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. Historians may never know what actually happened. Cookie Policy Comer brought that sense of history into her performance as well, recognizing what was and wasnt acceptable for women of the time. Their future was assured. On the one hand, the punishment for rape, if proven, meant death for the culprit and dishonor for the rapists family. When Marguerite accuses Le Gris of rape, Jean de Carrouges challenges him to a trial by combat. 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. However, Le Gris insisted on his right to testify before Parliament, leaving the door open for Carrouges to request a duel. While The Last Duel offers some vindication to Marguerite, all that came nextthe story of how her life was recorded and reshaped in the historical recordreveals both how easily marginalized voices can be removed from history even by historical figures we respect and how long it can take to restore those voices to their proper place. Though its unanimously agreed that Carrouges was victorious over Le Gris in the duel, there are various accounts to what took place on Dec. 29, 1386. 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. . Enlightenment thinkers in the 18th century adopted this revision of Le Gris character to advance their own intellectual agendas. After the fatal duel, the truth comes out: Sometime later, a criminal on the point of atoning for his other crimes confessed that he was guilty of the odious act of which Le Gris had been accused. One ground for skepticism about these two reportsapart from their priestly sources, notoriously suspicious of womenis that each tells a substantially different story. 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. He had been rewarded for his long military service in the Hundred Years' War . The film, set amid the brutality of the Hundred Years' War, is divided into three chapters the "truth" according to Carrouges (played by Damon), Le Gris (Adam Driver) and finally, Marguerite (Jodie Comer). Scott and the films stunt coordinator used the outline of the actual combat to create something slightly more exciting for the screen. Carrouges, without whom his wife could not even bring a case, resolutely rode off to Paris to appeal for justice to the king. I dont want your money! Marguerite replied. At the time, Jager explains, trial by combat was believed to be the judgment of God, traditionally looked to heaven to assure a just and fair verdict.. Should Carrouges lose, Marguerite will be burned at the stake for perjury. 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. As might be expected, the deadly trial by combat before the huge crowd of spectators unfolds with genuine drama and suspense. With the duel concluded, Froissart continues, Jacques Le Gris body was delivered to the executioner of Paris, who dragged it to Montfaucon and hung it there. For months afterward, at the great stone gibbet on the infamous hilltop outside the citys northern gates, this grisly sight greeted any townsman or traveler passing by. An intensely personal rivalry, exacerbated by a series of failed legal cases brought by Carrouges, emerged between the onetime friends. 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. She was formerly known by her maiden name as Marguerite de Thibouville. 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. For me, why would a woman speak out and say this when her life was at risk? the actress says. Some have echoed Count Pierres dismissive decree, saying that Marguerite made it all up, perhaps to cover up an affair with another man. The burden of proof lay almost entirely on victims, who had to prove theyd resisted the rapists advances while recounting their testimony in precise detail. Jean and Marguerite de Carrouges can continue to be a family. Based on the 2004 book of the same name by literary historian Eric Jager, The Last Duel sheds light on the bout between Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver) and Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon), which was waged over accusations that Le Gris raped Carrouges wife, Marguerite (Jodie Comer), and resulted in Le Gris demise. Warning, The Last Duel spoilers follow. Medieval law treated rape as a horrific crime on par with other capital offenses. They were very religious. We would have looked like two tin cans. Of course, the movie is about much more than just the duel, as is the true story so here's what went down. One identifies the supposed felon as a condemned man about to be executed, the other as a sick man on his deathbed. The trial by combat would decide whether she had told the truthand thus whether she would live or die. Rather than this idea of somebody, through the lens of their own experience and acculturation, not understanding their behavior. Froissart portrays Marguerite, who had recently given birth to a son, praying to the Virgin as she anxiously awaits her fate. They met in the household of Count Robert dAlenon, where the two served as squires to the count. You have reached your limit of free articles. 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. The Last Duel ending explained - how close is it to the true story of Marguerite de Carrouges? Does he truly believe his innocence at the end? Affleck reflects of Le Gris. If your husband hears of it, he may kill you. Le Gris quickly turned violent, forcing her upstairs and enlisting Louvel to help restrain her as she desperately fought back. 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. She has to relive it over and over againand she gets it right.. the latter was accused by Carrouges wife of having made an attempt on her honor. Le Gris' body was dragged from the blood-soaked field and hanged on a gibbet. And in fact it was a code, a manner of behavior that denied womens basic humanity.. What does she have to gain from that? The origins of The Last Duel begin in January 1368, when Marguerite de Carrouges claimed she was raped by Jacques Le Gris, a squire. News back then traveled, archival research has shown, at the rate of an average days journey by horseback: about thirty miles per day. Smithsonian magazine participates in affiliate link advertising programs. Some argued that shed falsely accused Le Gris, either mistaking him for someone else or acting on the orders of her vindictive husband. 