But the overwhelming likelihood is that she was telling the truth. She has everything to lose. Because rape was viewed less as an act of sexual violence than a property crime against the victims husband or guardian, rapists often avoided harsh penalties by paying a fine to the man in question. In short, yes. Nevertheless, Carrouges, who believed his wife, stabbed the sword into the body underneath and made him die., While Jager and other historians may never know the truth, Affleck and The Last Duel writers feel strongly that Marguerites account is the accurate one. And yet there can only be one truth. de Carrouges knows that even the King is biased against him, and decides to ask for a trial by duel, in which God decides the outcome by letting the liar die. You know whether my cause is just and true. She replied, My Lord, it is so, and you can fight with confidence, for the cause is just. And so Le Gris trial by combat began. Unable to rise due to the weight of his body armor, Le Gris resisted Carrouges calls to confess, declaring, In the name of God, and on the peril and damnation of my soul, I am innocent of the crime. Enraged, Carrouges delivered the death blow, perhaps by stabbing Le Gris exposed neck or thighs. Warning, The Last Duel spoilers follow. What happened after the events of the film is just as fascinating. By now the case had become a cause clbre. Le Gris' window arrived on January 18, when Marguerite happened to be left alone with just one maidservant. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Collection, Bequest of Catharine Lorillard Wolfe, 1887. Although Jean won the duel and succeeded in defending Marguerites honor, the event would take on a controversial life of its own in the following centuries. He doesnt even recognize it. The lawsuit reflected very poorly on Carrouges at the court in Argentan and resulted in his further estrangement from Count Pierre's circle. Marguerite de Carrouges (ne de Thibouville; 1362, Chteau de Fontaine-la-Soret (Eure) - c. 1419) was a French. And for him to have to invoke that at the moment of his death and to protest his innocence [is interesting]. Marguerite claimed that Nicole took with her nearly all of the household servants, including a maidservant whom Jean had specifically instructed never to leave Marguerites side, thus leaving Marguerite virtually alone.. But if Marguerites story is true and Le Gris was guilty as charged, why did the squire increase his risk of being found out by bringing an accomplice in the first place? [2][3], Shortly after his marriage, Carrouges revealed another motive for the union. As she tried to admonish the squire, Le Gris appeared, having snuck in after Louvel entered. lavish Arnou-le-Faucon estate, which had once been owned by Marguerites father. From hair trends to relationship advice, our daily newsletter has everything you need to sound like a person whos on TikTok, even if you arent. Gross! And her court testimony is reduced to nothing more than her husbands scriptas Famiglietti calls itfor destroying his hated rival. She was the only daughter of Jeanne de Bois Hroult and the highly controversial Robert de Thibouville, a Norman lord who had twice sided against the French king in territorial conflicts. Following the death of Carrouges first wife and son, he and Le Gris finally severed ties. Given the absence of any witnesses in her own favor, Marguerites accusations against Louvel were a gratuitous and risky addition to her testimony if her story of the attack and rape was indeed a deliberate lie. Or did Carrouges according to one account grab him by the helmet and throw him down? marguerite de carrouges cause of death We gave Ridley, This is what took place. Because it was such a famous event, there was a record. According to court documents and testimony, Le Gris accomplice, Adam Louvel (Adam Nagaitis), participated in the rape. Women of that status, on these feudal estates, were in charge of a lot of things, especially when their husbands were away at war or on important business. After Marguerites rape, Carrouges petitions the French court to try Le Gris through judicial combat. Jager counts the film as at least 75 percent historically accurate, maybe more, noting that while evidence may not exist for specific moments, there is a general record that supports the re-creation. Carrouges wife, Marguerite (Jodie Comer). Jean de Carrouges' wife was a controversial figure as the daughter of Robert de Thibouville, a Norman lord who had notably sided against multiple French kings in territorial disputes. Duels of honor, as well as judicial duels authorized by other governing