Search results
Sep 13, 2005 · NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE • “A taut page-turner with all the hallmarks of a good historical thriller.”— Orlando Sentinel The gripping true story of the duel to end all duels in medieval France as a resolute knight defends his wife’s honor against the man she accuses of a heinous crime In the midst of the devastating Hundred Years’ War between France ...
Oct 12, 2004 · This book best exemplifies the need to document my thoughts and sentiments on every book I've read. My first reading of The Last Duel by Eric Jager made quite an impression, and spurred me to read more books on the middle ages, generally zeroing in on the Tudors' story, which was the most readily available, eventually branching out to books on ...
- (6.2K)
- Hardcover
The Last Duel, a drama documentary based on the book and including comments by Jager, was broadcast by BBC Four as part of a medieval-themed season on 24 April 2008. A film adaptation of the novel was announced in July 2019 to be directed by Ridley Scott , with Ben Affleck , Jodie Comer and Matt Damon as stars, co-writers, and producers.
- Who’s Who in The Last Duel?
- Is The Last Duel Based on A True Story?
- What Events Does The Last Duel Dramatize?
- How Did Victims of Sexual Violence Seek Justice in Medieval Society?
- How Did Marguerite’s Case Lead to A Trial by Combat?
- What Happened After The Duel?
A bit of a crash course on medieval France: At the top of society was the king, advised by his high council, the Parlement of Paris. Beneath him were three main ranks of nobility: barons, knights and squires. Barons like Affleck’s character, Count Pierre d’Alencon, owned land and often acted as feudal lords, providing property and protection to vas...
In short, yes. The first two chapters of the three-act film, penned by Damon and Affleck, draw heavily on Jager’s research, recounting Marguerite’s rape and the events surrounding it from the perspectives of Carrouges and Le Gris, respectively. (Jager offered feedback on the film’s script, suggesting historically accurate phrasing and other changes...
Born into a noble Norman family around the 1330s, Carrouges met Le Gris, a lower-born man who rose through the ranks by virtue of his own political savvy, while both were serving as vassals of Count Pierre. The pair enjoyed a close friendship that soured when the count showered lavish gifts of land and money on Le Gris, fomenting Carrouges’ jealous...
When Carrouges returned home three or four days after Marguerite’s 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. Barred from bringing a case against Le...
French law stipulated that noblemen appealing their cause to the king could challenge the accused to a judicial duel, or trial by combat. 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. Cases had to meet four requirements, including exhaustin...
Though Scott’s 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. Rather, it was the last judicial duel sanctioned by the Parlement of Paris—a decision possibly motivated by the decidedly unchivalrousnature of the event. Duels of honor, as well as jud...
- Meilan Solly
Oct 12, 2004 · Eric Jager's New York Times Best Seller THE LAST DUEL was shortlisted for a CWA Gold Dagger, featured on BBC Radio's Book of the Week and adapted for the Ridley Scott film of the same title starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jodie Comer and Adam Driver.
Oct 12, 2004 · Based on extensive research in Normandy and Paris, The Last Duel brings to life a colorful, turbulent age and three unforgettable characters caught in a fatal triangle of crime, scandal, and revenge. The Last Duel is at once a moving human drama, a captivating true crime story, and an engrossing work of historical intrigue with themes that echo ...
People also ask
Is the last duel a true story?
Is the last duel a true crime book?
What was the “duel to end all duels”?
What is the final duel ever authorized by the Parlement of Paris?
