Julie d’Aubigny 

Julie d'Aubigny led a vibrant and scandalous life, full of independence and audacity. She was a prominent figure in 17th-century France, known for her various roles as an opera singer, mistress, fugitive, and swordswoman. One particular incident stands out, even by today's standards. During a ball, d'Aubigny attended dressed as a man, not as a disguise, but simply because she could. At the event, she boldly kissed a beautiful young woman, attracting the attention of three men who were vying for the woman's affections. They challenged d'Aubigny to a duel, and at midnight, the four of them faced off outside. One by one, d'Aubigny emerged victorious, defeating each of her opponents.

Madame de Saint-Belmont 

Madame de Saint-Belmont's story is reminiscent of Agnes Hotot's. After her husband was captured, she took charge of her French estate. While she was alone, a man came to her home and made himself at home without an invitation, as if it were an inn. Initially, she sent him a letter politely asking him to leave, but he ignored it. Frustrated, Madame de Saint-Belmont wrote another letter challenging the man to a duel, signing it in her husband's name as "Le Chevalier de Saint-Belmont." The man accepted the challenge. 

When the time came, de Saint-Belmont, disguised as a man, won the duel by disarming her opponent. She then revealed her true identity, humiliating him, and once again demanded that he leave. It can be assumed that this time, he did not hesitate to depart.

Shelby vs Astie

This duel is perhaps the least trivial of all the duels on this list. It was not about superficial matters like flowers or age, but rather about politics and patriotism, which were not commonly associated with women in the 19th century. The duel took place in France between American feminist Miss Shelby and bold French feminist and activist Madame Marie-Rose Astie de Valsayre. They argued over which country, France or the United States, had better female doctors. To settle the dispute, they faced off in a duel at Waterloo, armed with blades, 15 days after the argument. Astie de Valsayre suggested the delay was to give her opponent time to practice, ensuring a fair fight. Despite the preparation, Miss Shelby lost and suffered a wound to her shoulder.

De Polignac vs De Nesle

This 18th-century French duel was once again fought for the love of a man, the duke of Richelieu. Madame de Nesle considered Madame de Polignac to be her greatest rival and eventually challenged her to a duel for the duke's affection. De Polignac accepted the challenge, and the two women armed themselves with pistols, accompanied by two witnesses. The rules of the duel were simple: they could stand as far apart as the length of a scarf and could shoot at any moment. De Nesle was the first to shoot, but she missed de Polignac completely. It was then de Polignac's turn, and she managed to wound de Nesle in the shoulder. Unfortunately, despite their efforts, neither woman won the man's heart.

Pauline Metternich vs  Anastasia Kielmannsegg 

In 1892, a newspaper reported that two Austrian noblewomen, Princess Pauline Metternich and Countess Anastasia Kielmannsegg, engaged in a duel over floral arrangements at an event in Vaduz. Princess Metternich, the wife of an Austrian ambassador to Paris during Napoleon III's reign, was a respected socialite who considered every detail of the event important, including the arrangement of flowers. The duel resulted in both women sustaining injuries, with Princess Metternich receiving a cut to the nose and Countess Kielmannsegg being slashed in the arm. Safety precautions were taken, such as having Baroness Lubinska, who had medical training, present. Additionally, the duel was conducted topless to prevent clothing from causing infections if jammed into a wound. Despite the dramatic nature of the duel, the winner was not determined. The story also includes a humorous anecdote about Baroness Lubinska telling nearby men to avert their eyes, adding to the intrigue of the event.

Agnes Holot

Agnes Hotot, daughter of the earl of Dudley in 14th-century England, jousted in a unique manner. Her father had a dispute with another gentleman and they decided to settle it through a joust. Unfortunately, Dudley fell ill just before the joust was to take place. To defend her father's honor, Agnes disguised herself as a man, donned armor, and fought in his place. Not only did she participate, but she emerged victorious. In a bold move, she revealed her true identity and gender to her opponent after the win. While this may not seem significant to us now, in the 1300s, being defeated by a woman was a major humiliation.

Petticoat Duel 

In 1792, a duel known as the "Petticoat Duel" took place in London between Lady Almeria Braddock and Mrs. Elphinstone. The dispute arose when Mrs. Elphinstone insulted Lady Braddock by questioning her age, suggesting that she was older than she claimed. In order to settle the matter, Lady Braddock challenged Mrs. Elphinstone to a duel in Hyde Park. Initially, pistols were chosen as their weapons, but neither woman was harmed by a bullet, although Lady Braddock's hat was unfortunate enough to be damaged. Since neither participant was injured during the gunfight, they decided to switch to swords. This time, Mrs. Elphinstone was wounded, receiving a cut to her arm. Following this, she apologized for her comment, and the two women reconciled, becoming friends once again.