Does he truly believe his innocence at the end? Affleck reflects of Le Gris. 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. A beautiful young noblewoman, dressed all in black and exposed to the crowds stares, anxiously awaited the outcome. Part Two will use the medieval sources to reconstruct what really happened in the combat, using . Le Gris said nothing. Insight and analysis from renowned writers and thinkers. Warning: This post contains spoilers for The Last Duel. There were three chroniclers who gave detailed accounts of the sword phase of the fight, and they have slightly different accounts of how Carrouges managed to get Le Gris on the ground, Jager says. 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. Barred from bringing a case against Le Gris herself, Marguerite had to rely entirely on her husband to mount legal action. I will have justice!. The two combatants sat their horses very prettily, writes Froissart, for both were skilled in arms. Mother of Robert De Carrouges. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. To prove her claim true, Matt Damon's Jean challenges Le Gris to trial by combat. Holofcener adhered to historical fact in terms of how Marguerite spoke, what she did and how she behaved, but the rest is a dramatization. ( 20 th Century Studios ) At the time, the French were engaged in a bitter conflict with the English. Historical scandals, much like the contemporary ones filling our tabloids, news sites, and now-ubiquitous Facebook feeds, are built on a widely shared sense of certainty about what really happeneda feeling that often belies the elusive truth. She married Jean de Carrouges in 1380. He also had a reputation as a seduceror worse. I would call that historically accurate, even though we dont have direct testimony that Marguerite did this or that at the time.. But we wanted to do it through the lens of this situation. Charles I de Lorraine, duc d'Elbeuf (Joinville, 18 October 1556 - Moulins, 4 August 1605) was a French noble, military commander and governor during the French Wars of Religion.The son of the most minor cadet house of the children of Claude, Duke of Guise, Elbeuf initially lacked the prominence of his cousins, however his succession to the Rieux inheritance made him important. 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 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. Later encyclopedia entries echoed this view, seemingly solidifying the question of Le Gris innocence. She adds, If theres any gap between the act and making people aware [of it], that raises huge questions.. In 1384, Carrouges and Margueriteencountered Le Gris at a mutual friends party. 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. They pinned me down and stuffed a capucium [a hood] over my mouth to silence me. Marguerite de Carrouges accused Le Gris of rape in 1386. 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.. The origins of The Last Duel begin in January 1368, when Marguerite de Carrouges claimed she was raped by Jacques Le Gris, a squire. Thats the research we did and the legend of the story he thought he was in love with her and did not rape her. Sir Jean de Carrouges : I am risking my life for you! And her court testimony is reduced to nothing more than her husbands scriptas Famiglietti calls itfor destroying his hated rival. 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. HIP/Art Resource, NY. With the understanding that your truth may not be somebody elses truth. 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 entire royal court was gossiping about the rape, the trial, and the likelihood of a duel. Lied, by Eugne Lomont, c. 1895. I dont want your money! Marguerite replied. It states that Le Gris innocence was later recognized by all, for a man condemned to death by the law confessed to having committed the heinous crime. 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. In Le Coqs words, his client attacked his adversary very cruelly and did it on foot, although he would have had the advantage if he had done it on horseback. By drawing blood, writes Elema for the Historical European Martial Arts and Sports Community, Le Gris prevented the king from halting the duel, as once the scales had tipped in one fighters favor, no one could stop the fight without the appearance of partiality.. The film adaptation traces the trios relationship from its auspicious beginnings to its bloody end. When her husband, Sir Jean de Carrouges, heard of the crime, he . Eric Jager is a professor of English at UCLA and the author of four books, including The Last Duel and Blood Royal. Ben Affleck co-wrote the script with Damon and Nicole Holofcener and appears as a feudal lord and compatriot of both leading men. So there was just no doubt for me that this woman was telling the truth. But this was not included in the film. 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. 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. They still spoke out, and they still fought against the grain.. There is still a trial, though, and just as in reality, Marguerite is now pregnant. 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. If Carrouges won the duel, the couple would go free, their claims vindicated. Se trata del caballero Sir Jean. So the mistaken-identity theory has in its favor Marguerites relative unfamiliarity with Le Gris physical appearance at the time of the alleged rape in January 1386, over a year after Marguerite had first met and seen Le Gris at Crespins. Image via 20th Century Studios. (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. But that doesnt mean that women were silenced. When Jean came back from Paris, he decided to take revenge on Jacques. The trial by combat would decide whether she had told the truthand thus whether she would live or die. 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. For Affleck and Damon, The Last Duel was an opportunity to not only depict a compelling historical event but to reflect on how traces of that system of patriarchy linger today. 