The Last Duel Summary

Eric Jager’s book: The Last Duel, closely examines the feudal system in France during the fourteenth century. Through his examination of the role between knights and nobles in medieval society, Jager provides a detailed description of how duels played a significant role in determining a person’s guilt or innocence, and the belief that pregnancy meant consensual sex. Jager begins by describing Normandy as a battlefield unmatched by any other. After the English had started to reclaim Normandy during the Hundred Years’ War, the French king at the time found himself betrayed by a large group of Norman nobles as they chose to ally themselves with the English intruders instead. One family in particular who chose to stand by King Charles in 1380 was known as the Carrouges. After his father’s death, Jean Carrouges IV had inherited several rent-producing land at the young age of twenty-one. In addition to the land and castle that Jean inherited, he was also under the impression that he would inherit the title of Vicount of Belleme—a commune that had previously belonged to the English. However, the French crown gave Belleme to the counts of Perche. It is at this point that Jean chose to increase his assets by …show more content…
Jager notes that Jean IV and his father served a lord known as Count Robert of Perche until his death in 1377. Upon his death, Jean IV was appointed a new lord, Count Pierre of Alencon—Robert’s older brother. Pierre was a successful lord who was also one of the French king’s most valuable and well-respected vassals in Normandy. Together, they would travel to Argentan, a popular residence of King Henry II. Another squire who joined them at Argentan was Jacques Le Gris. Although they were considered of noble rank, Le Gris’s family was not as distinguished. Moreover, they were known to climb the social ladder, which Jean IV was cautious