The Last Duel: A True Story of Crime, Scandal, and Trial by Combat in Medieval France

The charge of rape against Le Gris was brought before Count Pierre. However, for some reason Jager admits to not knowing from the available sources, Marguerite and Carrouges did not show up at Pierre’s court. While Count Pierre still ordered an investigation and had Louvel interrogated, he declared Le Gris and Louvel innocent, stating that Marguerite must have “’dreamt’” the rape (79). Since Carrouges had the legal right to seek an appeal from Count Pierre’s overlord, who would be the king, Count Pierre sent letters to the king first.

Early in 1386, Carrouges left for Paris to meet King Charles VI personally. He had decided to challenge Le Gris to a judicial duel or a trial by combat. As Jager explains, the judicial duel was based on the idea that God would favor the innocent party and punish the guilty. It had once been widely spread among all classes of medieval society, and even women were allowed to fight. However, these duels became rare, as they were condemned by both popes (who saw them as blasphemously tempting God) and monarchs (who viewed such duels as undermining their own growing control over the law and the nobility) (82).