Instead, Elema explains, authorities overseeing trials typically imposed a settlement after the fighters had exchanged a few blows. 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 Last Duel: What Happened To Every Character In Real Life - ScreenRant The Last Duel (2021) - Jodie Comer as Marguerite de Carrouges - IMDb Se trata del caballero Sir Jean. Ultimately, that [would have been] a movie about a courtroom evidence drama, Affleck explains. 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.. The writers and director of "The Last Duel" all confirm that - reddit Although now losing blood, Carrouges mounted a daring counterattack and fought on so stoutly that he managed to throw his opponent to the ground. In Jagers book, the detailed description of the duel between Le Gris and Carrouges, held on Dec. 29, 1386, was drawn from several sources. 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. [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. Far from echoing these Enlightenment-era assessments of Marguerites misguided intentions, the film adaptation of The Last Duel presents the noblewoman as its protagonist, the truth teller [whose account is] so much more resonant, strong and evident than her male counterparts, as Affleck tells GMA News. 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. Digital Spy participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. 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 movie ends with Marguerite playing with her son, seemingly at peace with her life. Marguerite replied that she had no wish to speak with Le Gris, and that Louvel should stop his overtures at once. Meilan Solly is Smithsonian magazine's associate digital editor, history. The penalty for bearing false witness is that you are to be burned alive, an official tells Marguerite in the movies trailer. We know that the historical Marguerite de Thibouville was the heiress of a venerable noble family of Normandy, was probably young when she became Carrouges' second wife, and was, after the. Matt Damon, Adam Driver and Jodie Comer star in Ridley Scotts return to historical epic form, written by Damon, Ben Affleck and Nicole Holofcener. 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.. If Carrouges won the duel, the couple would go free, their claims vindicated. Welcoming the Official (detail), by Leonid Solomatkin, 1867. 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. Le Gris was the counts favorite and his administrative right hand. So in his deluded sense of pride, Le Gris could believe it was consensual. 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. 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. In his alibi, Le Gris himself cited the narrow window of time available for his alleged visit, strictly during daylight hours. 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. I will have justice!. The story goes that on January 18, 1386, Marguerite's mother-in-law, Dame Nicole de Carrouges, left the family chateau on business with most of the household servants. Are we seeing how others experience things?. Or did he trip? A beautiful young noblewoman, dressed all in black and exposed to the crowds stares, anxiously awaited the outcome. Quines fueron las personas reales que inspiraron 'El ltimo duelo On a freezing December day in 1386, at an old priory in Paris that today is a museum of science and technologya temple of human reasonan eager crowd of thousands gathered to watch two knights fight a duel to the death with lance and sword and dagger. Spoiler alert: The following story includes details from the historical account behind the new film The Last Duel and narrative twists specific to the film. Cases had to meet four requirements, including exhausting all other legal remedies and confirming that the crime had actually occurred. While the films version, which only involves Le Gris, is brutal to watch, the reality was far rougher, leaving Marguerite with tangible marks of the crime. Rape Crisis Scotlands helpline number is 08088 01 03 02. In real life, as in the film, de Carrouges has to first ask Count Pierre for a trial, which is obviously biased in favour of Le Gris. Carrouges, without whom his wife could not even bring a case, resolutely rode off to Paris to appeal for justice to the king. 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. The True History Behind "The Last Duel" - A Tale of Trial by Combat Jean de Carrouges Badass of the Week Medieval law treated rape as a horrific crime on par with other capital offenses. When her husband, Sir Jean de Carrouges, heard of the crime, he . Terms of Use If your husband hears of it, he may kill you. 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. Much like Jagers book, the film doesnt offer a sympathetic portrayal of either of its leading men. Death: Immediate Family: Daughter of Robert De Thibouville. The Last Duel of Jean de Carrouges | by Peter Preskar | Medium I would have had to have taken this many horses, and I didnt have time to get back. It would have become about whether or not it could have been him, or it must have been somebody else. The event marked the first meeting between Carrouges wifedescribed by a contemporary chronicler as beautiful, good, sensible and modestand Le Gris. We would have looked like two tin cans. Holofcener adhered to historical fact in terms of how Marguerite spoke, what she did and how she behaved, but the rest is a dramatization. Her husband is abusive what would be the consequences of this? We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. 