The newly-minted Count Pierre took an immediate liking to the charming Le Gris, which strained the latters friendship with Carrouges. In short, yes. In particular, Carrouges loses his claims to a lucrative estate called Aunou-le-Faucon to Le Gris. Voltaire likewise, in his Histoire du Parlement de Paris, critiqued the brutality of the duel, as well as the fact that these duels, regarded today as an unpardonable crime were always carried out with the sanction of the laws and the Church. The origins of The Last Duel begin in January 1368, when Marguerite de Carrouges claimed she was raped by Jacques Le Gris, a squire. According to . The film adaptation traces the trios relationship from its auspicious beginnings to its bloody end. Some argued that shed falsely accused Le Gris, either mistaking him for someone else or acting on the orders of her vindictive husband. Jean and Marguerite de Carrouges rode, accompanied by hordes of cheering fans to Notre Dame de Paris to give thanks for victory. 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. [2][3], Shortly after his marriage, Carrouges revealed another motive for the union. 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. 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. 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. Initially, Carrouges brought Marguerites case to Count Pierre. Family and marriage. Carrouges married her in hopes of an heir and attempted to use his newfound claim to his father-in-law's property to win back a piece of land from his rival . The duel took place on December 29, 1386, and was presided over by French king Charles VI. And if the Parlement of Paris could not establish even the basic facts, theres little chance of our discovering hidden motives all of these centuries later. I want justice! According to Jager, Le Gris took an immediate liking to Marguerite when Carrouges introduced her to the court in 1384. The duel itself was very violent, as it was in the film. It finished when de Carrouges pulled back the visor of le Gris and fatally stabbed him. While it is obvious now that Marguerites testimony deserved to be listened to, was wrongly downplayed in her own time and was ignored by later historians, for the Enlightenments intellectuals the story of Frances last duel was one of judicial injustice, not injustice towards women. I do not know, he adds in a poignant aside, for I never spoke with her, whether she had not often regretted having gone so far with the matter that she and her husband were in such grave dangerand then finally there was nothing for it but to await the outcome.. Carrouges was born in the late 1330s in the village of Saint-Marguerite-de-Carrouges as the eldest son of knight and minor noble Sir Jean de Carrouges III and his wife Nicole de Buchard. No institution could long survive so open a confutation, and it was annulled by the Parlement.. Only then did he greet his wife, in an emotional scene before the thousands of spectators. According to Enlightenment scholar and University of Florida assistant professor of history Anton Matytsin, the Enlightenment sought the end to judicial torture, the abolition of the death penalty, and the institution of proportional and humane punishments that would deter people from committing crimes this is the main context in which they would have seen a duel: a barbaric way to settle a legal matter. Cesare Beccaria, a leading Enlightenment thinker, outlined how judicial torture primarily benefitted not those who were innocent and had nothing to confess but those whose physical constitutions would allow them to withstand pain., The Enlightenments celebration of Marguerite de Carrouges accused rapist challenges our notions of how history develops. Before the duel, Le Gris had asked in all the monasteries of Paris that God should pray for him. 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.. Carrouges wife, Marguerite (Jodie Comer). By the early nineteenth century, the notion that it all had been a case of mistaken identity was firmly established, as typified in an 1824 retelling by Norman historian and politician Louis Du Bois, who explains the supposed miscarriage of justice by speculating that the actual rapist was a squire who doubtless bore some resemblance to the unfortunate Le Gris.. I will not be silent, she responds, teary-eyed but defiant. The majority of medieval rape victims lacked the means to seek justice. "the Gray") (c. 1330s - 29 December 1386) was a French squire and knight who gained fame and infamy, and was ultimately killed when he engaged in one of the last judicial duels permitted by the Parlement of Paris after he was accused of rape by Marguerite de Carrouges, the wife of his neighbour and rival, Sir Jean de Carrouges. After dismounting, Carrouges and Le Gris fought on foot with swords, both very valiantly. But Le Gris managed to get within Carrouges defenses and wound him in the thigh. Her life was pretty bad being married to Jean de Carrouges and so when she was violated, she had nothing to lose, really. According to medical knowledge at . The film is told in three chapters, from the perspectives of Carrouges (Damon), Le Gris (Adam Driver) and Marguerite (Jodie Comer). A 1306 royal decree based on ancient precedent allowed the duel as a last resort for nobles involved in capital casese.g., murder, treason, and rapebut by now judicial duels were extremely rare. 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. As a result, while Le Gris and Carrouges were once friends, they become rivals. Halloween Kills, the latest entry in the blockbuster horror franchise, and period drama The Last Duel face different fates in theaters this weekend. 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 films version of the brutal fight is a more cinematic variation on what Jager reconstructed in his book, but its reasonably close to what may have transpired. The movie does follow the true story rather closely, and with a runtime of two and a half hours, we'd hope so. De Carrouges sued Pierre for the land and lost, which only put him further on the outs with the count. She probably had strangle marks. This biography of a French peer or noble is a stub. The challenge did not lead directly to a duel, however, but marked the start of a formal investigation by the Parlement, which would authorize a duel only if unable to reach a verdict on the basis of the available evidence. 