bodies, continued to take place centuries after Carrouges triumph. If your husband hears of it, he may kill you. Cases had to meet four requirements, including exhausting all other legal remedies and confirming that the crime had actually occurred. Do you swear on your life that what you say is true? This question, posed to Marguerite de Carrouges (Jodie Comer), encapsulates the true history behind The Last Duel, director Ridley Scotts new film opening in theaters Oct. 15. Their future was assured. I will have justice!. Ultimately, that [would have been] a movie about a courtroom evidence drama, Affleck explains. Froissart says simply that Carrouges felled his opponent and, thrusting his sword into his body, killed him on the spot.. In the film, it is revealed mid-trial that if de Carrouges loses at the hand of Le Gris, Marguerite will also be killed by being stripped naked, put in an iron collar and set on fire. Lady, on your evidence I am about to hazard my life in combat with Jacques Le Gris, Carrouges said to Marguerite in the moments leading up to the duel. Read more: The 23 Most Anticipated Movies of Fall 2021. Carrouges immediately began a lawsuit to recover the land-based on an assumed prior claim to it. Marguerite de Carrouges (ne de Thibouville; 1362, Chteau de Fontaine-la-Soret (Eure) c. 1419) was a French noblewoman. Following Robert dAlenons death, the Counts brother, Pierre, took over the court. She was married to Jean de Carrouges (son of Jean de Carrouges and Nicolette Bouchard) about 1380. In the end the city expelled the contagion, and the body politic was cleansed. Greeting Marguerite, he declared that she was the lady of all the land, that he loved her the most and would do anything for her. Here are our top 10 picks, Super Mario Bros. Movie hits $1 billion, is No. These events have gotten a cinematic depiction in Ridleys Scotts new medieval epic, The Last Duel, written by Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Nicole Holofcener and now playing in theaters nationwide. At the bottom of the social ladder were warriors, priests and laborers, who had limited rights and political influence. Read more: 15 Unsung Moments From American History That Historians Say You Should Know About. No one really knew the truth of the matter. I mean, she was going to suffer. The nonfiction work catalogs the events leading up to Frances last government-sanctioned trial by combat, held between Jean de Carrouges and his former friend, Jacques Le Gris. Say nothing, and I will keep quiet, too. In response, Marguerite said, I will keep quiet. And that this incredibly heroic character, Marguerite de Carrouges, had this story that deserved to be told, Affleck told The New York Times. [Jager] does a pretty meticulous description of it, but its a decidedly uncinematic duel, Damon notes. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? Carrouges had accused Le Gris of raping his wife, Marguerite de Carrouges, ne de Thibouville, some months before. And thats ultimately why this version of the movie is more interesting to us than a movie where you prove Well, based on the evidence, he did it, and either youre a monstrous villain or youre wrongfully accused., Matt Damon as Sir Jean de Carrouges in 20th Century Studios The Last Duel., Matt Damon as Jean de Carrouges and Jodie Comer as Marguerite de Carrouges in The Last Duel., Adam Driver as Jacques Le Gris in The Last Duel., Adam Driver, left, as Jacques Le Gris, and Matt Damon, as Jean de Carrouges, face off in The Last Duel., Jodie Comer as Marguerite de Carrouges in The Last Duel., Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Halloween kills at the box office with a new horror record, as Last Duel gets slayed, Review: Ridley Scotts epic The Last Duel rebukes the patriarchy in every era, Looking for fun this Cinco de Mayo weekend? Marguerite's husband, Sir Jean de Carrouges, a reputedly jealous and violent manwhose once close friendship with Le Gris had soured in recent years amid court rivalry and a protracted dispute over landwas traveling at the time of the alleged crime. When Marguerite adamantly refused his offer, saying she had no wish for his money, the violence escalated. Despite how much Marguerite de Carrouges' tale resonates today, we must keep in mind L.P. Hartley's words: "the past is a foreign country; they do things differently there." John-Paul Heil is a Ph.D candidate in early modern history at the University of Chicago and an adjunct professor of history and the liberal arts at Mount St. Mary . The valuable estate of Aunou-le-Faucon, given to his rival Jacques Le Gris two years earlier, had been formerly owned