You are a French nobleman in the 14th century. You are a seasoned soldier of many battles against the English in France and Scotland, however, you are terrible at court politics and so your liege lord favours your rival, Lord Gris.
As part of a strategic alliance and to help with your finances (and with a great deal of pressure from others), you enter into a loveless marriage for the sake of lands and titles. You were supposed to inherit a lot more land and titles as well as a high rank when your father dies but because of court politics and manoeuvring by Lord Gris, your liege lord intervenes and gives it this instead to Lord Gris… massively upsetting you and starting a feud between you and Lord Gris.
As the years go by, you feel a great deal of anger and upset over Lord Gris becoming so wealthy and powerful and successful in court despite you having fought in way more battles for France.
One day, your wife comes to you and tells you that while you were travelling to Paris, Lord Gris came to your estate and raped her. You are beyond furious and enraged. Your wife tells you that she would like to take this matter to the courts but under medieval law, has no standing unless you, the man backs her on this.
You can take it to court (your word against Lord Gris). However, the courts are corrupt and your liege lord is best pals with Lord Gris and can make the matter disappear, alternatively, you could lose. If you lose at this stage, then nothing bad will happen to either side and you have the option of calling it a day.
But if you wish to take it further, you can ask the king to grant you a duel of honour to the death against Lord Gris, invoking concepts of God and honour and truth. If you win the duel, then Lord Gris will be killed and you can get a huge part of his lands and titles, thus “winning” your feud against him. If you lose though, you will of course be dead… but also your wife will suffer the penalty for bearing “false witness against a man” and will be burned at the stake.
Your wife tells you that she would like you to press the matter in court, but if you lose (because of the liege lord’s intervention or due to the misogynistic nature of the courts) then call it a day. She does NOT want you to press for a duel because this could mean that she could end up burned at the stake and she doesn’t want that.
So as things stand, you have four choices:
Option 1: Press the matter in the corrupt court, if you lose, call it a day. (However, you and your wife’s reputations will suffer)
Option 2: Press the matter in the corrupt court, if you lose, you go to the king and demand a duel of honour. (if you lose, you will be killed and your wife burned at the stake)
Option 3: Skip the court game and just go straight to the king, demanding a duel immediately. (if you lose, you will be killed and your wife burned at the stake)
Option 4: Do nothing. Both you and your wife will be very very upset but there is no further damage to your reputations and there is no risk that either of you die in duels and burnings at the stake.
If you win the duel, then you will be regarded as a hero and you will get to take much of Lord Gris’ titles and lands. Your wife will also be “avenged” though she may hate you for risking her life against her will and for being a “selfish, glory-seeking bastard.”
As for the duel itself. It will be presided over and watched by the French high court (including a troll-faced little s*** of a king). Both of you are highborns extensively trained in all forms of combat; though you have more experience in the battlefields, in a duel like this, though you have a bit of an edge, it could swing either way. You could well die.
The duel will start on armoured horses; both of you will be dressed in armour, carry a shield, and ride at each other with lances. Squires run around to resupply you with lances when they shatter (assuming neither of you has died). Instead of losing when you fall off the horse, you lose when you die. You can also call on squires to give you additional non polearm melee weapons so theoretically it could continue once your horses are gone… swords, daggers, axes, short length maces etc
In making the decision, please consider all relevant factors and your IRL personality. Remember that in the scenario, you have seen combat before so this may alter your IRL personality just a bit.
There is no right and wrong answer, only positions to be argued. Assume that no matter what you do, your wife will support you (though maybe begrudgingly). However, I am assuming that you as a poster, will follow the law which is why I have not included illegal options.