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. After Marguerites rape, Carrouges petitions the French court to try Le Gris through judicial combat. 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. Get our L.A. 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. I fought him so desperately, she claimed, that he shouted to Louvel to come back and help him. The last judicial duel in France hinged on whether a woman could be believed. 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. The majority of medieval rape victims lacked the means to seek justice. The greatest departure from Jagers book comes during the rape itself. Initially, Carrouges brought Marguerites case to Count Pierre. She gave birth to a son, Robert, shortly before Le Gris trial by combat. The movie ends with Marguerite playing with her son, seemingly at peace with her life. She was the only daughter of Jeanne de Bois Hroult and the highly controversial Robert de Thibouville, a Norman lord who had twice sided against the French king in territorial conflicts. Carrouges immediately began a lawsuit to recover the land-based on an assumed prior claim to it. Ultimately, Carrouges victory was a result of Le Gris being literally unable to get up. What does she have to gain from that? I think the film makes the right choice [in portraying her story]., Comer agrees. The squire then threw her onto a bed but could not hold her down without help from Louvel, who rushed back into the room on Le Gris orders to help his friend subdue and finally rape Marguerite. [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. No institution could long survive so open a confutation, and it was annulled by the Parlement.. A Note to our Readers 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.. And yet there can only be one truth. It is incumbent on us to be good people, to overcome that and to see more broadly and with empathy, Affleck says. At the time of the attack, Jean de Carrouges was away on a trip to Paris from which he would return a few days later. 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.. 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. It was just the bare minimum description of who she was. For me, why would a woman speak out and say this when her life was at risk? the actress says. Of the judicial duels that actually took place, few ended in death. Marguerite was born as Marguerite De Thibouville in Normandy in the year 1362. I want justice! 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. El ltimo duelo, la ltima pelcula de Ridley Scott, habla de muchas cosas, pero sobre todo de la vida de tres personas cuyo destino qued en manos del azar. This man who has done something horrible and doesnt understand it. More, On the use and misuse of civility. Cookie Settings, The Last Duel: A True Story of Crime, Scandal, and Trial by Combat, Historical European Martial Arts and Sports Community. A feature film based on The Last Duel is scheduled to be released in 2021. When de Carrouges returns home he demands sex, but Marguerite refuses and tells him about the rape, fuelling de Carrouges' anger against his friend. de Carrouges, whose wife and son died of an unknown illness, eventually marries Marguerite, a wealthy but reputationally damaged young woman. Much like Jagers book, the film doesnt offer a sympathetic portrayal of either of its leading men. 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. 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. 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. Meilan Solly In Jean's absence, Jacques broke into Jean's castle and raped Marguerite in 1386. 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 the six centuries after the quarrel ended, however, the moral that was to be derived from it changed considerably. The first two chapters of the three-act film, penned by Damon and Affleck, draw heavily on Jagers research, recounting Marguerites rape and the events surrounding it from the perspectives of Carrouges and Le Gris, respectively. In particular, Marguerite testified that she saw both men in the light of day, that Louvel specifically mentioned Le Gris by name before the latter appeared shortly afterward, and that she spoke with both men at some length before they attacked her. In the end the city expelled the contagion, and the body politic was cleansed. Jean de Carrouges (1330-25 September 1396) was a French knight who was best known for his 1386 duel with Jacques Le Gris (who was accused of raping his wife Marguerite de Carrouges) in the last judicial duel permitted by the Parliament of Paris; he was later slain at the Battle of Nicopolis. Per historian Kathryn Gravdal, a register of crimes recorded in four French hamlets between 1314 and 1399 lists just 12 rape or attempted rape cases, as only virgins or high-status rape victimslike Margueriteactually had their day in court., Those who did report their rapes found the odds really stacked against them, with the onus on the survivor to make a big judicial issue of it as quickly as possible, says historian Hannah Skoda, author of the 2012 book Medieval Violence. 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. That resonates. The contest between Carrouges and Le Gris would turn out to be the last judicial duel sanctioned by the Parlement of Paris. Born in 1388, two years after the fatal duel, Juvnal, a bishop, wrote at an even greater remove in time and may have been influenced by Pintoins account. Directed by Ridley Scott, the movie stars Matt Damon as Carrouges, Adam Driver as Le Gris and Jodie Comer as Carrouges' second wife, Marguerite. 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. I know that was the same for everyone who was coming toward this project.. Knights were one step above squires, but men of both ranks often served as vassals to higher-ranking overlords. But a public accusation of rape, at the time a capital offense and often a cause for scandalous rumors endangering the honor of those involved, could have grave consequences for both accuser and accused, especially among the nobility.