I'm married. By now the case had become a cause clbre. The True History Behind "The Last Duel" - A Tale of Trial by Combat 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. Marguerite said no. When the lady learned this and realized that the error was her fault, she retreated to a convent after her husbands death, vowing perpetual chastity.. 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. Eventually, you have the two men on the ground, fighting with hand weapons rather than lances.. Flawless Victory. A similar report with a significant difference of detail appears in Jean Juvnal des Ursins Histoire de Charles VI, written no earlier than the 1420s and perhaps closer to 1430. 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. Cookie Settings, The Last Duel: A True Story of Crime, Scandal, and Trial by Combat, Historical European Martial Arts and Sports Community. The story goes that on January 18, 1386, Marguerite's mother-in-law, Dame Nicole de Carrouges, left the family chateau on business with most of the household servants. Just in what they were wearing. Marguerite herselfnow pregnant, perhaps as a result of the rapecame to Paris and testified in great detail about the alleged attack by Le Gris and his accomplice. The Last Duel Ending Explained: Who Won The Duel, And - CINEMABLEND The True Story Behind the Last Duel | by Nick Howard - Medium According to Pintoin, Marguerite and her assailant dined together before the attack, and it was while showing him to his room for the night that he assaulted her. The fate that awaited Marguerite if her husbands attempts failedbeing burned at the stake for bearing false witnessrepresented an extreme example of the potential repercussions faced by accusers. Thibouville was a Norman lord who had twice sided against the French king in territorial conflicts, betrayals he was lucky to survive, albeit in reduced circumstances. From a practical perspective, pulling back on the brutality of the moment was also essential for simply getting the audience to sit through the scene. Damon and Affleck took the dialogue directly from Jagers book. In short, yes. Per historian Kathryn Gravdal, a register of crimes recorded in four French hamlets between 1314 and 1399 lists just 12 rape or attempted rape cases, as only virgins or high-status rape victimslike Margueriteactually had their day in court., Those who did report their rapes found the odds really stacked against them, with the onus on the survivor to make a big judicial issue of it as quickly as possible, says historian Hannah Skoda, author of the 2012 book Medieval Violence. Wife of Sir Jean De Carrouges IV, Chevalier d'Honneur. ( 20 th Century Studios ) At the time, the French were engaged in a bitter conflict with the English. Popular historical fiction abetted the theory of mistaken identity, exploiting its shock effect. 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. He also had a reputation as a seduceror worse. 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.. Le Gris final moments appear to have been grisly even by the standards of the day: The monk of Saint-Denis, who served as Charles VIs official historian, reported that Carrouges killed his enemy with great difficulty because he was encased in armor. In accordance with tradition, authorities dragged Le Gris body to the gallows and hung him as a final insult to his sullied reputation. An intensely personal rivalry, exacerbated by a series of failed legal cases brought by Carrouges, emerged between the onetime friends. 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 Last Duel True Story: What Ridley Scott's Movie Is About - ScreenRant In 1380 Carrouges married Marguerite de Thibouville (Jodie Comer), daughter of the controversial known traitor Robert de Thibouville who had sided against multiple French Kings in. 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. When de Carrouges returns home he demands sex, but Marguerite refuses and tells him about the rape, fuelling de Carrouges' anger against his friend. Even in Le Gris' version, though, Marguerite's attempts to get away seem less flirtatious and more earnest. On December 29, 1386, before a crowd presided over by French king Charles VI, Carrouges and Le Gris eyed each other warily. In particular, Marguerite testified that she saw both men in the light of day, that Louvel specifically mentioned Le Gris by name before the latter appeared shortly afterward, and that she spoke with both men at some length before they attacked her. This biography of a French peer or noble is a stub. That meant that Holofcener had to create Marguerites world and inner life from scratch. Ultimately, Carrouges victory was a result of Le Gris being literally unable to get up. Death: Immediate Family: Daughter of Robert De Thibouville. Diderots Encyclopdie and Voltaires Histoire du Parlement de Paris used the 1386 affair to denounce the supposed ignorance and cruelty of the Middle Ages. That was at the root of everything. If you've been affected by the issues raised in this story, you can access more information from Rape Crisis England and Wales, who work towards the elimination of all forms of sexual violence and sexual misconduct, on their website or by calling the National Rape Crisis Helpline on 0808 802 9999. With the understanding that your truth may not be somebody elses truth. Given Nicole de Carrouges' sketchy behavior, removing any witness that might ID the perpetrator (nearly the entire household) from the chateau, and given that two sources report other men confessing to the crime, I think Nicole and Jean de Carrouges conspired . Real History That Inspired "The Last Duel" Feels Very Timely The combat was decreed on December 29, 1386 in Paris. I was a good wife. Marguerites claim that Louvel mentioned Le Gris by name is especially telling, for it is hard to fit this detail into a plausible scenario in which she is genuinely mistaken, as many have claimed she was, about the identity of her assailants, particularly Le Gris. A large and powerful man, Le Gris was well educated and very wealthy, though from an only recently ennobled family. Even the characters haircuts which have been the butt of some online jokes match up with what we know about the period, according to Jager. 