Yet Adam Louvel reportedly confessed to nothing, not even under torture. 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). 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. [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. They still spoke out, and they still fought against the grain.. October 15, 2021 7:00 AM EDT. 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. 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). By unequivocally believing Marguerite, the screenwriters offer that same sense of empathy to all women who follow her. 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. The origins of The Last Duel begin in January 1368, when Marguerite de Carrouges claimed she was raped by Jacques Le Gris, a squire. The film is based on the true story of the last legally permitted duel (hence the title) fought in France. 'The Last Duel' Ending, Explained - Was Marguerite Telling The Truth? There is this paradox of the human experience where oftentimes different people come away from the same situation with different impressions of that. Jean de Carrouges | Military Wiki | Fandom 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. 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. The lawsuit reflected very poorly on Carrouges at the court in Argentan and resulted in his further estrangement from Count Pierre's circle. 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. For Carrouges and Le Gris, whose dispute had sparked widespread interest across France, settling the case would have been viewed as either an admission of guilt or [a] false accusation, says Elema. The film adaptation traces the trios relationship from its auspicious beginnings to its bloody end. Like, I couldnt have gotten there. The earlier, more detailed account of the supposed confession, in Pintoins chronicle, not only differs from the other but also diverges sharply from Marguerites official testimony before the Parlement in ways that make its scenario clearly impossible. 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. Carrouges died roughly a decade after the duel, falling in combat against the Ottoman Turks. 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. 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. They leave, with the crowds cheering for de Carrouges. [3] Marguerite de Carrouges (ne de Thibouville; 1362, Chteau de Fontaine-la-Soret (Eure) c. 1419) was a French noblewoman. A large and powerful man, Le Gris was well educated and very wealthy, though from an only recently ennobled family. 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. The Last Duel stars Jodie Comer, Matt Damon and Adam Driver as three people who changed the course of French history. 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. Your Privacy Rights The accused was Jacques Le Gris, who was said to have raped Jean de Carrouges's wife, Marguerite . The Last Duel Ending Explained: Who Wins? - Collider And for him to have to invoke that at the moment of his death and to protest his innocence [is interesting]. Other accounts provide more technical detail, even suggesting that Le Gris slipped on his opponents blood. 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. As per the rules of the duel, whoever loses the battle would be proven guilty of his crimes. Le 29 dcembre 1 386 se droula un duel d'honneur entre deux seigneurs normands", "Who is Marguerite de Carrouges? 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. The J. PaulGettyMuseum, Los Angeles. 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. In 1384, Carrouges and Margueriteencountered Le Gris at a mutual friends party. 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. The majority of medieval rape victims lacked the means to seek justice. Her story is detailed and persuasive, and she ran such a great risk to speak up at a time when women were supposed to keep silent about such things. Scott and the films stunt coordinator used the outline of the actual combat to create something slightly more exciting for the screen. 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. ), Whether Carrouges and Le Gris actually ended their quarrel at this point is debatable. [2][3], Shortly after his marriage, Carrouges revealed another motive for the union. Barred from bringing a case against Le Gris herself, Marguerite had to rely entirely on her husband to mount legal action. The Last Duel Ending Explained: Who Won The Duel, And - CINEMABLEND 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. But if Marguerites husband and champion lost, thus proving her accusation to be false, she too would be put to death. According to Jager, Le Gris took an immediate liking to Marguerite when Carrouges introduced her to the court in 1384. 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. 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. From the mechanics of trial by combat to the prosecution of sexual violence in medieval society, heres what you need to know about the true history behind The Last Duel ahead of the films October 15 debut. Marguerite, who found herself pregnant soon after the attack, largely left this fact out of her account, either due to uncertainty over the childs paternityhe may have been conceived before Carrouges left for Parisor an awareness that making this claim would weaken her testimony in the eyes of the court. Really embracing the kind of freedom that gave her. The duel took place on December 29, 1386, and was presided over by French king Charles VI. 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. Over the next several months, famous lawyers were hired, witnesses were summoned, and testimony was gathered. Marguerite's story: the true tale behind The Last Duel 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. 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. Apart from the dubious, sketchy, and inconsistent reports in the two chronicles, no external evidence for this hazy legend has ever been offered in support of the oft-told tale of a last-minute confession by the true culprit. Meilan Solly Marguerite remained silent of her ordeal for several days, until her husband's return on the 21 or 22 January. Marguerite said no. I'm married. When Marguerite told Le Gris that he must not speak to her in this way, he seized her by the hand, forced her to sit down beside him on a bench, and told her that he knew all about her husbands recent money troubles, offering to pay her well. Much like Jagers book, the film doesnt offer a sympathetic portrayal of either of its leading men. 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. Louvel then,. The Real History Behind Ridley Scott's 'The Last Duel' | History It is incumbent on us to be good people, to overcome that and to see more broadly and with empathy, Affleck says. The earlier of the two is the Saint-Denis Chronicle, an official royal history by the monk Michel Pintoin probably written around 1400. 