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. Le Gris raped me., Le Gris countered with a detailed alibi for not just the day in question but the entire week, calling numerous witnesses to establish his whereabouts in or near another town some twenty-five miles away. Marguerite de Carrouges was married to the knight Jean de Carrouges. 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 Last Duel: A True Story of Crime, Scandal, and Trial by Combat in 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. The film splits its focus between Le Gris, Jean, and Marguerite, with Le Gris and Jeans portions of the story written by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon and Marguerites written by Nicole Holofcener. [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. All Rights Reserved. Magazines, Digital The knights victory saved both him and his wife, earning the formerly notorious couple wealth and prestige. 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. The article offers a garbled, error-strewn version where, in 1385, Le Gris was accused of attacking the lady by night, with his face masked, as she awaited her husbands return from the Holy Land. Some wrote, as Jager recounts in Laphams Quarterly, that Jean only won because Le Gris slipped on his opponents blood. Others wrote about a supposed deathbed confession by a felon who, having a last-minute change of heart, admitted that he, not Le Gris, had raped Marguerite. Really embracing the kind of freedom that gave her. 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. I want justice! 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. 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. However, Scotts Duel only depicts half of Marguerites story. Eric Jager is a professor of English at UCLA and the author of four books, including The Last Duel and Blood Royal. Barons like Afflecks character, Count Pierre dAlencon, owned land and often acted as feudal lords, providing property and protection to vassalsthe term for any man sworn to serve anotherin exchange for their service. So in his deluded sense of pride, Le Gris could believe it was consensual. 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 duel began as a joust on horseback, with lances. When de Carrouges returns home he demands sex, but Marguerite refuses and tells him about the rape, fuelling de Carrouges' anger against his friend. 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. I came in after Matt and Ben decided to do it this way, but they wanted to make it a little more gray. One ground for skepticism about these two reportsapart from their priestly sources, notoriously suspicious of womenis that each tells a substantially different story. What it doesn't detail is that while Marguerite gave birth to a healthy boy, the queen's son was sickly and died not long after he was born. An intensely personal rivalry, exacerbated by a series of failed legal cases brought by Carrouges, emerged between the onetime friends. I want justice! 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. On the one hand, the punishment for rape, if proven, meant death for the culprit and dishonor for the rapists family. 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. The Last Duel hair: Why the movie made Matt Damon look so awful. The Last Duel: What Happened To Every Character In Real Life It also fascinated writers in future centuries, with authors such as Voltaire and Diderot seeing Le Gris as an innocent man wronged by a barbaric system. The movie does follow the true story rather closely, and with a runtime of two and a half hours, we'd hope so. Carrouges immediately began a lawsuit to recover the land-based on an assumed prior claim to it. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine The . the latter was accused by Carrouges wife of having made an attempt on her honor. Within a few decades, period chroniclers disagreed about the duels details and disputed Le Gris guilt. Smithsonian magazine participates in affiliate link advertising programs. Theres a certain arrogance rooted in that assumption. 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. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. I dont want your money! Marguerite replied. On the whole, however, the events follow history. He also had a reputation as a seduceror worse. 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. Why The Last Duel's 3 Story Structure Felt Dangerous To Jodie Comer 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. Louvel then added a greeting from Jacques Le Gris, who he said greatly admired her and was eager to speak with her. Froissart portrays Marguerite, who had recently given birth to a son, praying to the Virgin as she anxiously awaits her fate. The Last Duel: What Happened To Every Character In Real Life 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 film is based on the true story of the last legally permitted duel (hence the title) fought in France. 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. Advertising Notice The final chapter of the film, told from Marguerites perspective, refers to itself as the truth. But while that section of the story by necessity contains the most dramatization, Jager says he does support the filmmakers conclusion. 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. Eventually, you have the two men on the ground, fighting with hand weapons rather than lances.. 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. (Spoilers ahead.). Given the absence of any witnesses in her own favor, Marguerites accusations against Louvel were a gratuitous and risky addition to her testimony if her story of the attack and rape was indeed a deliberate lie. Le Gris' body was dragged from the blood-soaked field and hanged on a gibbet. Rape Crisis Scotlands helpline number is 08088 01 03 02. In all fairness, they were significantly tame compared to what actually happened. However, Voltaire only acknowledged Marguerite insofar as he claimed all these fights were fought for women. Neither DArgis nor Voltaire mentioned Marguerite by name. In accord with ancient tradition, she would be burned alive as a false accuser. Holofcener adhered to historical fact in terms of how Marguerite spoke, what she did and how she behaved, but the rest is a dramatization. They pinned me down and stuffed a capucium [a hood] over my mouth to silence me. There is still a trial, though, and just as in reality, Marguerite is now pregnant. 