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. Your Privacy Rights I came in after Matt and Ben decided to do it this way, but they wanted to make it a little more gray. Marguerite de Carrouges - Wikipedia Jean was an influential man in lower Normandy, being a vassal of the Count of Perche and a veteran soldier in his service. That was really sad. The film is based on the true story of the last legally permitted duel (hence the title) fought in France. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine What was in the film was the pair's reconciliation, which took place in 1384 in which Le Gris and de Carrouges agreed to put the past behind them, and de Carrouges introduced Le Gris to his wife Marguerite. A large and powerful man, Le Gris was well educated and very wealthy, though from an only recently ennobled family. 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. And in fact it was a code, a manner of behavior that denied womens basic humanity.. Just in what they were wearing. Queen Charlotte review: A Bridgerton triumph, Michelle Yeoh stars in trailer for new Poirot film, EastEnders announces eating disorder story for Ben, I'm a Celebrity airs trial twist for new campers, Deadpool 3 to bring back unexpected X-Force member, Robert Downey Jr's new movie coming to Netflix, Gran Turismo trailer release confirmed with teaser, Grange Hill reboot movie gets an exciting update, Steven Spielberg talks ET editing "mistake", New Exorcist movie confirms title and plot. When Marguerite adamantly refused his offer, saying she had no wish for his money, the violence escalated. In the six centuries after the quarrel ended, however, the moral that was to be derived from it changed considerably. But the overwhelming likelihood is that she was telling the truth. The Real History Behind Ridley Scott's 'The Last Duel' | History 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. As Damon tells the New York Times, this segment is kind of an original screenplay because that world of women had to be almost invented and imagined out of whole cloth., The gripping true story of the duel to end all duels in medieval France as a resolute knight defends his wifes honor against the man she accuses of a heinous crime. Le Coq seems to have had some doubts about his clients truthfulness, while admitting that this was the thorniest of he said, she said cases. According to testimony later provided by Carrouges and Marguerite, she heard a knock on the door and opened it to find Louvel. Enlightenment thinkers Diderot and Voltaire favored Le Gris cause, decrying his barbaric and unjust trial by combat as an example of the supposed ignorance and cruelty of the Middle Ages, writes Jager. Mittwoch, 18:30 - 21:00 Uhr und Sonntag, 18:15 - 21:15 Uhr. The pair enjoyed a close friendship that soured when the count showered lavish gifts of land and money on Le Gris, fomenting Carrouges jealousy. Barred from bringing a case against Le Gris herself, Marguerite had to rely entirely on her husband to mount legal action. Very quickly, we recognized that the film has a clear point of view on whos telling the truth. Based on the 2004 book of the same name by Eric Jager, a professor of English at the University of California, Los Angeles and a specialist in medieval literature, the film uses its titular eventthe last judicial duel in French history, held in Paris in December 1386to delve deeply into the Middle Ages complex politics of gender, female agency, religious morality and sexual ethics. The True Story Behind the Last Duel | by Nick Howard | The History Her father had sided against the king twice, and though to many she would seem unmarriageable, for de Carrouges who desperately needed land, wealth and an heir she was a good match. Of the judicial duels that actually took place, few ended in death. . Eric Jager is a professor of English at UCLA and the author of four books, including The Last Duel and Blood Royal. The Last Duel: A True Story of Crime, Scandal, and Trial by Combat in Say nothing, and I will keep quiet, too. Marguerite appeared to agree, but after Le Gris tossed her a small leather bag of coins, she replied: I dont want your money! If Carrouges lost, then Marguerite would be burnt at the stake for perjury. Le Gris window arrived on January 18, when Marguerite happened to be left alone with just one maidservant. 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? And for him to have to invoke that at the moment of his death and to protest his innocence [is interesting]. A woman's long hair, meanwhile, "is her glory.". I gave her a friend, who ultimately betrays her. One identifies the supposed felon as a condemned man about to be executed, the other as a sick man on his deathbed. The new historical drama starring Jodie Comer, Matt Damon and Adam Driver tells the story of Marguerite de Carrouges. The Woman in Black | Lapham's Quarterly They truly believed God would make happen whatever was the fair thing to happen, so it would . Smithsonian magazine participates in affiliate link advertising programs. | READ MORE. Jean Froissart, writing after the duel, describes Marguerite praying as she watched the fight, adding, I do not know, for I never spoke with her, whether she had not often regretted having gone so far with the matter that she and her husband were in such grave danger., Elemas interpretation of the sources differs from Jagers comparatively colorful recounting. 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. From the mechanics of trial by combat to the prosecution of sexual violence in medieval society, heres what you need to know about the true history behind The Last Duel ahead of the films October 15 debut. The films shifting viewpoints underscore the thorny nature of truth in Marguerites case, which divided observers both at the time and in the centuries since. For some, Jacques Le Gris became a martyr, a man sentenced to a brutal death by a backwards and superstitious legal system which demonized him. