The Last Duel
A True Story of Crime, Scandal, and Trial by Combat
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4.2 • 155 Ratings
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- $1.99
Publisher Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A taut page-turner with all the hallmarks of a good historical thriller.”—Orlando Sentinel
The basis for the major motion picture starring Matt Damon, Jodie Comer, and Adam Driver, now streaming on Hulu!
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 and England, Jean de Carrouges, a Norman knight fresh from combat in Scotland, returns home to yet another deadly threat. His wife, Marguerite, has accused squire Jacques Le Gris of rape. A deadlocked court decrees a trial by combat between the two men that will also leave Marguerite’s fate in the balance. For if her husband loses the duel, she will be put to death as a false accuser.
While enemy troops pillage the land, and rebellion and plague threaten the lives of all, Carrouges and Le Gris meet in full armor on a walled field in Paris. What follows is the final duel ever authorized by the Parlement of Paris, a fierce fight with lance, sword, and dagger before a massive crowd that includes the teenage King Charles VI, during which both combatants are wounded—but only one fatally.
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 powerfully centuries later.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
A nonfiction story written by a professor of medieval literature may not sound like a rip-roaring thriller, but trust us, it reads like one. The Last Duel tells the story of close friends Jacques Le Gris and Jean de Carrouges, who are torn apart when de Carrouges’ wife accuses Le Gris of rape back in 1386. At the time, France’s extremely religious society believed that a duel would reveal God’s judgment, helping the truth-telling man vanquish the liar. Eventually, the two men’s head-to-head battle is attended by thousands of spectators. Eric Jager provides fascinating historical detail on everything from how medieval armor worked (and why it often didn’t) to France’s complex court system and the era’s stark attitudes about sexuality. The tension amps up even further as we try to guess at the fates of everyone involved in the duel, including the victim—if her husband loses the duel, she’ll be executed for a false accusation. If you’re a fan of Erik Larson’s immersive histories, The Last Duel is going to be your next favorite book.
Customer Reviews
Last Duel
Interesting account of the last judicial duel in France within the jurisdiction of its judicial parliament. Somewhat marred in this reader’s view by the author’s speculations about what his protagonists « might have », « must have », « would have », or « could have » done, thought, or felt. Nonetheless, a readable account of a long misrepresented affair in French legal history.
Well done
Captivating and told with a detailed realist’s eye. Takes you right inside the Middle Ages. It gets interesting when the awful event happens.
Excellent.
Reads like a novel and managed to make me emotional invested in the fates of three strangers seven hundred years ago.