Figures like Locke, Rousseau and Voltaireconsidered by some modern historians an early feministmade compelling cases for human rights, gender equality and the natural dignity of all peoples regardless of age, gender or race, which makes the Enlightenments widespread acceptance of the medieval narrative that Le Gris was innocent and refusal to consider Marguerites perspective all the more surprising and even hypocritical. According to Enlightenment scholar and University of Florida assistant professor of history Anton Matytsin, the Enlightenment sought the end to judicial torture, the abolition of the death penalty, and the institution of proportional and humane punishments that would deter people from committing crimes this is the main context in which they would have seen a duel: a barbaric way to settle a legal matter. Cesare Beccaria, a leading Enlightenment thinker, outlined how judicial torture primarily benefitted not those who were innocent and had nothing to confess but those whose physical constitutions would allow them to withstand pain., The Enlightenments celebration of Marguerite de Carrouges accused rapist challenges our notions of how history develops. They pinned me down and stuffed a capucium [a hood] over my mouth to silence me. Following Robert dAlenons death, the Counts brother, Pierre, took over the court. Though Scotts film and its source text afford the fight the weighty title of the last duel, Le Gris trial by combat was far from the last duel to ever take place. 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. 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. However, Scotts Duel only depicts half of Marguerites story. 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. Though the real duel was between Le Gris and Jean, the film portrays the true conflict as Marguerite de Carrouges versus the political mores of her day, as she struggles to convince those around her, from the Church to her family to the French king to the common peasant, that what she says is true. 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. 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. While this should have added weight to Marguerite's claim, it did not. By unequivocally believing Marguerite, the screenwriters offer that same sense of empathy to all women who follow her. Meilan Solly How power in America has turned the rule of law into a mere myth. 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. If youd rather experience the film first, please save this to read after watching. lavish Arnou-le-Faucon estate, which had once been owned by Marguerites father. Despite the claims of naysayers and novelizers, Marguerites testimony suggests that she was almost certainly not mistaken about the identity of her attackers. 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. Marguerite's husband, Sir Jean de Carrouges, a reputedly jealous and violent manwhose once close friendship with Le Gris had soured in recent years amid court rivalry and a protracted dispute over landwas traveling at the time of the alleged crime. Eric Jager is a professor of English at UCLA and the author of four books, including The Last Duel and Blood Royal. Does he truly believe his innocence at the end? Affleck reflects of Le Gris. Jodie Comer as Marguerite de Carrouges in 'The Last Duel', Patrick Redmond 2021 20th Century Studios, Adam Driver as Jacques LeGris and Matt Damon as Jean de Carrouges in 'The Last Duel', Matt Damon as Jean de Carrouges and Adam Driver as Jacques LeGris in 'The Last Duel', What America's Richest Ski Town's Handling of COVID-19 Shows. 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. The screenwriters changed the scene to allow for more nuance. 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). In the six centuries after the quarrel ended, however, the moral that was to be derived from it changed considerably. There [wasnt] going to be a settlement without one of them losing their reputation., After hearing both parties testimony, the Parlement of Paris agreed to authorize a duelFrances first trial by combat for a rape case in more than 30 years. According to Marguerite, Le Gris (played in the film by Adam Driver) traveled to her familys chateau in Capomesnil where she was staying on January 18, 1386 and raped her. 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. Just in what they were wearing. 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. Carrouges died roughly a decade after the duel, falling in combat against the Ottoman Turks. I want justice! Despite the threat of public humiliation and potentially deadly outcome of disclosing ones rape, women like Marguerite spoke out, perhaps as a way of working through their trauma or simply refusing to passively accept [what had] happened to them, says Skoda. 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. Carrouges married her in hopes of an heir and attempted to use his newfound claim to his father-in-law's property to win back a piece of land from his rival . Diderots Encyclopdie and Voltaires Histoire du Parlement de Paris used the 1386 affair to denounce the supposed ignorance and cruelty of the Middle Ages. 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". Ultimately, that [would have been] a movie about a courtroom evidence drama, Affleck explains. 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. 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. The pair enjoyed a close friendship that soured when the count showered lavish gifts of land and money on Le Gris, fomenting Carrouges jealousy. However, Le Gris insisted on his right to testify before Parliament, leaving the door open for Carrouges to request a duel. But if Marguerites husband and champion lost, thus proving her accusation to be false, she too would be put to death. 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. 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. To this day, historians are divided on the truth of the case. de Carrouges, whose wife and son died of an unknown illness, eventually marries Marguerite, a wealthy but reputationally damaged young woman. On the one hand, the punishment for rape, if proven, meant death for the culprit and dishonor for the rapists family. Its a moment that underscores the timely nature of the films message: that we cannot be blind to the perspectives of others. Cookie Policy At the bottom of the social ladder were warriors, priests and laborers, who had limited rights and political influence. 