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. When Marguerite accuses Le Gris of rape, Jean de Carrouges challenges him to a trial by combat. Soon after, de Carrouges went on a campaign to Scotland and though it was a military failure, he distinguished himself with his courage. It was a patriarchal and deeply misogynist [time]. The True Story Behind The Last Duel | Time Only then did he greet his wife, in an emotional scene before the thousands of spectators. Its a moment that underscores the timely nature of the films message: that we cannot be blind to the perspectives of others. The combat was decreed on December 29, 1386 in Paris.[3]. The two men seized her by the arms and legs, she testified, and dragged her up a nearby stairway, while she struggled and shouted for help. The offense took place on January 18, 1386, while she was still in Paris, alone at her mother-in-laws chateau with one other maidservant. The pair enjoyed a close friendship that soured when the count showered lavish gifts of land and money on Le Gris, fomenting Carrouges jealousy. 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.. When her husband, Sir Jean de Carrouges, heard of the crime, he . 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 Parlement ultimately failed to reach a verdict, and in September it officially ordered a trial by combat, wherein theoryGod would assure a just outcome. Who is Marguerite de Carrouges? Meet the real woman who inspired The Did Le Gris stumble? Photo Credit: MePrDB / MovieStillsDB. More, To make a more perfect union, dont look to the Founding Fathers. 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. While the film might appear to be Hollywood fiction, it is actually based on accounts of what happened following a heinous assault on Carrouges' wife. (Image credit: 20th Century Studios) . 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. Soon after, de Carrouges went on a campaign to Scotland and though it was a military failure, he distinguished himself with his courage. Over the next several months, famous lawyers were hired, witnesses were summoned, and testimony was gathered. 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 Last Duel Summary and Study Guide | SuperSummary She continued shouting for help, she says, until silenced by Le Gris hood. Co-writers Nicole Holofcener, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon had their work cut out for them trying to fill the gaps. The film does show that at the same time as Marguerite was pregnant, so was the queen. 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. She has nothing to gain. It was evident that it was going to be an exploration of the dynamics of power, roots of misogyny and survival in medieval France., Paramount+s 'Fatal Attraction' Series Follows The Movies Alternate Ending, 11 Photos Of The 'Fatal Attraction' TV Cast Vs. Their 1987 Movie Counterparts, Molly Ringwald Turned Down 'Pretty Woman' Due To An Early Script's Ick Factor, Zendaya Explained An Awkward Part Of Her 'Dune' Romance With Timothe Chalamet, Get Even More From Bustle Sign Up For The Newsletter. Initially, Carrouges brought Marguerites case to Count Pierre. But beyond the mystery itself is the surprising way that Marguerites story was transformed and all but erased in the centuries after the events of the film, reinterpreted to serve intellectual agendas with little consideration for the life at the center of the tale. The battle was drawn-out, bloody and spectacular. What happened to Marguerite de Carrouges after the duel? The Woman in Black | Lapham's Quarterly When Carrouges returned home three or four days after Marguerites rape, he found his wife sad and tearful, always unhappy in expression and demeanor, and not at all her usual self. She waited until the two were alone before revealing what had happened and urging her husband to seek vengeance against Le Gris. While this should have added weight to Marguerite's claim, it did not. 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. Despite how much Marguerite de Carrouges tale resonates today, we must keep in mind L.P. Hartleys words: the past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.. 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. The Last Duel vs. the True Story of Jean de Carrouges' Duel She claimed that one of her husband's former friends, Jacques le Gris, raped her when her husband was away. These details are wholly at odds with Marguerites court testimony about her assailants daytime visit, whose timing (if not its specific allegations) was corroborated by her mother-in-laws departure that morning and her return a few hours later that same day. Le Gris quickly turned violent, forcing her upstairs and enlisting Louvel to help restrain her as she desperately fought back. Carrouges III had been rewarded for his long military service in . 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. The original fortifications at Carrouges were besieged and destroyed by English forces during the Hundred Years War. I thought I was going to suffocate, and soon I couldnt fight them anymore. I gave her a friend, who ultimately betrays her. The theory of mistaken identity ultimately derives from two sources that began circulating more than a decade after the duel. After The Last Duel's real-life story, Marguerite went on to have two more children and settled in Normandy and Paris, enjoying the celebrity status that she and her . That meant that Holofcener had to create Marguerites world and inner life from scratch. 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. Thats the research we did and the legend of the story he thought he was in love with her and did not rape her. After a grueling battle . Although Jean won the duel and succeeded in defending Marguerites honor, the event would take on a controversial life of its own in the following centuries. Later encyclopedia entries echoed this view, seemingly solidifying the question of Le Gris innocence. In short, yes. 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. 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.
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