CHAMPION, one who undertakes to de fend, in combat or ny argument, another per son, a doctrine or a cause. In the rudest state of society men avenge their own wrongs with out restraint. The first step commonly made toward a better state of things in the rude be ginnings of political society is tb confine this right within certain bounds, and allow it to be exercised only with certain formalities. This was done by the feudal institutions of Europe, which recognized in many circumstances, under the toleration of the Church itself, the right of private combat. In some countries, however, particularly in England, the legal recognition of the right of combat had this injurious effect, that the practice became so settled as to be al lowed to continue even after more rational ideas had grown up on the subject of the ad ministration of justice. The combat, after it had become a common means of settling dis putes, was not always waged by the contending parties. This was the case, indeed, in appeals of felony, and if the heir, either from sex or age, was incapable of "waging his battle," as it was called, the question was left to a more rational mode of settlement. But in the writ of right, the last and most solemn decision respecting real property, the tenant was re quired to produce his champion, who threw down his glove as a challenge to the champion of the demandant, and the latter, by taking it up, accepted the challenge. The laws authoriz
ing judicial combat, though fallen into disuse, continued to disgrace the English statute-book till 1819. Even the right to the English crown was in some degree put in issue by appeal to judicial combat; and the appearance of a cham pion offering battle to any one who gainsays the right of the king to the crown was till re cently a part of the ceremonial of an English coronation. This office was for four centuries hereditary in the family of Dymoke, of Lincoln shire. The champion's function was to ride into Westminster Hall in full knightly armor, throw down his gauntlet and proclaim his readiness to defend the title of the sovereign to the crown against any one disputing it. The last exercise of the office was at the coronation of George IV.
The term is also used in the realm of athletics to designate one who is pre eminent in a certain branch.