what happened to marguerite de carrouges

[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. 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. Recognizing the courtier, who claimed to have come to ask a favor and warm himself by the fire, she allowed him to enter the house, at which point he turned the conversation to Le Gris, saying, The squire loves you passionately, he will do anything for you, and he greatly desires to speak to you. Alarmed by the sudden shift in tone, Marguerite attempted to rebuke Louvel, only to turn around and see Le Gris, whod snuck in through the unlocked door. The pair enjoyed a close friendship that soured when the count showered lavish gifts of land and money on Le Gris, fomenting Carrouges jealousy. Since Le Gris had briefly served as a church cleric in his youth, he could choose whether he wanted a state trial or church hearing. Eventually, you have the two men on the ground, fighting with hand weapons rather than lances.. This tangled and still-controversial case leaves many tantalizing questions, not least of all why Jacques Le Gris did it, if indeed he did. If her husband lost she would be found guilty of perjury. The movie ends with Marguerite playing with her son, seemingly at peace with her life. Tanzsportclub (TSC) Pocking e.V. She has everything to lose. ), the duel began as a joust on horseback, with lances. Soon after, de Carrouges went on a campaign to Scotland and though it was a military failure, he distinguished himself with his courage. French law stipulated that noblemen appealing their cause to the king could challenge the accused to a judicial duel, or trial by combat. But the doubts greeting Marguerites scandalous story, the initial rejection of her claims in court, and the shadow cast over her reputation by the later chronicle accounts are not so different from the skepticism and prejudice faced by more recent victims of sexual assault. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. However, despite this split focus, Marguerite clearly emerges as the storys true protagonist. Le Gris' body was dragged from the blood-soaked field and hanged on a gibbet. 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. Marguerite was the daughter of Robert de Thibouville. 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. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Collection, Bequest of Catharine Lorillard Wolfe, 1887. lavish Arnou-le-Faucon estate, which had once been owned by Marguerites father. The last judicial duel in France hinged on whether a woman could be believed. Are we seeing how others experience things?. 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. Pointing out that womens voices are actually loud and clear, albeit filtered through the court system and notaries, in many medieval documents, the historian explains, Its a really nice way of sort of flipping our stereotypes of the Middle Ages. For me, why would a woman speak out and say this when her life was at risk? the actress says. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in Smithsonian, Los Angeles Review of Books and Comment. Le Gris was killed in the fight and therefore found guilty; nevertheless, he was afterwards found innocent by the culprit of the crime, who declared Le Gris innocent as he laid dying. Matt Damon as Jean de Carrouges and Jodie Comer as Marguerite de Carrouges in "The Last Duel." . The J. PaulGettyMuseum, Los Angeles. The duel took place on December 29, 1386, and was presided over by French king Charles VI. 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. 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 film adaptation traces the trios relationship from its auspicious beginnings to its bloody end. Your Privacy Rights 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. In 1386, her husband Jean returned from an expedition to Scotland. 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. Die Tanzsportkompetenz im Landkreis Passau Initially, Carrouges brought Marguerites case to Count Pierre. The first two chapters of the three-act film, penned by Damon and Affleck, draw heavily on Jagers research, recounting Marguerites rape and the events surrounding it from the perspectives of Carrouges and Le Gris, respectively. If the film missteps, it is because it does not allow Comer, and consequently Marguerites narrative, more screen time. While some touched by scandal may resurrect their lives and reputations, others never will: what happened, or is said to have happened, may follow them even through the pages of history. According to Marguerites testimony, Le Gris and Adam Louvel, a squire in the royal court, conspired together to assault her. If the case is not proven, then [the woman] doesnt just get to walk away, says Skoda. 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 knights victory saved both him and his wife, earning the formerly notorious couple wealth and prestige. 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). 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. 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. Note: The following article contains discussion of rape that some readers may find upsetting. We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. Ben Affleck co-wrote the script with Damon and Nicole Holofcener and appears as a feudal lord and compatriot of both leading men. I did research about what women were like then and what they had to put up with And I really tried to imagine just how awful it was for [Marguerite] and how she dealt with the awfulness, Holofcener told The New York Times. 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. 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.. The accused was Jacques Le Gris, who was said to have raped Jean de Carrouges's wife, Marguerite . 