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.. When de Carrouges returns home he demands sex, but Marguerite refuses and tells him about the rape, fuelling de Carrouges' anger against his friend. Ben Affleck co-wrote the script with Damon and. I will not be silent, she responds, teary-eyed but defiant. In Jean's absence, Jacques broke into Jean's castle and raped Marguerite in 1386. After Marguerites rape, Carrouges petitions the French court to try Le Gris through judicial combat. This man who has done something horrible and doesnt understand it. But if Marguerites story is true and Le Gris was guilty as charged, why did the squire increase his risk of being found out by bringing an accomplice in the first place? Many skepticsincluding chroniclers, historians, partisans, and even historical novelistshave cast doubt on the official verdict. In Jagers book, the detailed description of the duel between Le Gris and Carrouges, held on Dec. 29, 1386, was drawn from several sources. Are we seeing how others experience things?. Speak without regard for the consequences, and it is too late for silence when disaster strikes. 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.. Not understanding the effect they were having on someone else. The Last Duel True Story: What Ridley Scott's Movie Is About - ScreenRant 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. A beautiful young noblewoman, dressed all in black and exposed to the crowds stares, anxiously awaited the outcome. The event marked the first meeting between Carrouges wifedescribed by a contemporary chronicler as beautiful, good, sensible and modestand Le Gris. When her husband, Sir Jean de Carrouges, heard of the crime, he . Skoda and Elema argue that Marguerites case exemplifies the complexity of medieval society, which is often painted in broad, reductive strokes. I thought I was going to suffocate, and soon I couldnt fight them anymore. We gave Ridley, This is what took place. Because it was such a famous event, there was a record. Medieval law treated rape as a horrific crime on par with other capital offenses. 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 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. The combat was decreed on December 29, 1386 in Paris. In his own defense, Le Gris claimed that Nicole had found nothing amiss upon her return and didnt believe her daughter-in-laws later allegations. Birthdate: estimated between 1321 and 1381. Or did Carrouges according to one account grab him by the helmet and throw him down? Meet the real woman who inspired The Last Duel", "L'histoire vraie de Jean de Carrouges et Jacques Legris, hros du film "Le dernier Duel" de Ridley Scott", "Vivonne et Jarnac, le dernier duel judiciaire en France", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Marguerite_de_Carrouges&oldid=1117212348, This page was last edited on 20 October 2022, at 14:07. A hush fell over the crowd, as they came to the solemn realization that a man had just died before their eyes. Marguerite de Carrouges - Wikipedia One identifies the supposed felon as a condemned man about to be executed, the other as a sick man on his deathbed. They pinned me down and stuffed a capucium [a hood] over my mouth to silence me. ), the duel began as a joust on horseback, with lances. 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. A new film from Ridley Scott dramatizes the 1386 trial by combat of a medieval man accused of a horrific crime. Marguerite de Carrouges : My father told me my life would be blessed with good fortune. There is a brief coda that reveals Marguerite outlived her husband and never remarried. 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. 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. Character description. The Last Duel: What Happened To Every Character In Real Life - ScreenRant In the six centuries after the quarrel ended, however, the moral that was to be derived from it changed considerably. 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. 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. That was really sad. As might be expected, the deadly trial by combat before the huge crowd of spectators unfolds with genuine drama and suspense. 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. What it doesn't detail is that while Marguerite gave birth to a healthy boy, the queen's son was sickly and died not long after he was born. The film shows Le Gris stripped and hanged by the ankle in the town square. Does he truly believe his innocence at the end? Affleck reflects of Le Gris. In the end the city expelled the contagion, and the body politic was cleansed. Marguerite replied that she had no wish to speak with Le Gris, and that Louvel should stop his overtures at once. Like today, sexual assault and rape often went unpunished and even unreported in the Middle Ages. 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. On December 29, 1386, before a crowd presided over by French king Charles VI, Carrouges and Le Gris eyed each other warily. Marguerites fate is unknown, though later historians convinced of the falsity of her claims suggested she retired to a convent out of shame. That meant that Holofcener had to create Marguerites world and inner life from scratch. The film is told in three chapters, from the perspectives of Carrouges (Damon), Le Gris (Adam Driver) and Marguerite (Jodie Comer). 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. She refuses his advances, after which he rapes her. 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. Marguerite de Carrouges : No. The duel itself was very violent, as it was in the film. Jean de Carrouges Badass of the Week The Last Duel ending explained - what is the true story? - Digital Spy In the book, Le Gris does say he was in love with her, Holofcener says. 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. Insight and analysis from renowned writers and thinkers. DIGITAL SPY, PART OF THE HEARST UK ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK. To prove her claim true, Matt Damon's Jean challenges Le Gris to trial by combat. Initially, Carrouges brought Marguerites case to Count Pierre. Carrouges, without whom his wife could not even bring a case, resolutely rode off to Paris to appeal for justice to the king. But this was not included in the film. Charles I, Duke of Elbeuf - Wikipedia Matt Damon, Adam Driver and Jodie Comer star in Ridley Scotts return to historical epic form, written by Damon, Ben Affleck and Nicole Holofcener. [Jager] does a pretty meticulous description of it, but its a decidedly uncinematic duel, Damon notes. The pair enjoyed a close friendship that soured when the count showered lavish gifts of land and money on Le Gris, fomenting Carrouges jealousy. She probably had strangle marks. The Last Duel vs. the True Story of Jean de Carrouges' Duel Beneath him were three main ranks of nobility: barons, knights and squires. Meanwhile, Le Gris continued to rise in Pierre's esteem. In his youth, Jean served in the retinue of . Just over a decade later, however, the two men,Jean de Carrouges and Jacques Le Gris, met on a field in Paris for a highly publicized duel to the death. If youd rather experience the film first, please save this to read after watching. I will have justice!. Digital image courtesy of theGettys Open Content Program. Gross! 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. 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.