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In his alibi, Le Gris himself cited the narrow window of time available for his alleged visit, strictly during daylight hours. 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. 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. A hush fell over the crowd, as they came to the solemn realization that a man had just died before their eyes. Or did he trip? 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.. 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. Instead, Elema explains, authorities overseeing trials typically imposed a settlement after the fighters had exchanged a few blows. The Last Duel, Part 2: Death by Sodomy | HROARR 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. The combat was decreed on December 29, 1386 in Paris.[3]. 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). As Jager explains, With a motive, revenge against the knight, and a means, the seduction of his wife, all [Le Gris] needed now was an opportunity.. The writers and director of "The Last Duel" all confirm that - reddit Carrouges, without whom his wife could not even bring a case, resolutely rode off to Paris to appeal for justice to the king. But we wanted to do it through the lens of this situation. That resonates. And the lords of France delighted to see it, for they had come to watch the two men fight. Besides the resolution to a deadlocked legal case, the duel also provided eagerly anticipated blood sport for the nobility. But whats so amazing about Nicole and what Nicole has brought to the piece is this sense of imagination. The True Story Behind The Last Duel and History's Attempt to Erase It 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. 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. The screenwriters changed the scene to allow for more nuance. As might be expected, the deadly trial by combat before the huge crowd of spectators unfolds with genuine drama and suspense. But other than that, I made up a lot. Shes going to face some kind of penalty. Instead of being executed, however, most women on the losing side of rape cases endured custodial or financial [punishment], which in medieval terms is kind of the end of everything anyway, according to Skoda. The burden of proof lay almost entirely on victims, who had to prove theyd resisted the rapists advances while recounting their testimony in precise detail. 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. By the union of Marguerite . De Carrouges sued Pierre for the land and lost, which only put him further on the outs with the count. Even in Le Gris' version, though, Marguerite's attempts to get away seem less flirtatious and more earnest. As it turns out, the description of the event in Eric Jager's book The Last Duel is rather different from the five surviving medieval accounts of the fight. She gave birth to a son, Robert, shortly before Le Gris trial by combat. If you purchase an item through these links, we receive a commission. Medieval law treated rape as a horrific crime on par with other capital offenses. The Last Duel True Story: What Ridley Scott's Movie Is About - ScreenRant What does she have to gain from that? By now the case had become a cause clbre. This biography of a French peer or noble is a stub. Le 29 dcembre 1 386 se droula un duel d'honneur entre deux seigneurs normands", "Who is Marguerite de Carrouges? 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. And some, invoking the most popular theory, acknowledge the rape but say that Marguerite mistakenly accused the wrong man, an honest but tragic error that robbed Le Gris of his life, fortune, and good name. I thought I was going to suffocate, and soon I couldnt fight them anymore. El libro es una crnica milimtrica de los hechos construida como un gran reportaje, muy ricamente contextualizada desde la eterna guerra entre Francia e Inglaterra en aquella poca hasta el. At the bottom of the social ladder were warriors, priests and laborers, who had limited rights and political influence. People/Characters: Marguerite de Thibouville | LibraryThing Which we talked about, but it just became so absurd., Affleck adds, It hinged on the weight on the armor and the fact that once you fell, you couldnt get up and you were like a trapped lobster. de Carrouges also says that she must have sex with him, as Le Gris can't be the last person to have 'known' her Marguerite is, effectively, raped again. Skoda adds, Its all too tempting to talk about the Middle Ages as this horrible, misogynist, patriarchal, oppressive society, as a way of even implicitly just saying, Look how far weve come. Whereas to complicate what things looked like in the 14th century complicates what were doing now.. 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. 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. 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. 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. The duel took place on December 29, 1386, and was presided over by French king Charles VI. Carrouges immediately began a lawsuit to recover the land-based on an assumed prior claim to it. A large and powerful man, Le Gris was well educated and very wealthy, though from an only recently ennobled family. The Last Duel: What Happened To Every Character In Real Life - ScreenRant Le Gris window arrived on January 18, when Marguerite happened to be left alone with just one maidservant. 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). The movie follows the claim by Marguerite de Carrouges (Comer) that she is raped by her husband Jean's friend and squire Jacques Le Gris (Driver). 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. A century and more after the philosophes had popularized the theory, it solidified as hard fact in authoritative encyclopedias. In Jagers book, the detailed description of the duel between Le Gris and Carrouges, held on Dec. 29, 1386, was drawn from several sources. Damon and Affleck took the dialogue directly from Jagers book. Marguerite, who married Carrouges in 1381, was the only daughter of Robert de Thibouville, who had once committed an act of high treason Jacques Le Gris Le Gris is most famous for being. The True Story Behind Ridley Scott's The Last Duel - Film School Rejects 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. 