by Carrouges' father-in-law, Robert de Thibouville, and had been bought by Count Pierre II of Alenon for 8,000 French livres in 1377. Jean and Marguerite de Carrouges can continue to be a family. The True Story Behind The Last Duel | Time The article offers a garbled, error-strewn version where, in 1385, Le Gris was accused of attacking the lady by night, with his face masked, as she awaited her husbands return from the Holy Land. Marguerite de Carrouges, descended from an old and wealthy Norman family, had claimed that in January of that year she had been attacked and raped at her mother-in-laws chteau by a squire (the rank below knighthood) named Jacques Le Gris, aided by one of his closest companions, one Adam Louvel. Marguerite is the most important and most heroic person in the story, make what happens to her after the duel . [10] King Charles VI, who was on campaign with his court in Flanders, ordered the duel to be postponed until 29 December as he did not want to miss what was rapidly becoming the event of the season. That resonates. Apart from the dubious, sketchy, and inconsistent reports in the two chronicles, no external evidence for this hazy legend has ever been offered in support of the oft-told tale of a last-minute confession by the true culprit. The newly-minted Count Pierre took an immediate liking to the charming Le Gris, which strained the latters friendship with Carrouges. The movie presents two versions of the rape in Le Gris' version her protests have an edge of teasing to them, and hark back to a previous scene in which he chased a woman around the table before having consensual sex (sort of, given the power dynamic at play and the complete lack of agency women have in their world). Ben Affleck co-wrote the script with Damon and Nicole Holofcener and appears as a feudal lord and compatriot of both leading men. The True Story Of 'The Last Duel': Historians Still Debate Marguerite According to Jager, the two were such dear friends that Carrouges made Le Gris godfather to his child a son born from a previous marriage in 1377. The Last Duel Ending Explained - Screen Rant Jean de Carrouges and Jacques le Gris fought out their case before a vast crowd and a fascinated King Charles VI. But whats so amazing about Nicole and what Nicole has brought to the piece is this sense of imagination. There [wasnt] going to be a settlement without one of them losing their reputation., After hearing both parties testimony, the Parlement of Paris agreed to authorize a duelFrances first trial by combat for a rape case in more than 30 years. Attacks on me will do no harm, and silent contempt is the best answer to them. The two combatants sat their horses very prettily, writes Froissart, for both were skilled in arms. The story is told three times, once from each character's point of view, so some events are repeated while others are only told once as the story is so close to the events of history as they were recorded, we'll only specify when those two things diverge (which they don't often do, except in the imaginings Scott and the actors create for the characters' internal lives). But the count, infuriated by the accusation against his favorite, declared at a legal hearing that Marguerite must have dreamed it and summarily dismissed the charges, ordering that no further questions ever be raised about it.. (Image credit: 20th Century Studios) . The Disgrace of Wolsey, by Henry Monro, 1814. The last judicial duel in France hinged on whether a woman could be believed. In reality, the duel would have been decided by two main factors: the weight of the fighters armor and how quickly these relatively old men grew tired. Was Marguerite De Carrouges A Real Person? - Mastery Wiki Still, the theory cannot plausibly account for Louvels having named Le Gris while in conversation with Marguerite. The denouement, too, echoes the Grande dictionnaire: Not long after, a criminal arrested for some other offense confessed himself to be the author of the outrage. I would call that historically accurate, even though we dont have direct testimony that Marguerite did this or that at the time.. Theres a certain arrogance rooted in that assumption. What sets this version apart, besides its unusual length, is how quickly the judicial error on the battlefield is revealed by the sudden arrival of the truth. Rather than a belated discovery taking many yearsas in the chroniclesits just a matter of minutes from Le Gris death to the proof of his innocence. Initially, Carrouges brought Marguerites case to Count Pierre. These details are wholly at odds with Marguerites court testimony about her assailants