As Damon tells the New York Times, this segment is kind of an original screenplay because that world of women had to be almost invented and imagined out of whole cloth., The gripping true story of the duel to end all duels in medieval France as a resolute knight defends his wifes honor against the man she accuses of a heinous crime. Does he truly believe his innocence at the end? Affleck reflects of Le Gris. When de Carrouges returns home he demands sex, but Marguerite refuses and tells him about the rape, fuelling de Carrouges' anger against his friend. 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. Marys University in Maryland. Like, I couldnt have gotten there. Here are our top 10 picks, Super Mario Bros. Movie hits $1 billion, is No. 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. 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. Terms of Use 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. According to court documents and testimony, Le Gris accomplice, Adam Louvel (Adam Nagaitis), participated in the rape. 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. The third and final section, written by Holofcener, is told from Marguerites point of view. Image via 20th Century Studios. 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. Her father had sided against the king twice, and . That July, at the old royal palace on the le de la Cit, the knight formally challenged the squire, throwing down the gauntlet, as witnessed by the young Charles VI, many other royals, and the magistrates of the Parlement of Paris, the nations highest court. 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. Die Tanzsportkompetenz im Landkreis Passau Over the next few years, Le Gris climbed further up the ranks, and was eventually initiated into King Charles VIs royal court. Carrouges died roughly a decade after the duel, falling in combat against the Ottoman Turks. But the overwhelming likelihood is that she was telling the truth. When would she choose to speak out in this way? He also had a reputation as a seduceror worse. Despite the claims of naysayers and novelizers, Marguerites testimony suggests that she was almost certainly not mistaken about the identity of her attackers. The two combatants sat their horses very prettily, writes Froissart, for both were skilled in arms. Note: The following article contains discussion of rape that some readers may find upsetting. But when Jean came back she told him everything. The valuable estate of Aunou-le-Faucon, given to his rival Jacques Le Gris two years earlier, had been formerly owned by Carrouges' father-in-law, Robert de Thibouville, and had been bought by Count Pierre II of Alenon for 8,000 French livres in 1377. 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. At the time, it was believed a woman could not conceive if she didn't enjoy sex, and therefore her pregnancy was counted against her it couldn't be rape if she was pregnant, because she must have enjoyed it. Before the duel, Le Gris had asked in all the monasteries of Paris that God should pray for him. I do not know, he adds in a poignant aside, for I never spoke with her, whether she had not often regretted having gone so far with the matter that she and her husband were in such grave dangerand then finally there was nothing for it but to await the outcome.. 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. 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. Nevertheless, Carrouges, who believed his wife, stabbed the sword into the body underneath and made him die., While Jager and other historians may never know the truth, Affleck and The Last Duel writers feel strongly that Marguerites account is the accurate one. That meant that Holofcener had to create Marguerites world and inner life from scratch. Historians may never know what actually happened. ), the duel began as a joust on horseback, with lances. 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. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing it? de Carrouges, whose wife and son died of an unknown illness, eventually marries Marguerite, a wealthy but reputationally damaged young woman. This happened, she said, in the morning hours at the modest chteau of her widowed . 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. I dont want your money! Marguerite replied. From the start, Le Gris had an advantage in the trial. Very quickly, we recognized that the film has a clear point of view on whos telling the truth. The newly-minted Count Pierre took an immediate liking to the charming Le Gris, which strained the latters friendship with Carrouges. 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. Charges against Le Gris were brought to Count Pierres court some weeks after the attack, but as the accused was a favorite of the Count, Carrouges and Marguerite were certain that they wouldnt be given a fair trial, and refused to attend the hearing. Although now losing blood, Carrouges mounted a daring counterattack and fought on so stoutly that he managed to throw his opponent to the ground. Oh, and The characters we'll be discussing are Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon), Marguerite de Carrouges (Jodie Comer), and Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver). 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. [10]" Prey star Amber Midthunder lands next movie role, The Super Mario Bros Movie hits huge milestone, Emily in Paris' Lucien Laviscount lands movie role. Schools educate you, and religious services deliver sermons, and movies at their best can generate empathy and generate compassion, says Affleck. We would have looked like two tin cans. It was just the bare minimum description of who she was. (Rapists sometimes escaped punishment by marrying their victims.) 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 took the idea of damnation seriously. 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. What does she have to gain from that? She probably had strangle marks. With the understanding that your truth may not be somebody elses truth. They still spoke out, and they still fought against the grain.. 