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. If the film missteps, it is because it does not allow Comer, and consequently Marguerites narrative, more screen time. That meant that Holofcener had to create Marguerites world and inner life from scratch. The Last Duel True Story: What Ridley Scott's Movie Is About - Screen Rant There is a brief coda that reveals Marguerite outlived her husband and never remarried. Marguerite, who found herself pregnant soon after the attack, largely left this fact out of her account, either due to uncertainty over the childs paternityhe may have been conceived before Carrouges left for Parisor an awareness that making this claim would weaken her testimony in the eyes of the court. Two separate alibis are harder to disprove than one. Famiglietti claimed that Carrouges, after learning that Marguerite had been raped, resolved to turn the rape to his advantage and forced his wife to agree to accuse Jacques of having been the man who raped her. In this view, Marguerite accused the wrong man not in honest error but in knowing collusion (or fearful compliance) with her husband. We gathered from research that she was really capable and educated, Holofcener says. If Carrouges lost, then Marguerite would be burnt at the stake for perjury. 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. Carrouges left for battle in Normandy, and eventually married his second wife, Marguerite de Thibouville. For me, why would a woman speak out and say this when her life was at risk? the actress says. 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. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in Smithsonian, Los Angeles Review of Books and Comment. 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. In court, he also claimed to have seen Marguerite only twice in his entire life: during the Parlements official inquiry, and also not less than two years earlier at a social gathering at the home of a mutual friend, Jean Crespin, where Carrouges and Le Gris apparently put aside their recent quarrels and Carrouges ordered his wife to kiss Le Gris as a sign of renewed friendship. Carrouges died roughly a decade after the duel, falling in combat against the Ottoman Turks. Rather than this idea of somebody, through the lens of their own experience and acculturation, not understanding their behavior. In real life, there was another complicating factor de Carrouges bought land and was forced to turn it over to Pierre, blaming Le Gris for it. Dr. Ariella Elema, a historian who specializes in trial by combat, analyzed differing accounts of the duel, which appears to have been a very short affair that shocked the audience.. The Last Duel (Spoilers for Duel Outcome) To say that this event was a spectacle would be selling it short. Holofcener adhered to historical fact in terms of how Marguerite spoke, what she did and how she behaved, but the rest is a dramatization. While it adheres closely to Jagers book, with the script using actual lines and passages from his writing, the filmmakers did make some alterations in order to better shine a light on the concepts of consent and perspective. 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. And one includes the ladys penitential retreat to a convent, while the other omits this finale. The knights victory saved both him and his wife, earning the formerly notorious couple wealth and prestige. That resonates. But that doesnt mean that women were silenced. Get the latest History stories in your inbox? 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. Despite the claims of naysayers and novelizers, Marguerites testimony suggests that she was almost certainly not mistaken about the identity of her attackers. When youre doing scenes where you really want to fight back with Carrouges and tell him what it is you really think, you have to go, Hang on a minute, would she do this? Comer recalls. As Jean Le Coq, Le Gris lawyer, wrote in his private diary, No one really knew the truth of the matter.. It was the equivalent of a kind of forensics case., Damon adds, It was the case about one very evil man doing something everybody recognized was evil. Ultimately, Carrouges victory was a result of Le Gris being literally unable to get up. As she tried to admonish the squire, Le Gris appeared, having snuck in after Louvel entered. Marguerites accusations carried serious ramifications for medieval French society. The Reprimand, by Jean-Georges Vibert, 1874. Thats the research we did and the legend of the story he thought he was in love with her and did not rape her. We wanted to examine that. But not for as long as you need me to. Tossing a sack of coins at the young woman, Le Gris taunted her, claiming that his friends would give him an airtight alibi. Marguerite, who had accused Le Gris of raping her, watched from the sidelines; clad entirely in black, she was keenly aware that her husbands defeat would be viewed as proof of perjury, vindicating her attacker and ensuring her execution by burning at the stake for the crime of bearing false witness. Photo Credit: MePrDB / MovieStillsDB. However, Voltaire only acknowledged Marguerite insofar as he claimed all these fights were fought for women. Neither DArgis nor Voltaire mentioned Marguerite by name. People tend to think of the Middle Ages being less sophisticated than they actually are, but theres this this huge, fascinating legal tradition thats the origin of pretty much all of Western legal tradition, Elema says. Marguerite de Carrouges (ne de Thibouville; 1362, Chteau de Fontaine-la-Soret (Eure) - c. 1419) was a French. And thats one of the things we didnt focus as much on: They truly believed God would make happen whatever was the fair thing to happen, so it would be Gods will. I would call that historically accurate, even though we dont have direct testimony that Marguerite did this or that at the time.. New image of Adam Driver as knight Jacques le Gris in Ridley - Reddit There is this paradox of the human experience where oftentimes different people come away from the same situation with different impressions of that.
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