I renew my interest in duels after reading that Sultan Mehmed II was mentioned at the Siege of Belgrade (1456) fighting and eventually slaying a knight in single combat during the camp-fight at the last moments of the siege. It's the only mention I know so far of a duel being held during a propper battle instead of being a preemptive ritual.

I know the highlanders did pre-battle duels as just as the landsknecht captains, the rashidun caliphate commanders and so, but there were martial rules or something like a honour consensus regarding a duel or single combat during a battle? This is perhaps mostly a Holywood perception, but would people simply stop to watch famous warriors from opposite sides fighting each other? I remember of a french duke at Agincourt who slayed two of the three regal figures at the battle, before being killed by Henry's guard while trying the kill him (the last of the royal armoured figures), so this wasn't a case of a propper one-one fighting; I can't even remember of a french or english-centered case of a knightly challenge being made during a battle.

This perhaps not so related to the main thread, but how ottoman weapons could actually harm hungarians in full harness? A saber can't cut throw mail or plate, so it is for spear or daggers provided they don't hit in the open face of an individual.

Battle at Seckenheim 30.06.1462:
Nur der – zur Zeit der Schlacht 49-jährige – feindliche Heerführer Graf Ulrich V. von Württemberg wollte die Niederlage lange nicht wahrhaben und kämpfte wie rasend weiter, bis der 31-jährige Ritter Hans (der Kecke) von Gemmingen ihn in voller Rüstung zum Zweikampf forderte mit den Worten: So will ich mein Heil an euer Gnaden versuchen!

Only the - at the battle 49-year-old - hostile army commander Earl Ulrich V. of Württemberg didn't want to accept the defeat for a long time and continued fighting furiously, until the 31-year-old Knight Hans (the Bold) of Gemmingen, in full armour, challenged him to a duel with the words: That 's a bit difficult to translate I believe it is supposed to mean something like: So I will see whether I get injured from you. :/

I think he basically said: ''Here I am...in your face. What'cha gonna do about it? " :surprised: .....McM