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. By now the case had become a cause clbre. Directed by Ridley Scott, the movie stars Matt Damon as Carrouges, Adam Driver as Le Gris and Jodie Comer as Carrouges second wife, Marguerite. Co-writers Nicole Holofcener, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon had their work cut out for them trying to fill the gaps. De Carrouges sued Pierre for the land and lost, which only put him further on the outs with the count. I will not be silent, she responds, teary-eyed but defiant. Jager, for his part, tells Medievalists.net that he never would have embarked on writing this book if I had not believed Marguerite. Le Gris lawyer, Jean Le Coq, arguably summarized the case best, noting in his journal that no one really knew the truth of the matter.. . That resonates. Unable to rise due to the weight of his body armor, Le Gris resisted Carrouges calls to confess, declaring, In the name of God, and on the peril and damnation of my soul, I am innocent of the crime. Enraged, Carrouges delivered the death blow, perhaps by stabbing Le Gris exposed neck or thighs. Even in Le Gris' version, though, Marguerite's attempts to get away seem less flirtatious and more earnest. Knights were one step above squires, but men of both ranks often served as vassals to higher-ranking overlords. Magazines, Digital 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! 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. They met in the household of Count Robert dAlenon, where the two served as squires to the count. But not for as long as you need me to. Tossing a sack of coins at the young woman, Le Gris taunted her, claiming that his friends would give him an airtight alibi. Marguerite de Carrouges accused Le Gris of rape in 1386. 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. the latter was accused by Carrouges wife of having made an attempt on her honor. So there was just no doubt for me that this woman was telling the truth. 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". She gave birth to a son, Robert, shortly before Le Gris trial by combat. 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. But that doesnt mean that women were silenced. 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. Its a moment that underscores the timely nature of the films message: that we cannot be blind to the perspectives of others. Anything that . When Marguerite adamantly refused his offer, saying she had no wish for his money, the violence escalated. 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. (Jager offered feedback on the films script, suggesting historically accurate phrasing and other changes.) It's long and gory and ends with de Carrouges stabbing Le Gris through the mouth (in real life, it was the throat), proving Marguerite to have been telling the truth. If your husband hears of it, he may kill you. 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. If the film missteps, it is because it does not allow Comer, and consequently Marguerites narrative, more screen time. Nicole, in whose care Jean had left his wife, was also absent for part of the day in question, having been called away on legal business to the nearby abbey town of Saint-Pierre. 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. 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. Since Le Gris had briefly served as a church cleric in his youth, he could choose whether he wanted a state trial or church hearing. Some argued that shed falsely accused Le Gris, either mistaking him for someone else or acting on the orders of her vindictive husband. Ben Affleck co-wrote the script with Damon and Nicole Holofcener and appears as a feudal lord and compatriot of both leading men. Beyond the court the dispute was being spoken of as far as the most distant parts of the kingdom, according to the chronicler Jean Froissart. 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. There is still a trial, though, and just as in reality, Marguerite is now pregnant. 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. In Jagers book, the detailed description of the duel between Le Gris and Carrouges, held on Dec. 29, 1386, was drawn from several sources. In the book, Le Gris does say he was in love with her, Holofcener says. The challenge did not lead directly to a duel, however, but marked the start of a formal investigation by the Parlement, which would authorize a duel only if unable to reach a verdict on the basis of the available evidence. I would call that historically accurate, even though we dont have direct testimony that Marguerite did this or that at the time.. Let's break down what happened and how the movie left its audience. 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. However, Scotts Duel only depicts half of Marguerites story. (Image credit: 20th Century Studios) . After a grueling battle . 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. Cookie Settings, The Last Duel: A True Story of Crime, Scandal, and Trial by Combat, Historical European Martial Arts and Sports Community. 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. 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. In an entry on duels, the Grand dictionnaire universel (186677), overseen by respected editor Pierre Larousse, describes the 1386 affair as one of the most remarkable in history, claiming that the wide belief in its injustice helped to bring the custom of trial by combat to a speedy end. A century and more after the philosophes had popularized the theory, it solidified as hard fact in authoritative encyclopedias. 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 film does show that at the same time as Marguerite was pregnant, so was the queen. The dominant belief that women had to enjoy sex in order to conceive further complicated matters, leaving those impregnated by their rapists on even shakier legal ground. 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. 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.. However, Le Gris insisted on his right to testify before Parliament, leaving the door open for Carrouges to request a duel. Gossip is a sort of smoke that comes from the dirty tobacco pipes of those who diffuse it; it proves nothing but the bad taste of the smoker. de Carrouges, whose wife and son died of an unknown illness, eventually marries Marguerite, a wealthy but reputationally damaged young woman. Le Gris final moments appear to have been grisly even by the standards of the day: The monk of Saint-Denis, who served as Charles VIs official historian, reported that Carrouges killed his enemy with great difficulty because he was encased in armor. In accordance with tradition, authorities dragged Le Gris body to the gallows and hung him as a final insult to his sullied reputation. A Judicial Duel, byLieven van Lathem, 1464. A feature film based on The Last Duel is scheduled to be released in 2021. He doesnt even recognize it. No one really knew the truth of the matter. Cookie Policy 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. Le Gris and Jean had once been close friends, but their relationship turned to rivalry over a dispute regarding land Marguerites family owned. 