Trial by combat — Middle Ages

The story behind the answer

The image shows a judicial duel: an officially sanctioned fight used to decide a case when proof or witnesses were lacking. Combatants (or hired champions) fought in a fenced arena before magistrates and heralds, trusting that divine judgment would grant victory to the righteous. Defeat—by death or yielding—was treated as legal guilt; refusal to fight could also count against a party.

This practice grew from early Germanic custom and spread through medieval Europe, including Norman England. It was framed by strict rules on weapons, armor, and the “lists,” and could last from sunrise to sunset. Although the Church criticized it and courts increasingly favored written evidence and juries, it lingered surprisingly long—English law technically allowed it until the 1819 Ashford v. Thornton case ended the option.