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.. After the sexual assault, Le Gris told Marguerite, Lady, if you tell anyone what has happened here, you will be dishonored. That meant that Holofcener had to create Marguerites world and inner life from scratch. Le Gris' body was dragged from the blood-soaked field and hanged on a gibbet. 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. Le Gris' window arrived on January 18, when Marguerite happened to be left alone with just one maidservant. Historians may never know what actually happened. When youre doing scenes where you really want to fight back with Carrouges and tell him what it is you really think, you have to go, Hang on a minute, would she do this? Comer recalls. 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. His scholarly work focuses on the intellectual history of virtue in Renaissance Naples. She adds, If theres any gap between the act and making people aware [of it], that raises huge questions.. They truly believed God would make happen whatever was the fair thing to happen, so it would . 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. They were right Le Gris decried Marguerites accusations as false and inflammatory, and Count Pierre took his side, clearing him of the charges. 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. 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. Over the next few years, Le Gris climbed further up the ranks, and was eventually initiated into King Charles VIs royal court. Still, the theory cannot plausibly account for Louvels having named Le Gris while in conversation with Marguerite. Early life. Le Gris attorney, the highly respected Jean Le Coq, kept notes in Latin that still survive, allowing us a glimpse into attorney-client discussions. Like, I couldnt have gotten there. 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. 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. Get the latest History stories in your inbox? From hair trends to relationship advice, our daily newsletter has everything you need to sound like a person whos on TikTok, even if you arent. If her husband lost she would be found guilty of perjury. 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 Last Duel is told in three chapters, each of which was written by one of the writers, and told from the perspective of one of the main characters. And one includes the ladys penitential retreat to a convent, while the other omits this finale. Digital image courtesy of theGettys Open Content Program. 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. But that was from research as well. 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. He had a witness. 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. Cookie Settings, The Last Duel: A True Story of Crime, Scandal, and Trial by Combat, Historical European Martial Arts and Sports Community. Marguerites husband, Sir Jean de Carrouges, a reputedly jealous and violent manwhose once close friendship with Le Gris had soured in recent years amid court rivalry and a protracted dispute over landwas traveling at the time of the alleged crime. 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. He had been rewarded for his long military service in the Hundred Years' War . An intensely personal rivalry, exacerbated by a series of failed legal cases brought by Carrouges, emerged between the onetime friends. Related: Every Ridley Scott Horror Movie Ranked The Last Duel's ending is conclusive about the result of the duel, but the story leaves some questions unanswered on the details of the case and what happened to the real characters after the ending we . The event marked the first meeting between Carrouges wifedescribed by a contemporary chronicler as beautiful, good, sensible and modestand Le Gris. He wrote that Le Gris responded that before God, and on the peril of damnation of his soul, that he had never committed the crime of which he was accused. He had gone to King Charles VI, seeking an appeal to the decision handed down by Count . 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. What happened to Marguerite de Carrouges after the duel? And yet he raped her so brutally in history, in the truth, so badly there would be no doubt. Marguerite de Carrouges was married to the knight Jean de Carrouges. Marguerite de Carrouges Marguerite, who married Carrouges in 1381, was the only daughter of Robert de Thibouville, who had once committed an act of high treason. All Rights Reserved. DArgis account did not grapple with whether Marguerites testimony was valid, but instead chose to emphasize the duels injustice towards Le Gris and the futility of Le Gris prayers. Within a few decades, period chroniclers disagreed about the duels details and disputed Le Gris guilt. It was really trying to understand those types of dynamics and her place within the home and in society.. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Meanwhile, Le Gris continued to rise in Pierre's esteem. We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. 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. 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. Jean de Carrouges and Jacques le Gris fought out their case before a vast crowd and a fascinated King Charles VI. A beautiful young noblewoman, dressed all in black and exposed to the crowds stares, anxiously awaited the outcome. 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. [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). The combat was decreed on December 29, 1386 in Paris.[3]. In 1384, Carrouges and Margueriteencountered Le Gris at a mutual friends party. Marguerites accusations carried serious ramifications for medieval French society. Or did he trip? 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. benelli ethos magazine plug removal,
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