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. Le Gris quickly turned violent, forcing her upstairs and enlisting Louvel to help restrain her as she desperately fought back. By the union of Marguerite and Carrouges, de Thibouville hoped to restore his family's status[1] while Carrouges was hoping for an heir from the young Marguerite, whom contemporaries described as "young, noble, wealthy, and also very beautiful". He likewise claims that Marguerite had been deceived about her attackers identity, although the supposed truth comes out under rather different circumstances: Later it was discovered that [Le Gris] had not really done it, but that it had been done by another, who died of illness in his bed and, at the moment of death, confessed before others that he had done the deed.. 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. When Jean came back from Paris, he decided to take revenge on Jacques. 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. Thats the research we did and the legend of the story he thought he was in love with her and did not rape her. Character description. Le 29 dcembre 1 386 se droula un duel d'honneur entre deux seigneurs normands", "Who is Marguerite de Carrouges? After the sexual assault, Le Gris told Marguerite, Lady, if you tell anyone what has happened here, you will be dishonored. The historical record tends to favor men, so not much is known about the real Marguerite beyond her familys legacy and her role leading up to the duel. 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. Jean de Carrouges - Wikipedia To prove her claim true, Matt Damon's Jean challenges Le Gris to trial by combat. Popular historical fiction abetted the theory of mistaken identity, exploiting its shock effect. Even in Le Gris' version, though, Marguerite's attempts to get away seem less flirtatious and more earnest. 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 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). After many preliminary ceremonies decreed by tradition (an arms inspection, a series of solemn oaths, the requisite dubbing of Le Gris as a knight to make the combatants equal in rank, etc. Eventually, you have the two men on the ground, fighting with hand weapons rather than lances.. Its also significant that the Parlement of Paris found Marguerites story credible enough to vacate Count Pierres official exoneration of Le Gris and to authorize the rare judicial duel, whose official purpose, however doubtful the procedure may seem today, was to determine the truth in cases where witness testimony and other evidence was insufficient for reaching a verdict. We gave Ridley, This is what took place. Because it was such a famous event, there was a record. 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. 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. The Real History Behind Ridley Scott's 'The Last Duel' | History The greatest departure from Jagers book comes during the rape itself. 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. At the bottom of the social ladder were warriors, priests and laborers, who had limited rights and political influence. The Last Duel is now available to watch in cinemas. The Last Duel Ending Explained: Who Won The Duel, And - CINEMABLEND 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. Being caught beneath a horse would mean certain death. 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. 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). The film shows Le Gris stripped and hanged by the ankle in the town square. 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. The earlier of the two is the Saint-Denis Chronicle, an official royal history by the monk Michel Pintoin probably written around 1400. 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. Given Nicole de Carrouges' sketchy behavior, removing any witness that might ID the perpetrator (nearly the entire household) from the chateau, and given that two sources report other men confessing to the crime, I think Nicole and Jean de Carrouges conspired . Le Gris attorney, the highly respected Jean Le Coq, kept notes in Latin that still survive, allowing us a glimpse into attorney-client discussions. 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. The J. PaulGettyMuseum, Los Angeles. 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. Halloween Kills, the latest entry in the blockbuster horror franchise, and period drama The Last Duel face different fates in theaters this weekend. He strucks a belly of Le Gris's horse with his axe. A large and powerful man, Le Gris was well educated and very wealthy, though from an only recently ennobled family. Barred from bringing a case against Le Gris herself, Marguerite had to rely entirely on her husband to mount legal action. Insight and analysis from renowned writers and thinkers. De Carrouges sued Pierre for the land and lost, which only put him further on the outs with the count. 