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. Marguerite is the most important and most heroic person in the story, make what happens to her after the duel . It was a patriarchal and deeply misogynist [time]. In his own defense, Le Gris claimed that Nicole had found nothing amiss upon her return and didnt believe her daughter-in-laws later allegations. 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). Ultimately, that [would have been] a movie about a courtroom evidence drama, Affleck explains. Welcoming the Official (detail), by Leonid Solomatkin, 1867. At the bottom of the social ladder were warriors, priests and laborers, who had limited rights and political influence. 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. By the union of Marguerite . Speak without regard for the consequences, and it is too late for silence when disaster strikes. 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. A Note to our Readers I gave her the opportunity to go get a low-cut dress in the style of the queen, which she was later shamed for wearing. Part One of this article examined the famous judicial duel between Jean de Carrouges and Jacques Le Gris, which was held in Paris in 1386. In the end the city expelled the contagion, and the body politic was cleansed. While the films version, which only involves Le Gris, is brutal to watch, the reality was far rougher, leaving Marguerite with tangible marks of the crime. In Jagers book, the detailed description of the duel between Le Gris and Carrouges, held on Dec. 29, 1386, was drawn from several sources. But this was not included in the film. The event marked the first meeting between Carrouges wifedescribed by a contemporary chronicler as beautiful, good, sensible and modestand Le Gris. The lawsuit reflected very poorly on Carrouges at the court in Argentan and resulted in his further estrangement from Count Pierre's circle. | Much like Jagers book, the film doesnt offer a sympathetic portrayal of either of its leading men. Yet Adam Louvel reportedly confessed to nothing, not even under torture. We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. Charles I de Lorraine, duc d'Elbeuf (Joinville, 18 October 1556 - Moulins, 4 August 1605) was a French noble, military commander and governor during the French Wars of Religion.The son of the most minor cadet house of the children of Claude, Duke of Guise, Elbeuf initially lacked the prominence of his cousins, however his succession to the Rieux inheritance made him important. After many preliminary ceremonies decreed by tradition (an arms inspection, a series of solemn oaths, the requisite dubbing of Le Gris as a knight to make the combatants equal in rank, etc. Soon after, de Carrouges went on a campaign to Scotland and though it was a military failure, he distinguished himself with his courage. (Spoilers ahead.). Marguerite tells her story, and she knows that she needs to be extremely consistent, despite this absolutely horrific trauma that shes just gone through, says Skoda. Or did Carrouges according to one account grab him by the helmet and throw him down? And one includes the ladys penitential retreat to a convent, while the other omits this finale. Marguerite replied that she had no wish to speak with Le Gris, and that Louvel should stop his overtures at once. de Carrouges, whose wife and son died of an unknown illness, eventually marries Marguerite, a wealthy but reputationally damaged young woman. The Woman in Black | Lapham's Quarterly Character description. And for him to have to invoke that at the moment of his death and to protest his innocence [is interesting]. She adds, If theres any gap between the act and making people aware [of it], that raises huge questions.. The film shows Le Gris stripped and hanged by the ankle in the town square. The accused was Jacques Le Gris, who was said to have raped Jean de Carrouges's wife, Marguerite . Jager chronicled how the former friends relationship devolvedand the woman and rape allegation at the center of the conflictin the 2004 nonfiction book The Last Duel. The Last Duel (2021) - Jodie Comer as Marguerite de Carrouges - IMDb In his youth, Jean served in the retinue of . I want justice! The entire royal court was gossiping about the rape, the trial, and the likelihood of a duel. Le Gris quickly turned violent, forcing her upstairs and enlisting Louvel to help restrain her as she desperately fought back. 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. Marguerite testified repeatedly under oath that on a certain day in January 1386Thursday the eighteenthshe was attacked by the two men, Le Gris and Louvel. I dont want your money! Marguerite replied. Still, the theory cannot plausibly account for Louvels having named Le Gris while in conversation with Marguerite. The True Story Of 'The Last Duel': Historians Still Debate Marguerite If your husband hears of it, he may kill you. The writers and director of "The Last Duel" all confirm that - reddit You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Jean de Carrouges was born in Saint-Marguerite-de-Carrouges, Normandy, France in 1330, a vassal of the . The fly in this ointment is another aspect of Marguerites testimony that has not been given due attentionnamely, the inclusion of Adam Louvel in the criminal charges. Known as the judgment of God, these ordeals were thought to have a divinely ordained outcome, with the loser proving his guilt by the very act of defeat. Le Gris, a large and powerful man with a reputation as a womanizer, is too self-centered to acknowledge the unwanted nature of his advances and too self-assured to believe that, once the deed is done, Marguerite will follow through on her threat of seeking justice. Upon hearing of the encounter, the outraged Carrouges summoned his circle of courtiers and friends, including his mother and most of Marguerite's family, and a council was convened where Marguerite repeated her account of the rape. In real life, as in the film, de Carrouges has to first ask Count Pierre for a trial, which is obviously biased in favour of Le Gris. Knights were one step above squires, but men of both ranks often served as vassals to higher-ranking overlords. Saturday October 16 2021, 12.01am BST, The Times R idley Scott's spectacular new film begins with a Norman noblewoman, Marguerite de Carrouges, being robed in black, fettered to a scaffold in. Some argued that shed falsely accused Le Gris, either mistaking him for someone else or acting on the orders of her vindictive husband.
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