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. On the morning of 18 January 1386, Dame Nicole de Carrouges departed her chateau at Capomesnil for the neighbouring town of Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives where she had legal business to attend to. Thats the research we did and the legend of the story he thought he was in love with her and did not rape her. But if Marguerites husband and champion lost, thus proving her accusation to be false, she too would be put to death. 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. The Last Duel stars Jodie Comer, Matt Damon and Adam Driver as three people who changed the course of French history. 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. (Spoilers ahead.). The combat was decreed on December 29, 1386 in Paris. It was just the bare minimum description of who she was. Mother of Robert De Carrouges. October 15, 2021 7:00 AM EDT. At the time, it was believed a woman could not conceive if she didn't enjoy sex, and therefore her pregnancy was counted against her it couldn't be rape if she was pregnant, because she must have enjoyed it. 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. Halloween Kills, the latest entry in the blockbuster horror franchise, and period drama The Last Duel face different fates in theaters this weekend. Yet Adam Louvel reportedly confessed to nothing, not even under torture. The pair enjoyed a close friendship that soured when the count showered lavish gifts of land and money on Le Gris, fomenting Carrouges jealousy. 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. For me, why would a woman speak out and say this when her life was at risk? the actress says. One identifies the supposed felon as a condemned man about to be executed, the other as a sick man on his deathbed. 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? I will not be silent, she responds, teary-eyed but defiant. The two combatants sat their horses very prettily, writes Froissart, for both were skilled in arms. de Carrouges, whose wife and son died of an unknown illness, eventually marries Marguerite, a wealthy but reputationally damaged young woman. Marguerite was born as Marguerite De Thibouville in Normandy in the year 1362. Seemingly resolving their differences, the men greeted each other and embraced, with Carrouges telling Marguerite to kiss Le Gris as a sign of renewed peace and friendship, according to Jager. Carrouges died roughly a decade after the duel, falling in combat against the Ottoman Turks. Image via 20th Century Studios. (Jager offered feedback on the films script, suggesting historically accurate phrasing and other changes.) The latter explanation is the very one that Le Gris put forward in his own defense, and it has been echoed by at least one modern historian as recently as 1992. 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. Dust off your 14th-century French history books, folks. For Carrouges and Le Gris, whose dispute had sparked widespread interest across France, settling the case would have been viewed as either an admission of guilt or [a] false accusation, says Elema. Toward a history of creativity and beef. They leave, with the crowds cheering for de Carrouges. So it wasnt so much about hewing fastidiously to historical truth, because that wouldnt have served the narrative needs we were as interested in, as much as illuminating the fact that the vestiges of the sexism and misogyny of the patriarchy we live with now come from a place that was Western civilizations codified value system.. Affleck, Damon, Holofcener, Comer and Jager talked us through what is and isnt accurate in The Last Duel and why the filmmakers made the narrative changes they did. de Carrouges, whose wife and son died of an unknown illness, eventually marries Marguerite, a wealthy but reputationally damaged young woman. After Marguerites rape, Carrouges petitions the French court to try Le Gris through judicial combat. By unequivocally believing Marguerite, the screenwriters offer that same sense of empathy to all women who follow her. 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. She has nothing to gain. Initially, Carrouges brought Marguerites case to Count Pierre. The True Story of 'The Last Duel' - Carrouges-Le Gris 1386 Duel The True Story Of 'The Last Duel': Historians Still Debate Marguerite Ultimately, that [would have been] a movie about a courtroom evidence drama, Affleck explains. She was born to nobleman Robert De Thibouville, who was notorious for siding AGAINST France in territorial. Marguerite remained silent of her ordeal for several days, until her husband's return on the 21 or 22 January. Born into a noble Norman family around the 1330s, Carrouges met Le Gris, a lower-born man who rose through the ranks by virtue of his own political savvy, while both were serving as vassals of Count Pierre. And clearly it wasnt.. Over the next several months, famous lawyers were hired, witnesses were summoned, and testimony was gathered. We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. 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. 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. French law stipulated that noblemen appealing their cause to the king could challenge the accused to a judicial duel, or trial by combat. The theory of mistaken identity ultimately derives from two sources that began circulating more than a decade after the duel. Wife of Sir Jean De Carrouges IV, Chevalier d'Honneur. Two separate alibis are harder to disprove than one. We begin with Jean de Carrouges, who after successful war campaigns for the king of France, finds himself falling out of favour with Count Pierre (Ben Affleck). HIP/Art Resource, NY. Part Two will use the medieval sources to reconstruct what really happened in the combat, using . I came in after Matt and Ben decided to do it this way, but they wanted to make it a little more gray. He challenged Jacques to a duel to the death in the king's court. Privacy Statement Rape Crisis Scotlands helpline number is 08088 01 03 02. That meant that Holofcener had to create Marguerites world and inner life from scratch. But the overwhelming likelihood is that she was telling the truth. As per the rules of the duel, whoever loses the battle would be proven guilty of his crimes. What's Fact and What's Fiction in The Last Duel - Slate Magazine [Jager] does a pretty meticulous description of it, but its a decidedly uncinematic duel, Damon notes. More. The Last Duel True Story: Marguerite de Carrouges' Accusation 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. 