History Main / TrialByCombat

* In the film ''{{Excalibur}}'', and [[KingArthur some of the source materials it's based on]], Queen Guenevere is accused of adultery against king Arthur with Lancelot. All of the knights had been afraid to level this accusation because her champion was Lancelot himself, whom no other knight can defeat.

* Occurs in TheKnightsOfTheCross when Danuska gets kidnapped by TheTeutonicKnights , Jurand knows the exact culprits but will not implicate them because she is being held hostage. When the order's emissary arrives, he feels insulted that anyone would accuse the knigts when the victim's father doesn't and challenges anyone who would "slander" his brothers in arms to a DuelToTheDeath . Obviously, Zbyszko takes the challenge.

* ''FlashGordon'' (1980). When Voltan decides to turn Prince Barin over to Ming, Barin demands a trial by combat under Article 17 of Ming's law. Instead of choosing to fight Voltan, Barin chooses Flash as his opponent.

* The Clans of ''{{BattleTech}}'' base their entire culture around this. The higherups made an edict your clan doesn't like? Then the result will most likely be a Trial of Refusal. There are Trials for all kinds of stuff, from the mundane Trial of Bloodright[[hottip:*:[[MeaningfulRename earning the right of using your ancestors' surname]], considered a great honor]] through the politically-motivated Trial of Absorption[[hottip:*:the loser's clan gets assimilated into the winner's; only happened thrice so far]] to the more radical Trial of Annihilation[[hottip:*:the winner's clan gets the honor of completely wiping out another clan while the losers all turn the other way; only happened twice but both recipients ([[{{Jerkass}} Clan Wolverine]] and [[ChaoticEvil Clan Smoke Jaguar]]) kinda deserved it]].

Traditionally, this is one of the [[RuleOfThree three]] basic ways of resolving a conflict or disagreement between two individuals or legal entities, the other two being Trial By Ordeal, and Trial by Arbitration, for which we have [[CrimeAndPunishmentTropes plenty of]] [[CourtroomAntic coverage already]].

* Notch, creator of ''{{Minecraft}}'', [[http://notch.tumblr.com/post/9038258448/hey-bethesda-lets-settle-this challenged Bethesda]] to a 3 vs 3 game of ''VideoGame/QuakeIIIArena'' to settle a legal dispute. Bethesda have yet to respond.

* HonorHarrington engages in 3 duels in the eponymous series. The first two were {{Curb Stomp Battle}}s, in which she only got wounded because her DirtyCoward of an opponent cheated. The third was specifically this trope, against the traitorous Steadholder Burdette. ''He'' didn't even get a chance to make a move before she took his head off.

* Notch, creator of ''{{Minecraft}}'', [[http://notch.tumblr.com/post/9038258448/hey-bethesda-lets-settle-this challenged Bethesda]] to a 3 vs 3 game of ''QuakeIIIArena'' to settle a legal dispute. Bethesda have yet to respond.

* Used in one [[{{Cadfael}} Brother Cadfael]] story to get rid of a murderer (and rival in love) against whom there was no real evidence.

* In ''The Last Duel'' by Eric Jager, the author describes the last legally sanctioned([[DuelToTheDeath Duels to the Death]] of course continued to the eighteenth century and beyond, but they were more an aristocratic version of a BarBrawl done with lethal weapons, then a legal practice) judicial duel in France during the hundred years war. A French noblewoman who was pregnant out of wedlock claimed that it was rape by her husband's [[FeudingFamilies enemy]] and her husband, believing her, stood in the lists as plaintiff. The accused stood as defendant. In something of a ZigZag no one really believed it was an ideal means, the Church condemned it as TemptingFate and there hadn't been a TrialByCombat in ages. It was only permitted by the French king because the law was still technically on the books because no one had bothered to take it off. And because there was no way to solve a rape case there being no DNA at the time. In other words it was permitted not because it was actually believed that God would automatically intervene for the right party but because no one could think of anything better to do and it ''was'' technically legal. In any case, as the title of the book [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin indicates]] it was the last TrialByCombat in France.