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. She refuses his advances, after which he rapes her. Marguerite de Carrouges was married to the knight Jean de Carrouges. The author would like to thank Eric Jager for his correspondence regarding this piece. 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 . Is history repeating itself? Seemingly resolving their differences, the men greeted each other and embraced, with Carrouges telling Marguerite to kiss Le Gris as a sign of renewed peace and friendship, according to Jager. 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. 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. 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. Carrouges III had been rewarded for his long military service in . While historians unanimously agree on that last part, everything else is muddled with contradictory evidence. Schools educate you, and religious services deliver sermons, and movies at their best can generate empathy and generate compassion, says Affleck. According to Jager, the court may have feared taking sides and arousing even more controversy, deciding instead to grant the knights request, authorize a duel and leave the whole perplexing matter in the hands of God., Five contemporary or near-contemporary chronicles offer accounts of what happened when Le Gris and Carrouges met on December 29, 1386. Marguerite de Carrouges accused Le Gris of rape in 1386. 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. Duels of honor, as well as judicial duels authorized by other governing bodies, continued to take place centuries after Carrouges triumph. I would call that historically accurate, even though we dont have direct testimony that Marguerite did this or that at the time.. 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. She alleged that Louvel came to her door to ask for a favor, after which he made her uncomfortable by talking inappropriately about Le Gris, saying he was in love with her. 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. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? Thats the research we did and the legend of the story he thought he was in love with her and did not rape her. Over the next few years, Le Gris climbed further up the ranks, and was eventually initiated into King Charles VIs royal court. I will have justice!. We gave Ridley, This is what took place. Because it was such a famous event, there was a record. 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. 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-laws chteau by a squire (the rank below knighthood) named Jacques Le Gris, aided by one of his closest companions, one Adam Louvel. Jean and Marguerite de Carrouges rode, accompanied by hordes of cheering fans to Notre Dame de Paris to give thanks for victory. Marguerite, who had accused Le Gris of raping her, watched from the sidelines; clad entirely in black, she was keenly aware that her husbands defeat would be viewed as proof of perjury, vindicating her attacker and ensuring her execution by burning at the stake for the crime of bearing false witness. All Rights Reserved. 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 duel itself was very violent, as it was in the film. 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. Rape Crisis Scotlands helpline number is 08088 01 03 02. How Palm Springs ran out Black and Latino families to build a fantasy for rich, white people, Concertgoer lets out a loud full body orgasm while L.A. Phil plays Tchaikovskys 5th, 17 SoCal hiking trails that are blooming with wildflowers (but probably not for long! 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. Do you swear on your life that what you say is true? This question, posed to Marguerite de Carrouges (Jodie Comer), encapsulates the true history behind The Last Duel, director Ridley Scotts new film opening in theaters Oct. 15. Le Gris attorney, the highly respected Jean Le Coq, kept notes in Latin that still survive, allowing us a glimpse into attorney-client discussions. The theory of mistaken identity ultimately derives from two sources that began circulating more than a decade after the duel. Carrouges was born in the late 1330s in the village of Sainte-Marguerite-de-Carrouges as the eldest son of the knight and minor noble, Sir Jean de Carrouges III, and his wife, Nicole de Buchard. Rather, it was the last judicial duel sanctioned by the Parlement of Parisa decision possibly motivated by the decidedly unchivalrous nature of the event. She has everything to lose. That was at the root of everything. But that doesnt mean that women were silenced. Digital image courtesy of theGettys Open Content Program. 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. Despite the claims of naysayers and novelizers, Marguerites testimony suggests that she was almost certainly not mistaken about the identity of her attackers. 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. 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. Image via 20th Century Studios. 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. 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. Despite how much Marguerite de Carrouges' tale resonates today, we must keep in mind L.P. Hartley's words: "the past is a foreign country; they do things differently there." John-Paul Heil is a Ph.D candidate in early modern history at the University of Chicago and an adjunct professor of history and the liberal arts at Mount St. Mary . 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. At the bottom of the social ladder were warriors, priests and laborers, who had limited rights and political influence. The film shows Le Gris stripped and hanged by the ankle in the town square. 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..