Editing Code duello (section)

==Marquess of Queensberry==
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Just a few years after it was promulgated, many people wrote rather forcefully that the Irish Code was far too deadly for the necessary business of discovering social positions among the military gentry. Those objecting to the 'Code Duello' included [[Benjamin Franklin]] and [[Victoria of the United Kingdom|Queen Victoria]], in whose day and realm the duel was already nearly extinct.

[[Boxing|Pugilism]] had been growing in popularity and technique in [[Venice]] since 12th century, and in England since 1615, when a London armsmaster began offering public lessons in fisticuffs to the gentry. After many years, and several attempts by other men to write acceptable rules, [[John Graham Chambers]] wrote the ''[[Marquess of Queensberry rules]]'' in 1865. They were published in 1867.

He intended them solely for ''amateur matches,'' a thinly veiled reference to bouts of fisticuffs between gentlemen. The authorities began to allow prize matches and amateur boxing under this new rule system when [[John Sholto Douglas, 9th Marquess of Queensberry]], endorsed its use.

The new rules had a three-minute limit on rounds, required gloves, and forbade grappling and wrestling. The rules prevented permanent mutilation: They did not permit punches to the temples, neck or below the belt. They also forbade kicking, biting and eye gouging.

The result was a viscerally satisfying fight with far less actual hazard than either a sword or gunfight. In other words, it became a nearly perfect vehicle for addressing matters of pride and insult.

As a practical matter, the legal sport of pugilism replaced dueling for most English gentlemen near this time. Only the involved gentlemen ever needed to know the points of honor at stake.

Dueling thereby moved underground and to 'sport' and has stayed there.