Psychologists are of the opinion that powerful emotions, such as love or hate, are the driving force behind all human action. It is terrifying to contemplate the consequences that may result from the interaction of these emotions. It’s possible that these two honorable young men got the idea for the oddest hot air balloon battle in the history of the world from this explosive concoction.
The beginning of the 19th century in France was the setting for a drama that was filled with love, treachery, and betrayal. Only there, most likely, could such a romantic love triangle have developed, which eventually led to the very first air combat in the history of the globe…
The French are known to be a passionate people
It’s likely that French people have a high level of attributes like reckless bravery, young excitement regardless of age, and a propensity for drama. These are all characteristics that are extremely innate. It is quite probable that this was the reason for the high number of duels that took place in France.
It is reported that Louis XIII granted amnesty to an astounding 8,000 individuals for “murders linked to dueling”. In contrast, in the year 1808, a conflict of this kind took place in the skies over Paris, although it was not exactly like the others of its sort.
The sensitive issue
Two dashing young nobles, Monsieur de Grandpre and Monsieur Le Piqué, had an affair with a well-known dancer from the Paris Opera. This affair was kept a secret. Because Mademoiselle Tirevit is such a sensible young lady, she did not put all of her eggs in one basket.
She had the opportunity to see Monsieur Le Piqué when she was under the care of Monsieur de Grandpré. He couldn’t stand up to her, and after that, both of her suitors started showering her with lavish presents and keeping her in good health.
Grandpré’s rage was understandable after he learned of the affair in question. Naturally, this was not only Paris, which is synonymous with elegance and refined taste in all aspects of life; the individuals who lived there were also not exactly typical French people.
A significant confrontation was necessary for the blue blood. Duel, absolutely. Indeed, and not just a little bit, but wonderful, in balloons. It is not proper for such high-ranking guys to just stuff their mouths with one other’s food in order to settle the matter. No! It was determined that the fight would take place in the clouds, and the prize for the victor would be Mademoiselle Tirevit’s hand in marriage.
Unusual match
At a height of six hundred meters, the combat was scheduled to take place. Each duelist has the opportunity to fire a musket at the balloon of their opponent. The guys weren’t going to fire at each other since the balloon was going to be their target. It would seem that the French, in this instance, have acted in an arrogant manner by considering the customary method of settling the problem to be too ordinary and entirely lacking in inventiveness.
Two men went into balloon baskets that were similar to one another early on the morning of May 3, 1808, at the Tuileries Gardens in Paris. Each participant was given a rifle and a pilot who assisted them in driving. Unfortunately, the buddy was forced to endure the same unfavorable consequences as the loser.
Competition in the sky
Monsieur de Grandpré and Monsieur Le Piqué, standing in baskets, started to ascend into the air. Everyone cheered enthusiastically and encouraged one another while waving their hands as they watched an uncommon display that attracted a large number of spectators.
The pilots tried to maintain a spacing of seventy-five meters between each of the balls at all times. Following the transmission of a signal from below, the fight got underway. Le Piqué opened fire first, however, it is not known why his shot was not successful. It seemed weird, considering how ambitious the aim was. When it was Grandpre’s time to shoot, he was successful in hitting the mark.
The balloon that belonged to Le Piqué started its terrible descent to the ground. The unfortunate boyfriend and his companion were killed when their hot balloon air smashed through the top of the house.
Grandpre was overjoyed not just by the triumph but also by the prospect of getting back together with the woman who had captured his heart. He seemed to be trying to convey the idea that he had reached the seventh heaven of bliss by raising the ball higher into the air. The story goes that he then went to Earth and stole his treasure, a woman named Mademoiselle Tirevit, who was both beautiful and cunning. The strangest contest in the annals of sports history has been filed away in the annals of history.