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. Its a moment that underscores the timely nature of the films message: that we cannot be blind to the perspectives of others. Pierre favours de Carrouges' friend Le Gris, and the friendship between the men begins to deteriorate. They took the idea of damnation seriously. If youd rather experience the film first, please save this to read after watching. The accused was Jacques Le Gris, who was said to have raped Jean de Carrouges's wife, Marguerite . 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. Of course, Jean de Carrouges was destined for the life of warfare - this was the common fate for many nobles and their sons in medieval France. What does she have to gain from that? 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. The True Story Behind the Last Duel | by Nick Howard - Medium And yet he raped her so brutally in history, in the truth, so badly there would be no doubt. 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. They leave, with the crowds cheering for de Carrouges. 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. 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. 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. If the case is not proven, then [the woman] doesnt just get to walk away, says Skoda. But this was not included in the film. We knew who this woman was generally by the way she spoke out in the time in which she was living in.. I gave her a friend, who ultimately betrays her. Which, to us, was more interesting and, to us, ultimately made it more about an examination of an entire system that was assaulting this woman from the moment she was born.. The moral was plain: Le Gris rose in the world and then suddenly fell, he dominated but finally was vanquished, he committed a crime in secret and was publicly exposed. Nearly everyone believed then and believes now that Marguerite was raped. In Jean's absence, Jacques broke into Jean's castle and raped Marguerite in 1386. Ben Affleck co-wrote the script with Damon and Nicole Holofcener and appears as a feudal lord and compatriot of both leading men. Legal historian Ariella Elema, whose PhD research centered on trial by combat in France and England, says judicial duels were most common in cases where the evidence was really unclear and it was difficult to solve the [matter] by any other means. Such clashes had become increasingly rare by the late 14th century, with lawyers largely using the prospect of duels to incentivize individuals to settle cases out of court. Really embracing the kind of freedom that gave her. According to Eric Jager's book The Last Duel, the alleged rape of Jean de Carrouges' wife Marguerite happened on January 18, 1386. Louvel then,. Jacques le Gris | Villains Wiki | Fandom 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. And clearly it wasnt.. Jean de Carrouges | Historica Wiki | Fandom 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. Even Le Gris believed she was victimized - just not by him. Skoda and Elema argue that Marguerites case exemplifies the complexity of medieval society, which is often painted in broad, reductive strokes. Soon after, de Carrouges went on a campaign to Scotland and though it was a military failure, he distinguished himself with his courage. Yet Adam Louvel reportedly confessed to nothing, not even under torture. More. DIGITAL SPY, PART OF THE HEARST UK ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK. What's Fact and What's Fiction in The Last Duel - Slate Magazine 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. In January 1386 while Jean de Carrouges was away traveling, Marguerite claimed she . But whats so amazing about Nicole and what Nicole has brought to the piece is this sense of imagination. 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. (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. 'The Last Duel' Ending, Explained - Was Marguerite Telling The Truth? The two combatants sat their horses very prettily, writes Froissart, for both were skilled in arms. Carrouges views himself as a chivalrous knight defending his wifes honor, while Le Gris casts himself as the Lancelot to Marguerites Guinevere, rescuing her from an unhappy 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.) But we wanted to do it through the lens of this situation. Did Le Gris stumble? Medieval trial by combat: the real history behind The Last Duel 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. When he leaves he says she should tell no one, especially her husband because he might kill her if he finds out. According. P.T. Sir Jean de Carrouges : I am risking my life for you! From an absolute philosophical point of view, nobody but Jacques Le Gris and Marguerite and those who were in the room know the truth, Jager says. 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 Marguerites own life on the line if it was decided she had lied. As noted in the 1850s by the Norman historian Alfred de Caix, one of the few to credit her story, Marguerites testimony is impressively circumstantial and detailed. Certain details in her account raise serious problems for the mistaken-identity theory. By the time the criminal trial was underway in the summer of that year, Marguerite was noticeably pregnant. Just in what they were wearing. 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