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. Carrouges, who was neglected by both the Count and Le Gris, grew increasingly jealous of his former comrade. There is still a trial, though, and just as in reality, Marguerite is now pregnant. Warning, The Last Duel spoilers follow. A century and more after the philosophes had popularized the theory, it solidified as hard fact in authoritative encyclopedias. Marguerite also testified that Adam Louvel was the first to arrive at the chteau, and that he began his visit by urging her to ask her husband to extend the term of an outstanding loan for one hundred gold francs. That July, at the old royal palace on the le de la Cit, the knight formally challenged the squire, throwing down the gauntlet, as witnessed by the young Charles VI, many other royals, and the magistrates of the Parlement of Paris, the nations highest court. The film is based on the true story of the last legally permitted duel (hence the title) fought in France. Her story is detailed and persuasive, and she ran such a great risk to speak up at a time when women were supposed to keep silent about such things. Early life. Holofcener penned Marguerites section, and, given how little historical information there was from the Ladys side of the story, she drew from contemporary conversations about sexual assault and womens rights to imagine her perspective. Cookie Settings, The Last Duel: A True Story of Crime, Scandal, and Trial by Combat, Historical European Martial Arts and Sports Community. We gave this great filmmaker the opportunity to dramatize the essence of it and make it compelling to an audience, rather than do literally what happened.. (Writing for History News Network, Jager explains that the ferocious logic of the duel implied that proof was already latent in the bodies of the two combatants, and that the duels divinely assured outcome would reveal which man had sworn falsely and which had told the truth.) Marguerite, as chief witness in the case, will be executed if her husband loses the duel, thereby proving both of their guilt. Behind the Enlightenments exoneration of Le Gris were its arguments against the use of torture in judicial proceedings. Beneath him were three main ranks of nobility: barons, knights and squires. 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. The film does show that at the same time as Marguerite was pregnant, so was the queen. The story tells of the 29 December 1386, trial by combat (duel) in which the Norman knight Jean de Carrouges dueled squire Jacques Le Gris. Some have suggested that her husband forced the story out of her to avenge himself on Le Gris, his former friend turned rival at court. As might be expected, the deadly trial by combat before the huge crowd of spectators unfolds with genuine drama and suspense. But this was not included in the film. If the mistaken-identity theory is wrong, that forces us back onto the sharp horns of a dilemma: Was Marguerite lying, or was she telling the truth? Then gently, he asked Marguerite to tell them what had happened. Fight Club explained: Whats the big twist? 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.. News back then traveled, archival research has shown, at the rate of an average days journey by horseback: about thirty miles per day. Still, The Last Duel does stick closely to historical fact. In all fairness, they were significantly tame compared to what actually happened. They met in the household of Count Robert dAlenon, where the two served as squires to the count. 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. He opted for the former, against the advice from his lawyer church trials rejected violence, and were deemed to have less dangerous outcomes. This man who has done something horrible and doesnt understand it. Privacy Statement And not just any death. She was a noblewoman originally from an . Marguerite was forced to watch from a wooden tower on the battlefield (also in view of the many spectators who came to watch) while chained to the floor, awaiting her potential death sentence. Meet the real woman who inspired The Last Duel", "L'histoire vraie de Jean de Carrouges et Jacques Legris, hros du film "Le dernier Duel" de Ridley Scott", "Vivonne et Jarnac, le dernier duel judiciaire en France", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Marguerite_de_Carrouges&oldid=1117212348, This page was last edited on 20 October 2022, at 14:07. 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. A Judicial Duel, byLieven van Lathem, 1464. Like, I couldnt have gotten there. This is when she is surprised by Adam Louvel (Adam Nagaitis) who asks her to open the door so he can wait, and when she does he reveals that Le Gris is also there to proclaim his love for Marguerite. At the bottom of the social ladder were warriors, priests and laborers, who had limited rights and political influence. Say nothing, and I will keep quiet, too. In response, Marguerite said, I will keep quiet. 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. The lawsuit reflected very poorly on Carrouges at the court in Argentan and resulted in his further estrangement from Count Pierre's circle. Eric Jager is a professor of English at UCLA and the author of four books, including The Last Duel and Blood Royal. Jean de Carrouges believed the land - the estate of Aunou-le-Faucon - was rightfully his due to the fact that Marguerite's father, Robert de Thibouville, promised to include it as part of de Carrouges' dowry. The dominant belief that women had to enjoy sex in order to conceive further complicated matters, leaving those impregnated by their rapists on even shakier legal ground. (Jager offered feedback on the films script, suggesting historically accurate phrasing and other changes.) 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. In the film, however, Pierre is still dismissive of him and Le Gris is still the favourite, which only angered de Carrouges more after their so-called reconciliation. Le Gris attorney, the highly respected Jean Le Coq, kept notes in Latin that still survive, allowing us a glimpse into attorney-client discussions. By now the case had become a cause clbre. It finished when de Carrouges pulled back the visor of le Gris and fatally stabbed him. 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. By unequivocally believing Marguerite, the screenwriters offer that same sense of empathy to all women who follow her. By the time the criminal trial was underway in the summer of that year, Marguerite was noticeably pregnant. Enraged, Jean rode to Paris and appealed to King Charles VI, challenging Le Gris to a duel, an uncommon way for nobles to settle capital offenses. On the one hand, the punishment for rape, if proven, meant death for the culprit and dishonor for the rapists family. But then, just moments after Carrouges has killed Le Gris on the battlefield, a dusty courier rides up with the astounding news that another man has confessed to the crimenews that is now too late to save the innocent Le Gris.

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