daytime visit, whose timing (if not its specific allegations) was corroborated by her mother-in-laws departure that morning and her return a few hours later that same day. Two separate alibis are harder to disprove than one. Directed by Ridley Scott, the movie stars Matt Damon as Carrouges, Adam Driver as Le Gris and Jodie Comer as Carrouges second wife, Marguerite. This happened, she said, in the morning hours at the modest chteau of her widowed mother-in-law, Nicole de Carrouges, on a remote Normandy estate known as Capomesnil, about twelve miles southwest of Lisieux. We read that the queen had pierced nipples and that the dress was almost low enough that you could maybe see them., Comer adds, There was one painting of her that, over time, was completely worn out, just because of time and everything else. The origins of The Last Duel begin in January 1368, when Marguerite de Carrouges claimed she was raped by Jacques Le Gris, a squire. They pinned me down and stuffed a capucium [a hood] over my mouth to silence me. The synopsis of the film lays out the basis for what would be the final (official) duel in French history, but as with most 'based on a true story' stories, there are always gaps between reality and fiction. Even in Le Gris' version, though, Marguerite's attempts to get away seem less flirtatious and more earnest. As a result, while Le Gris and Carrouges were once friends, they become rivals. The events leading to the duel were described at great length in Jean Froissart's Chronicles (a prose history of the Hundred Years' War written in the 14th century by Jean Froissart) though director Ridley Scott's screenplay was adapted from Eric Jager's The Last Duel book. An intensely personal rivalry, exacerbated by a series of failed legal cases brought by Carrouges, emerged between the onetime friends. Its strange that so many authorities seem to have been untroubled by the obvious factual errors in these reports, their mutual inconsistencies, or the lack of any corroborating evidence. Ultimately, Carrouges victory was a result of Le Gris being literally unable to get up. Jager, for his part, tells Medievalists.net that he never would have embarked on writing this book if I had not believed Marguerite. Le Gris lawyer, Jean Le Coq, arguably summarized the case best, noting in his journal that no one really knew the truth of the matter.. Over the next few years, Le Gris climbed further up the ranks, and was eventually initiated into King Charles VIs royal court. Some argued that shed falsely accused Le Gris, either mistaking him for someone else or acting on the orders of her vindictive husband. Schools educate you, and religious services deliver sermons, and movies at their best can generate empathy and generate compassion, says Affleck. What actually transpired was a battle of wants, customs, and legality that set the stage for the rivalry between de Carrouges and le Gris. A new film from Ridley Scott dramatizes the 1386 trial by combat of a medieval man accused of a horrific crime. You have reached your limit of free articles. Only Le Gris alibi survives in the court records, but if Louvel had separate witnesses who placed him elsewhere at the time of the crime, their testimony would have exonerated Le Gris as well, just as Le Gris alibi would have helped exonerate Louvel. Marguerite replied that she had no wish to speak with Le Gris, and that Louvel should stop his overtures at once. Le Gris stock rose in the court, and he received special treatment and gifts from Count Pierre, including the lavish Arnou-le-Faucon estate, which had once been owned by Marguerites father. To this day, historians are divided on the truth of the case. A woman's long hair, meanwhile, "is her glory.". We dont have transcripts or historical records that say that on a given day [Marguerite] was doing this or something of that nature, but thats completely consistent with what such women did, the author confirms. Many skepticsincluding chroniclers, historians, partisans, and even historical novelistshave cast doubt on the official verdict. Holofcener adhered to historical fact in terms of how Marguerite spoke, what she did and how she behaved, but the rest is a dramatization. The more complicated her story, the more vulnerable it was to challenge; including Adam Louvel in the charges simply added to her burden of proof. (Spoilers ahead.). Le Gris was the counts favorite and his administrative right hand. Oh, and The characters we'll be discussing are Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon), Marguerite de Carrouges (Jodie Comer), and Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver). In