That testimony takes up nearly a thousand words of Latin in the Parlements official summary of the case, preserved today at the Archives Nationales, on the Right Bank, in the Marais, a short walk from the old priory where the battle unfolded on that cold winter day. 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 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. 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. As per the rules of the duel, whoever loses the battle would be proven guilty of his crimes. The duel itself was very violent, as it was in the film. It was a patriarchal and deeply misogynist [time]. Marguerite de Carrouges : No. According to testimony later provided by Carrouges and Marguerite, she heard a knock on the door and opened it to find Louvel. P.T. 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. 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. Marguerite de Thibouville (a very different character from Comer's Villanelle in Killing Eve) was the only daughter of Robert de Thibouville, a wealthy Norman lord viewed as a traitor for siding against the French king in territorial disputes with England. The book, exhaustively compiled from existing documents and records, recounts how Carrouges' wife, Marguerite, accused Le Gris of rape, leading to the pair fighting to the death with. 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. 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. What does she have to gain from that? In Jagers book, the detailed description of the duel between Le Gris and Carrouges, held on Dec. 29, 1386, was drawn from several sources. 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. Le Gris window arrived on January 18, when Marguerite happened to be left alone with just one maidservant. 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-law's chteau by a squire (the rank below knighthood) named Jacques Le Gris, aided by one of his closest companions, one Adam Louvel. News back then traveled, archival research has shown, at the rate of an average days journey by horseback: about thirty miles per day. In accord with ancient tradition, she would be burned alive as a false accuser. 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. And one includes the ladys penitential retreat to a convent, while the other omits this finale. Meanwhile, Le Gris continued to rise in Pierre's esteem. I'm married. One identifies the supposed felon as a condemned man about to be executed, the other as a sick man on his deathbed. I know that was the same for everyone who was coming toward this project.. Matt Damon as Jean de Carrouges IV in The Last Duel. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine More. Or did Carrouges according to one account grab him by the helmet and throw him down? 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. But we wanted to do it through the lens of this situation. The trial by combat would decide whether she had told the truthand thus whether she would live or die. 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. Really embracing the kind of freedom that gave her. While this should have added weight to Marguerite's claim, it did not. There is still a trial, though, and just as in reality, Marguerite is now pregnant. 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 earlier of the two is the Saint-Denis Chronicle, an official royal history by the monk Michel Pintoin probably written around 1400. Insight and analysis from renowned writers and thinkers. 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. But when he returned a few days later and heard his wifes story, he angrily brought charges against Le Gris in the court of Count Pierre of Alenon, overlord to both men. And yet he raped her so brutally in history, in the truth, so badly there would be no doubt. Some have echoed Count Pierres dismissive decree, saying that Marguerite made it all up, perhaps to cover up an affair with another man. 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.. So there was just no doubt for me that this woman was telling the truth. If her husband lost she would be found guilty of perjury. It was really trying to understand those types of dynamics and her place within the home and in society.. Things come to a head when de Carrouges goes to Paris and his mother in law takes most of (if not all) the servants from the house with her, leaving Marguerite alone. But that doesnt mean that women were silenced. 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. Wife of Sir Jean De Carrouges IV, Chevalier d'Honneur. Le Gris attorney, the highly respected Jean Le Coq, kept notes in Latin that still survive, allowing us a glimpse into attorney-client discussions. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. She has to relive it over and over againand she gets it right.. Two aspiring knights stood side by side, one welcoming his first son and heir, the other acting as his godfathervirtually a family member, according to historian Eric Jager. ( 20 th Century Studios ) At the time, the French were engaged in a bitter conflict with the English. They still spoke out, and they still fought against the grain.. Carrouges immediately began a lawsuit to recover the land-based on an assumed prior claim to it. By now the case had become a cause clbre. 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.. 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. A bit of a crash courseon medieval France: At the top of society was the king, advised by his high council, the Parlement of Paris. 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. 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. The pair enjoyed a close friendship that soured when the count showered lavish gifts of land and money on Le Gris, fomenting Carrouges jealousy. The third and final section, written by Holofcener, is told from Marguerites point of view. She was born to nobleman Robert De Thibouville, who was notorious for siding AGAINST France in territorial. Its a moment that underscores the timely nature of the films message: that we cannot be blind to the perspectives of others. Scott and the films stunt coordinator used the outline of the actual combat to create something slightly more exciting for the screen. Comer brought that sense of history into her performance as well, recognizing what was and wasnt acceptable for women of the time. (At this point, the two men were in their late 50s, which places Damon at close to the right age for his role but Driver a good generation off the mark. When Marguerite told Le Gris that he must not speak to her in this way, he seized her by the hand, forced her to sit down beside him on a bench, and told her that he knew all about her husbands recent money troubles, offering to pay her well. She married Jean de Carrouges in 1380. 