* In Jim Butcher's ''CodexAlera'' series, there are at least two forms of this: the Marat have a different form of trial for each clan; the Gargant clan go by this method, calling it "Trial By Strength." Then there's the practice of ''juris macto'' among the Aleran people, which is a ritualized and legally binding form of DuelToTheDeath and covered on that page. [[CoolOldGuy Headman Doroga]] [[SracasmMode has a few things to say]] about the "ritual" part.

* In Jim Butcher's ''CodexAlera'' series, there are at least two forms of this: the Marat have a different form of trial for each clan; the Gargant clan go by this method, calling it "Trial By Strength." Then there's the practice of juris macto among the Aleran people, which is a ritualized and legally binding form of DuelToTheDeath and covered on that page.

* In The Basalt City Chronicles, the Empire of Smilodons has a hand-to-hand version of this as a civil, rather than criminal, trial. Only in extreme cases are the fights declared to be to the death, and almost always as a means of getting powerful nobles (who would be otherwise forced into a death match) to stop the feuds between their factions )if you win, your faction wins, but you yourself are exiled).

* In The Basalt City Chronicles, the Empire of Smilodons has a hand-to-hand version of this as a civil, rather than criminal, trial. Only in extreme cases are the fights declared to be to the death, and almost always as a means of getting powerful nobles (who would be otherwise forced into a death match) to stop their feuds.

* Occurs in KnightsOfTheCross when Danuska gets kidnapped by TheTeutonicKnights , Jurand knows the exact culprits but will not implicate them because she is being held hostage. When the order's emissary arrives, he feels insulted that anyone would accuse the knigts when the victim's father doesn't and challenges anyone who would "slander" his brothers in arms to a DuelToTheDeath . Obviously, Zbyszko takes the challenge.

* This was used during the Medieval Era as a way to determine "God's Judgement", because (the thinking went) the winner would obviously have been chosen by God to win.

* In Jim Butcher's ''CodexAlera'' series, there are at least two forms of this: the Marat have a different form of trial for each clan; the Gargant clan go by this method, calling it "Trial By Strength." Then there's the practice of juris macto among the Aleran people, which is a ritualised and legally binding form of DuelToTheDeath and covered on that page.

* Repeatedly used in ''ASongOfIceAndFire'': to wit, Bronn against Ser Vardis over Tyrion's supposed murder of Jon Arynn; Oberyn Martell against Gregor Clegane over [[spoiler:Tyrion's supposed murder of Joffrey]]; and supposed to figure into [[SmugSnake Cersei's]] plan [[spoiler:to have Margaery Tyrell accused of adultery and forced to be championed by an incompetent member of the Kingsguard, which has [[HoistByHisOwnPetard rather backfired]].]]

* In ''StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode "The Omega Glory," Kirk fights Captain Tracey to prove to the Yangs that he (and not Tracey) is trying to help them. (The Yangs believe that Good is stronger than Evil.)

* In ''AssassinsCreed'', King Richard declares trial by BossBattle when Altair accuses Robert de Sable of leading a massive conspiracy. At the end, Richard believes that God wanted Altair to win, and he must have been telling the truth; Altair takes the skeptical approach, and tries to convince the king that he was just the superior fighter.
* In ''NeverwinterNights2'', you have to sit through a mostly pointless trial by judge. Pointless because whichever way the judge rules, the losing party will invoke the right of Trial By Combat to give you a BossBattle.
* This is how the Landsmeet is ultimately resolved in ''DragonAge'' ''Origins''. Regardless of how well you've curried favor with the nobility, you will still need to fight [[spoiler: Loghain]] in a duel to decide who will lead Ferelden against the Blight. Any one of your companions can fight in your stead if you don't want to do it [[spoiler: except Dog]], though choosing Alistair [[spoiler: will prevent you from being able to recruit Loghain, since Alistair will just FinishHim immediately]].