his personal life, Le Gris had a reputation as a philanderer. According to Marguerites testimony, Le Gris and Adam Louvel, a squire in the royal court, conspired together to assault her. [4] The case dragged on for some months until ultimately Count Pierre was forced to visit his cousin King Charles VI to officially confirm his ownership of the land and his right to give it to whomever of the followers he chose. To prove her claim true, Matt Damon's Jean challenges Le Gris to trial by combat. As might be expected, the deadly trial by combat before the huge crowd of spectators unfolds with genuine drama and suspense. More, The interrogation of Nikolay Bukharin.More. The Last Duel Summary and Study Guide | SuperSummary Medieval trial by combat: the real history behind The Last Duel The view that Marguerite was lyinga conjecture unsupported by any evidence, apart from Le Gris dubious alibiholds either that she concocted the rape story herself, perhaps to cover an adultery, or that it was extorted from her by her opportunistic husband in order to avenge himself on his rival. The trial by combat would decide whether she had told the truthand thus whether she would live or die. Learn how and when to remove this template message, The Last Duel: A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France, "L'affaire Marguerite de Carrouges, un procs qui a agit toute la France", "Un jour, une histoire. DArgis account did not grapple with whether Marguerites testimony was valid, but instead chose to emphasize the duels injustice towards Le Gris and the futility of Le Gris prayers. ), the duel began as a joust on horseback, with lances. I would have had to have taken this many horses, and I didnt have time to get back. It would have become about whether or not it could have been him, or it must have been somebody else. The film, set amid the brutality of the Hundred Years' War, is divided into three chapters the "truth" according to Carrouges (played by Damon), Le Gris (Adam Driver) and finally, Marguerite (Jodie Comer). What it doesn't detail is that while Marguerite gave birth to a healthy boy, the queen's son was sickly and died not long after he was born. Given the counts strong relationship with Le Gris and combative past with Carrouges, he was quick to dismiss the claim, even arguing that Marguerite must have dreamed it. Undeterred, Carrouges raised an appeal with the king. The True Story Behind the Last Duel | by Nick Howard | The History Jean Juvnal des Ursins, who was not present at the event, wrote that right before Carrouges delivered his deathly blow, he demanded to hear the truth from Le Gris. The accused was Jacques Le Gris, who was said to have raped Jean de Carrouges's wife, Marguerite . Le Gris and Louvel forced Marguerite into the bedroom, where Le Gris raped her while Louvel helped hold her down. Although now losing blood, Carrouges mounted a daring counterattack and fought on so stoutly that he managed to throw his opponent to the ground. One of the chroniclers talks about an opening joust, but I had to elaborate a little bit on how a joust like that would unfold with lances broken. Of course, the movie is about much more than just the duel, as is the true story so here's what went down. Also, after the sudden deaths of his wife and only son and heir, Carrouges marries again to a younger woman, the heiress Marguerite de Thibouville. Carrouges views himself as a chivalrous knight defending his wifes honor, while Le Gris casts himself as the Lancelot to Marguerites Guinevere, rescuing her from an unhappy marriage. Meanwhile, Le Gris continued to rise in Pierre's esteem. Much as Le Gris is said to have silenced Marguerite with his hood, a legion of clerics, historians, and partisans managed to muffle and stifle her story with vague rumors and inconsistent reports that have shrouded the matter almost to the present day. . Carrouges left for battle in Normandy, and eventually married his second wife, Marguerite de Thibouville. However, Le Gris insisted on his right to testify before Parliament, leaving the door open for Carrouges to request a duel. All Rights Reserved. Word of the scandalous affair spread far and wide via merchants, soldiers, itinerant clergy, and others who carried the latest tidings along the rutted roads to far-flung towns and villages. If the case is not proven, then [the woman] doesnt just get to walk away, says Skoda. Insight and analysis from renowned writers and thinkers. This cruel error moved the Parlement to systematically reject all appeals for the duelThis was the end of judicial combat., A similar story is retailed by the famed eleventh edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica (191011), which likewise gives the erroneous date of 1385 and has the rapist attacking the lady by night, although here in the guise of her husband as she awaits his return from the Crusadesan implausible bed trick recalling the story of Martin Guerre. But conceptions of rape varied widely, with some commentators arguing that women enjoyed being taken by force and others accusing survivors of falsely accusing men in order to trick them into marriage. Your Privacy Rights When he leaves he says she should tell no one, especially her husband because he might kill her if he finds out. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital The Woman in Black | Lapham's Quarterly Enlightenment thinkers in the 18th century adopted this revision of Le Gris character to advance their own intellectual agendas. How power in America has turned the rule of law into a mere myth. Carrouges was born in the late 1330s in the village of Sainte-Marguerite-de-Carrouges as the eldest son of the knight and minor noble, Sir Jean de Carrouges III, and his wife, Nicole de Buchard. Shortly before Jean departed for Paris, he and Le Gris confronted one another in the court of Count Pierre dAlenon (played by Ben Affleck); Le Gris learned around this time that Jean would be leaving Marguerite alone. All who loved him were in a great fright, adds the chronicler in what is the narrative equivalent of a cinematic reaction shot. Magazines, The 23 Most Anticipated Movies of Fall 2021, No one really knew the truth of the matter., Or create a free account to access more articles. Is history repeating itself? In his book Tales of the Marriage Bed from Medieval France, R.C. Marguerites husband, Sir Jean de Carrouges, a reputedly jealous and violent manwhose once close friendship with Le Gris had soured in recent years amid court rivalry and a protracted dispute over landwas traveling at the time of the alleged crime. Over the next several months, famous lawyers were hired, witnesses were summoned, and testimony was gathered. Not understanding the effect they were having on someone else. New image of Adam Driver as knight Jacques le Gris in Ridley - Reddit Real History That Inspired "The Last Duel" Feels Very Timely In reality, instead of mourning, the King held a series of banquets and parties that culminated in the duel between Le Gris and de Carrouges. Much like Jagers book, the film doesnt offer a sympathetic portrayal of either of its leading men. No institution could long survive so open a confutation, and it was annulled by the Parlement.. Furthermore, neither report has ever been independently corroborated, although the existence of two such reports, despite their differing details, may have allowed each to vouch for the other in the minds of those eager to believe them. The Last Duel is told in three chapters, each of which was written by one of the writers, and told from the perspective of one of the main characters. Barons like Afflecks character, Count Pierre dAlencon, owned land and often acted as feudal lords, providing property and protection to vassalsthe term for any man sworn to serve anotherin exchange for their service. Which, to us, was more interesting and, to us, ultimately made it more about an examination of an entire system that was assaulting this woman from the moment she was born.. Positioning itself in contrast to the purportedly superstitious Middle Ages (now reimagined as the Dark Ages), the Enlightenment prized rationality above all else. Carrouges III was an influential man in lower Normandy, being a vassal of the Count of Perche and a veteran soldier in his service. The Last Duel: What Happened To Every Character In Real Life On the one hand, the punishment for rape, if proven, meant death for the culprit and dishonor for the rapists family. How accurate is the account of the events leading up to and - Reddit Just over a decade later, however, the two men,Jean de Carrouges and Jacques Le Gris, met on a field in Paris for a highly publicized duel to the death. Mittwoch, 18:30 - 21:00 Uhr und Sonntag, 18:15 - 21:15 Uhr. Pierre favours de Carrouges' friend Le Gris, and the friendship between the men begins to deteriorate. Marguerites story must have seemed at least plausible to the magistrates who ordered the duel, something the Parlement had not done for over thirty years in a rape case. By the union of Marguerite and Carrouges, de Thibouville hoped to restore his family's status[1] while Carrouges was hoping for an heir from the young Marguerite, whom contemporaries described as "young, noble, wealthy, and also very beautiful".