If you love history that jumps off the page and feels as dramatic as any medieval epic, this one's for you! Eric Jager takes the fascinating real-life duel of 14th-century France and fleshes out the stakes, culture, and personalities with a novelist's flair. The book delivers rich details about medieval society and legal customs, immersing you in a world of honor, vengeance, and public spectacle. It's a captivating pick for history buffs, true crime fans, or anyone curious about how justice once played out on the battlefield.

Who May Not Like This Book:

Readers who want fast-paced thrills throughout may find the academic touches a bit dry, and there's a definite historian's hand guiding the narrative, with detailed backgrounds and primary source analysis that can occasionally feel list-like. Some also felt the book leaned more sympathetically toward one main character, and a few motivations in the story remain mysterious or underexplained.

A richly researched, vivid dive into a bizarre and brutal true story - perfect for history lovers who want their nonfiction with drama and detail.

About:

'The Last Duel: A True Story of Crime, Scandal, and Trial by Combat in Medieval France' by Eric Jager describes the events leading up to a duel in 1386 between a knight, Jean de Carrouges, and a squire, Jacques Le Gris, in front of King Charles VI and thousands of onlookers. The story delves into the bitter rivalry that developed between the two men, culminating in a trial by combat to settle accusations of rape made by the knight's wife against the squire. The author presents a mix of historical evidence and fictionalized elements to narrate this dramatic and intense story set in 14th-century France.

The writing style of the book combines academic research with a narrative approach, providing readers with a detailed account of the legal maneuvers, social customs, and political tensions of Medieval France. Through the author's meticulous examination of primary sources and historical context, the book brings to life the volatile relationship between England and France in the 14th century, while also exploring themes of marriage, religion, and the judicial system of the time.

Writing/Prose:

The author's prose is a mix of detailed historical analysis and engaging narrative, though it occasionally leans towards an academic tone.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative involves a duel settled by trial by combat, exploring the legal and personal conflicts between two noblemen, with suspense maintained until the final battle.

Setting:

The setting immerses readers in the cultural and political landscape of medieval France, enhancing the story's complexity.

Pacing:

The pacing effectively builds tension and suspense throughout the narrative, though it may vary with detailed historical explanations.

At the center of Europe lay the Kingdom of France, a vast realm that took twenty-two days to cross from north to south, and sixteen days from east to west. France, the forge of feudalism, had endured ...

Genres:

nonfiction

true crime

historical account

Topics:

medieval france

legal system of the 14th century

social customs and hierarchies

dynamics of power

the consequences of violence

trial by combat

medieval justice

courtly rivalry

Notes:

The Last Duel is set in Medieval France and recounts a real event from 1386.

The duel was fought between a knight, Jean de Carrouges, and a squire, Jacques Le Gris, to settle an accusation of rape.

Marguerite, de Carrouges' wife, faced death by burning if her husband lost the duel.

The book is based on a detailed study of primary historical sources, including court rolls and diaries.

The author, Eric Jager, presents a vivid picture of 14th-century French culture and society.

Trial by combat was a legal recourse for serious accusations like rape at that time.

The duel took place in front of King Charles VI and a large crowd.

The book is structured into four parts: the background of the characters, the conflict, the trial and duel, and the aftermath and characters' later lives.

Jager argues against claims that the duel was based on false accusations, providing compelling evidence.

The book explores the political and social climate between England and France during that period.

The title refers to the last sanctioned duel by the Paris Assembly, but not the last duel overall in France.

The story maintains suspense until the very end, keeping readers engaged until the final blow of the duel.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Triggers include descriptions of violence, sexual assault, and the historical context of trial by combat with life-and-death stakes.

From The Publisher:

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 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.

October 2004

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258 pages

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

Eric Jager

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