26. Duels Were So Popular in Renaissance Italy That Niche Dueling Devices Became All the Rage
During the Italian Renaissance, dueling was so popular that niche products were developed for specific types of duels, and when they were fought. The latter included lantern shields – small circular bucklers to which a lantern was attached – that were developed to duel at night, or in the early dawn hours when it was still dark outside. Lantern shields became all the rage in dueling circles. Indeed, they were so popular among the hip and violent – the violently hip, if you would – that they were included in dueling manuals of the period.
A leather flap covered the lantern, and when the user thought the moment was right, he threw the flap open. The idea was that the sudden light from the lantern would dazzle the opponent, and blind or otherwise impair his night vision. Some of the more sophisticated lantern shields, which could include built-in spikes, sword blades, and gauntlets, also had a mechanism for dimming or brightening the lamp’s light. It was a stylish and good-looking contraption that bestowed upon its bearer an air of elegance, urbane classiness, and refinement. However, as seen below, lantern shields had a drawback and a serious one at that.
Related: 10 Most Bizarre Duels in History.