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. Goes Out newsletter, with the week's best events, to help you explore and experience our city. ), Whether Carrouges and Le Gris actually ended their quarrel at this point is debatable. 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. The Woman in Black | Lapham's Quarterly Ben Affleck co-wrote the script with Damon and Nicole Holofcener and appears as a feudal lord and compatriot of both leading men. Only in the final section of the film, when Marguerite is allowed to speak for herself, does the truth of the mens personalities emerge: Carrougesa jealous and contentious man, in Jagers wordsis mainly concerned with saving his own pride. Later encyclopedia entries echoed this view, seemingly solidifying the question of Le Gris innocence. But this was not included in the film. Directed by Ridley Scott, the movie stars Matt Damon as Carrouges, Adam Driver as Le Gris and Jodie Comer as Carrouges second wife, Marguerite. Eventually, you have the two men on the ground, fighting with hand weapons rather than lances.. Some have echoed Count Pierres dismissive decree, saying that Marguerite made it all up, perhaps to cover up an affair with another man. The Last Duel ending explained - what is the true story? - Digital Spy 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. In the end the city expelled the contagion, and the body politic was cleansed. Although now losing blood, Carrouges mounted a daring counterattack and fought on so stoutly that he managed to throw his opponent to the ground. The trial by combat would decide whether she had told the truthand thus whether she would live or die. The pair of men tied Marguerite down and physically beat her. The contest between Carrouges and Le Gris would turn out to be the last judicial duel sanctioned by the Parlement of Paris. It was really trying to understand those types of dynamics and her place within the home and in society.. It's long and gory and ends with de Carrouges stabbing Le Gris through the mouth (in real life, it was the throat), proving Marguerite to have been telling the truth. 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. Nearly everyone believed then and believes now that Marguerite was raped. 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. An elaborate example appeared in 1829, just a few years after Du Bois conjecture that the accused squire had been mistaken for a look-alike, in Lhistorial du jongleur, an anonymous collection of medieval tales. 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. (Le Gris and Carrouges both started out as squires and vassals to Count Pierre, but Carrouges was knighted for his military service in 1385.) 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. Le Gris was the counts favorite and his administrative right hand. 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. Froissart says simply that Carrouges felled his opponent and, thrusting his sword into his body, killed him on the spot.. The Last Duel true story | Real history behind Ridley Scott movie Still, The Last Duel does stick closely to historical fact. 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.. Forced into an upstairs bedroom, she tried to escape by running through a door at the other end of the room but was blocked from doing so by Le Gris. [4], Marguerite de Carrouges accused Jacques Le Gris of rape,[5][6] leading to one of the last judicial duels permitted by the French king and the Parliament of Paris (the actual last duel occurred in 1547[7] opposing Guy Chabot de Jarnac against Franois de Vivonne). 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. The mortal combat, set for December 29, promised to be the seasons highlight in the capital, as thousands of Parisians flocked to see it, and the young king and his court took their places in colorful viewing stands set up alongside the field at the monastery of Saint-Martin-des-Champs. Louvels naming of Le Gris just prior to the squires own arrival would seem to put Le Gris indisputably thereunless Marguerites story was a deliberate fabrication. Does he truly believe his innocence at the end? Affleck reflects of Le Gris. | READ MORE. I want justice! Though the film portrays Jacques le Gris as guilty of raping Marguerite de Carrouges, this was never definitively proven and the facts of the case remain a topic of heated debate to this day. I was a good wife. When de Carrouges returns home he demands sex, but Marguerite refuses and tells him about the rape, fuelling de Carrouges' anger against his friend. I know that was the same for everyone who was coming toward this project.. He strucks a belly of Le Gris's horse with his axe. In 1384, Carrouges and Margueriteencountered Le Gris at a mutual friends party. 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. Quines fueron las personas reales que inspiraron 'El ltimo duelo Is history repeating itself? If there are reasons for believing in the possibility of Le Gris innocence, the doubtful story of a belated confession by another man certainly is not and never has been one of them. Character description. HIP/Art Resource, NY. In an entry on duels, the Grand dictionnaire universel (186677), overseen by respected editor Pierre Larousse, describes the 1386 affair as one of the most remarkable in history, claiming that the wide belief in its injustice helped to bring the custom of trial by combat to a speedy end. 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. He doesnt even recognize it. 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. Get our L.A. Even a small mistake, such as misstating the day the attack happened, could result in the case being thrown out and the victim being punished for perjury. So in his deluded sense of pride, Le Gris could believe it was consensual. Charles I, Duke of Elbeuf - Wikipedia The forty-page story Le jugement de Dieu begins with throngs of excited, gossiping Parisians arriving at Saint-Martins field to watch the long-awaited duel.