pineapples?
(John Cleese's voice) SHUT UP!
That's Harry Potter
When they show dueling by swordfight on TV and in films its always to the death not give up on first scratch
I demand a trial by breakfast!
2:10 in the hood they call that a 147
*First blood* STOP, you got him!
Handbags at 10 paces
Banjos at noon!
Wow! Sandi on QI before she was host. Interesting...
She was on several times, one of the more frequent guests in fact.
@@ClarinoI I see. I'm still kinda new to QI. Thanks!
Only one duel with a billards ball? Plenty of videos up of Willie Mosconi and Minnesota Fats isn't there?
Stephen's tie looks like he's wiped his backside with it.
I'm guessing they could try to dodge in the billiard duel which would have made the throw more impressive, or did they have to stand still
Dodging about was beneath the dignity of a gentleman. You stood there and waited. Same with pistols.
2:18 It's like a real life John Wick!
Did the winner have solids or stripes?
Well, sure, but if your opponent is skilled with a sword they just might decline giving a "scratch" and go for something lethal ...
Didn't they have observers who would step in if somebody broke the rules? Sounds like the sort of thing that would be codified and standardised until it squeaked…
OTOH, dueling may have been tolerated by the authorities but murder was definitely illegal.
Yes because the vast majority of duels where a sword was involved ended in a scratch
not my pantaloons! you win!
But a scratch can still leave you without any arms or legs.
Oddly it was not uncommon for the Victor to die a week after a duel
mso2013 the victor? why?
@@dilekben inner bleedings
Prussian Roulette doesn't quite have the same steaks.
Stephen’s tie looks like a used pad
I don't remember the story name but a US President, challenged to a duel by a foreign leader chose the same weapon his ancestor did. Double barreled shotguns on either side of a table. At the last second the foreign leader called it off.
Just the way his ancestors opponent did.
I would appreciate if QI would do at least some basic fact checking, not to spread fake stories that everyone actually seems to just believe. I found this story in many more places on the interwebs, like if it were a true one. This really puzzles me.
There's just so many strange things in it. This story is just too good to be true and looks made up.
Come on. The seconds are with the duelists in the balloon? Why would they, who would risk his life so easily? Even if we assume that death was not necessarily intended, and they expected the hit balloon to go down but not so fast that people would be killed, this sounds too risky. And the pellets could hit your eyes or so.
What are the actual references? Every article on this I found is either based on other articles, or references the same article of a British newspaper from 1808. Any French references of such an event maybe? In one of the many comments someone somewhere wrote hat he actually tried to find some and failed. No, all we have is an article in a British newspaper about something that allegedly happened in another country which one does not like anyway.
And I also seriously doubt it would work like this at all. A blunderbuss is a near-range weapon, they do little harm after 40 feet or so, and here we have 80 yards. Wikipedia tells me that the shot spread is nearly one meter at ten yards, so 8 metres at 80 yards. Makes a balloon hard to miss. But would that do much to a balloon? Observation balloons were used in wars, and they were not so easy to take down even with gun fire from planes. Bullets just pass through, and it needs a lot of holes to make the gas escape so quickly that it goes down rapidly, so that "M. Le Pique and his second were both dashed to pieces on a house-top", like the original article says. For sure a blunderbuss sounds like something that makes big holes into the stuff you shoot at or rip it all apart, but it does so only at short range. But taking a balloon down with a single shot is something lots of people would expect to happen, and so did the inventer of this story.
Those names looked at least somewhat strange to me. I first thought "M. Granpree" (Mr. Bigprize?) does not seem to be a real name, but Granpré exists, grand pré would mean large meadow. So far, so good. But "M. Le Pique", the stinger? When you search for it, the balloon story comes on top. Does not look like a common name. And if you just search for the lady's name "Tirevit" ("tirer vite" woud be shooting fast" I guess), the first Google page nearly exclusively comes up with this story. This just isn't a name.
Or is it? Thanks to a friend who did some more search (big Stephen Fry fan, he watched this show and told me about it) we find the Wikipedia article "Prostitution in Paris", listing Rue Tire-Vit among the streets related to prostitution. Oh, and as a bonus, "vit" is also a synonym for "penis".
So, in short: Miss Prostitution-Street, who has some liaison with Mr. soundslike Bigprize, gets penetrated by Mr. Stinger, leading to a duel where Bigprize penetrates the Stinger's balloon. A 200-year-old joke.
And yet one more comment to this from me... at 1:40, Mr. Fry seems to wonder how M. Le Pique could miss A BALLOON with his first shot. But let's think about that for more than two seconds. If it were so sure that a balloon is hard to miss, how would M. Granpree then agree to be the second shooter.
New episodes, etc., etc...
Danish Roulette?
Or Full English Roulette?
CAPTIONS PLEASE!!!
Fry and Laurie have covered this issue: ruclips.net/video/sDsn-RRmDXU/видео.html
That edit at 0:53 is mildly frustrating
Sadly the Sausage Duel seems to have been a myth.
WHAT?!
@@CyberLink70 I know. Sad, isn't it?
It's a QI "fact", so I'm not surprised.
[Citation needed]
Is it the sapphire?
*SAUSAGE...!!!*
Bismarck Liberal? He was quite Conservative, as in he wanted tp preserve the Power of the Monarch, whereas a Liberal of the time would prefer Parliamentarism.
They didn't say that Bismarck was liberal. They said that the scientist whom he challenged was liberal.
Duel with Iocaine powder. That's not part of history? Inconceivable.
I once had a duel with sausages ... I came first.
EDIT: I remember the year quit clearly, the summer of '69.
Fry wiped his arse one too many times with that tie.
Thats probably one of the worst ties Stephen has ever worn. It looks like a used sanitary pad.
Wurst duel ever.
Prussian roulette is a joke they missed
Fry looks like he’s vomited blood down his shirt 😱
Everything was fine until the conclusion at the end. You were way off, Fry.
im craving original flavour doritos atm and I dont know why
Color of Frye's tie lol
I'm sorry, did Bill just ask why they didn't use a pool cue immediately after being told one of the guys was able to one shot the other with a pool ball.....?
...............are............ are you............ Why does he always blurt out such moronic crap xD