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. Your Privacy Rights 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. 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. 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. But whats so amazing about Nicole and what Nicole has brought to the piece is this sense of imagination. He challenged Jacques to a duel to the death in the king's court. The event marked the first meeting between Carrouges wifedescribed by a contemporary chronicler as beautiful, good, sensible and modestand Le Gris. Gross! 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. 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. Privacy Statement Adam Driver was 38 when he played Jacques le Gris, who was 56 at the time of his death. 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. The greatest departure from Jagers book comes during the rape itself. 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. Her father had sided against the king twice, and. Le Gris quickly turned violent, forcing her upstairs and enlisting Louvel to help restrain her as she desperately fought back. In January 1386 while Jean de Carrouges was away traveling, Marguerite claimed she . It is one thing to slander, another to accuse. 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. Soon after, de Carrouges went on a campaign to Scotland and though it was a military failure, he distinguished himself with his courage. HIP/Art Resource, NY. A Judicial Duel, byLieven van Lathem, 1464. Jean de Carrouges stabbed him through the throat with a 6-inch blade, killing his arch-nemesis immediately. 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. Like today, sexual assault and rape often went unpunished and even unreported in the Middle Ages. Beneath him were three main ranks of nobility: barons, knights and squires. According to court documents and testimony, Le Gris accomplice, Adam Louvel (Adam Nagaitis), participated in the rape. [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. If youd rather experience the film first, please save this to read after watching. She continued shouting for help, she says, until silenced by Le Gris hood. Popular historical fiction abetted the theory of mistaken identity, exploiting its shock effect. Does he truly believe his innocence at the end? Affleck reflects of Le Gris. Directed by Ridley Scott, the movie stars Matt Damon as Carrouges, Adam Driver as Le Gris and Jodie Comer as Carrouges' second wife, Marguerite. Duels of honor, as well as judicial duels authorized by other governing bodies, continued to take place centuries after Carrouges triumph. Marguerites father, Robert de Thibouville, had once betrayed the king of France, and some may have wondered whether this traitors daughter was in fact telling the truth. It is incumbent on us to be good people, to overcome that and to see more broadly and with empathy, Affleck says. Digital image courtesy of theGettys Open Content Program. 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. There is a brief coda that reveals Marguerite outlived her husband and never remarried. The J. PaulGettyMuseum, Los Angeles. 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. He doesnt even recognize it. In Marguerite's version, which the movie frames as 'the truth' (rather than the truth according to whomever) her protests are loud and clear as she screams for help. 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. Gangsters in a patrol wagon, New York, c. 1935. The film shows Le Gris stripped and hanged by the ankle in the town square. 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. While this had no material bearing on the plot, it's an interesting detail given that in the film the queen was often panned to as the sole person to sympathise, however quietly, with Marguerite. He strucks a belly of Le Gris's horse with his axe. We would have looked like two tin cans. Part Two will use the medieval sources to reconstruct what really happened in the combat, using . Yet the case does reveal the way in which scandal, as a cousin to the word slander (both derive from the Old French escandle), ultimately resides in the spoken or written word, whether in the gossip of neighbors or the hearsay of the chronicler. A feature film based on The Last Duel is scheduled to be released in 2021. 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. 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.. 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. 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. In the winter of 1386, a French noblewoman by the name of Marguerite de Carrouges found herself at the centre of a criminal case that electrified Paris, captivated the king and culminated in blood being spilled before an enormous crowd in a field just outside the French capital. By taking away the witness and some challenging details, like Le Gris stuffing his hat into Marguerites mouth, the filmmakers were able to more fully explore the notion that Le Gris believed his actions were just. And in fact it was a code, a manner of behavior that denied womens basic humanity.. After Marguerites rape, Carrouges petitions the French court to try Le Gris through judicial combat. When he leaves he says she should tell no one, especially her husband because he might kill her if he finds out. When Marguerite adamantly refused his offer, saying she had no wish for his money, the violence escalated. And for him to have to invoke that at the moment of his death and to protest his innocence [is interesting]. This biography of a French peer or noble is a stub. Is history repeating itself? But Marguerite certainly made an impression on Le Gris, who likely still held a grudge against his litigious former friend: After running into the newly knighted Carrouges in January 1386, Le Gris sent a fellow courtier, Adam Louvel, to keep an eye on Marguerite, whod been left behind with her mother-in-law while Carrouges traveled to Paris.