Jean de Carrouges
Sir Jean de Carrouges IV (c. 1330s — 1396) was a French knight. He governed the estates of Normandy as a vassal Count Pierre II of Alençon and who served under Admiral Jean de Vienne in several campaigns against England. He was famous for one of last permitted judicial duels by the king of France (the last one was in 1547[1]). The combat was done in 1386 because his former friend, Jacques le Gris committed rape on his wife.
Trial by combat
[change | change source]References
[change | change source]- ↑ Moskowa, M. le prince de la (1854). "Vivonne et Jarnac, le dernier duel judiciaire en France". Revue des Deux Mondes: 931–964.
- 1 2 3 Jager, Eric (2004). The Last Duel: A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France. Broadway Books. ISBN 9780767914171.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: checksum (help) - ↑ Harris, Craig. "The Real History Behind The Last Duel". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2025-05-17.
- ↑ "The Last Duel: Historical Fact vs. Hollywood Fiction". HistoryExtra. Retrieved 2025-05-17.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ Guenée, Bernard (1980). Judging the Past in Unified France. Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780674480507.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: checksum (help)
- ↑
Trial by Combat between Jean de Carrouges and Jacques Le Gris
The trial by combat between Jean de Carrouges and Jacques Le Gris was one of the last legally sanctioned judicial duels in medieval France, taking place on 29 December 1386 in Paris. It was authorized by the Parliament of Paris and presided over by King Charles VI.[2]Background
Jean de Carrouges was a Norman knight and veteran of the Hundred Years' War. He had a long-standing rivalry with Jacques Le Gris, a well-educated squire and favorite of Count Pierre of Alençon. In January 1386, Carrouges' wife, Marguerite de Carrouges, accused Le Gris of having raped her at the Carrouges estate while her husband was away.[3] Carrouges initially brought the accusation before Count Pierre, who favored Le Gris and dismissed the claim. Carrouges then petitioned King Charles VI directly for a judicial duel to settle the matter by combat—a form of trial by ordeal in which the winner was deemed to have truth on his side.[4] If Carrouges lost, Marguerite would be burned alive for falsely accusing a man of rape.The Duel
The duel took place on 29 December 1386 at the Abbey of Saint-Martin-des-Champs, in a specially constructed arena in front of a crowd that included the royal court, nobles, clergy, and thousands of onlookers. After a fierce battle involving lances, swords, and daggers, Carrouges killed Le Gris. By the laws of the time, Le Gris was thus judged guilty in the eyes of God, and Marguerite was vindicated.[2]Aftermath and Legacy
Following the duel, Carrouges was celebrated and rewarded with royal pensions and greater status. Marguerite was praised for her bravery in enduring public scrutiny and the risk of death. However, some historians later questioned Le Gris’s guilt, suggesting the possibility of mistaken identity or lack of physical evidence.[5] The case has become emblematic of late medieval legal practices and attitudes toward women, justice, and divine judgment. It was the subject of Eric Jager’s 2004 book, The Last Duel, and its 2021 film adaptation directed by Ridley Scott, starring Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer, and Ben Affleck.[2]Further reading
- Jager, Eric (2004). The Last Duel: A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France. Broadway Books. ISBN 9780767914171.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: checksum (help) - Guenée, Bernard (1980). Judging the Past in Unified France. Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780674480507.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: checksum (help) - Hanawalt, Barbara A. (1998). Of Good and Ill Repute: Gender and Social Control in Medieval England. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195117407.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: checksum (help) - Gies, Frances (1974). "Life in a Medieval Castle". The Historian. 36 (3): 563–565. doi:10.2307/24443916.
- Froissart, Jean (14th century). Chroniques.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|year=(help)CS1 maint: year (link) - "Le dernier duel judiciaire en France". Hérodote.net (in French). Retrieved 2025-05-17.[permanent dead link]
- Jager, Eric (2004). The Last Duel: A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France. Broadway Books. ISBN 9780767914171.