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. Magazines, The 23 Most Anticipated Movies of Fall 2021, No one really knew the truth of the matter., Or create a free account to access more articles. The Last Duel ending explained - how close is it to the true story of Marguerite de Carrouges? For me, why would a woman speak out and say this when her life was at risk? the actress says. 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. 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.. According to Marguerites testimony, Le Gris and Adam Louvel, a squire in the royal court, conspired together to assault her. 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. 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. Carrougues went to King Charles VI and challenged Le Gris to a judicial duel, which were still lawful in the French court. 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. Their future was assured. Attacks on me will do no harm, and silent contempt is the best answer to them. Matt Damon as Jean de Carrouges and Jodie Comer as Marguerite de Carrouges in "The Last Duel." . The film is told in three chapters, from the perspectives of Carrouges (Damon), Le Gris (Adam Driver) and Marguerite (Jodie Comer). Read more: The 23 Most Anticipated Movies of Fall 2021. The fly in this ointment is another aspect of Marguerites testimony that has not been given due attentionnamely, the inclusion of Adam Louvel in the criminal charges. News back then traveled, archival research has shown, at the rate of an average days journey by horseback: about thirty miles per day. By the time the criminal trial was underway in the summer of that year, Marguerite was noticeably pregnant. 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. One identifies the supposed felon as a condemned man about to be executed, the other as a sick man on his deathbed. 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). She had the potential of suffering dearly and dying, but at that point she was just tired of having no voice., Below, everything thats known about Le Gris and Carrouges, Marguerites accusations, and the so-called last duel.. The greatest departure from Jagers book comes during the rape itself. We wanted to examine that. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. The new historical drama starring Jodie Comer, Matt Damon and Adam Driver tells the story of Marguerite de Carrouges. People tend to think of the Middle Ages being less sophisticated than they actually are, but theres this this huge, fascinating legal tradition thats the origin of pretty much all of Western legal tradition, Elema says. 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. I thought I was going to suffocate, and soon I couldnt fight them anymore. 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. 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. 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. I think the film makes the right choice [in portraying her story]., Comer agrees. The theory of mistaken identity ultimately derives from two sources that began circulating more than a decade after the duel. Over the next several months, famous lawyers were hired, witnesses were summoned, and testimony was gathered. Known as the judgment of God, these ordeals were thought to have a divinely ordained outcome, with the loser proving his guilt by the very act of defeat. My main issue with the movie is the characters were medieval archetypes more than characters. Carrouges, who was neglected by both the Count and Le Gris, grew increasingly jealous of his former comrade. 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. Some have echoed Count Pierres dismissive decree, saying that Marguerite made it all up, perhaps to cover up an affair with another man. She claimed that one of her husband's former friends, Jacques le Gris, raped her when her husband was away. The movie does follow the true story rather closely, and with a runtime of two and a half hours, we'd hope so. 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. But Marguerite certainly made an impression on Le Gris, who likely still held a grudge against his litigious former friend: After running into the newly knighted Carrouges in January 1386, Le Gris sent a fellow courtier, Adam Louvel, to keep an eye on Marguerite, whod been left behind with her mother-in-law while Carrouges traveled to Paris. 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. In his alibi, Le Gris himself cited the narrow window of time available for his alleged visit, strictly during daylight hours. The Last Duel, starring Matt Damon and Adam Driver, tells the story of the fatal duel between knight Jean de Carrouges and squire Jacques Le Gris in 1386. And yet there can only be one truth. Get the latest History stories in your inbox? He had gone to King Charles VI, seeking an appeal to the decision handed down by Count . The Chteau de Carrouges is a chteau, dating partly from the 14th century, located in the commune of Carrouges, in the Orne department, Normandy, northern France.It is unusual in its combination of an austere fortress with a comfortable residence. 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. (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. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine Even the characters haircuts which have been the butt of some online jokes match up with what we know about the period, according to Jager. 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. All Rights Reserved. Diderots Encyclopdie and Voltaires Histoire du Parlement de Paris used the 1386 affair to denounce the supposed ignorance and cruelty of the Middle Ages. Halloween Kills, the latest entry in the blockbuster horror franchise, and period drama The Last Duel face different fates in theaters this weekend. This tangled and still-controversial case leaves many tantalizing questions, not least of all why Jacques Le Gris did it, if indeed he did. French law stipulated that noblemen appealing their cause to the king could challenge the accused to a judicial duel, or trial by combat. In the article on duels, lawyer Antoine-Gaspard Boucher dArgis described how under King Charles VI, [people] fought for so little, offering as an example the one he ordered in 1386 between Carrouges and Le Gris:. She adds, If theres any gap between the act and making people aware [of it], that raises huge questions.. 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.. [Jager] does a pretty meticulous description of it, but its a decidedly uncinematic duel, Damon notes. In the film, it is revealed mid-trial that if de Carrouges loses at the hand of Le Gris, Marguerite will also be killed by being stripped naked, put in an iron collar and set on fire. The knights victory saved both him and his wife, earning the formerly notorious couple wealth and prestige.