The Last Duel
By Eric Jager
A True Story of Crime, Scandal and Trial by Combat. Random House, 2021.
Summary of The Last Duel book by Eric Jager
The riveting but disturbing account of the final judicial duel in medieval France, between a knight attempting to defend the honor of his wife against the man, once his friend, who was accused of a terrible crime against her. Please be aware: This summary contains references to sexual assault and violence which may be triggering to some readers.
Chapters in The Last Duel book summary
What do you get from this book? The darkly gripping tale of a terrible crime and trial by combat
Two noble squires were close friends before they were divided by the favor of their lord
Carrouges pursued his grudge against Le Gris through the courts before making a terrible mistake during their reconciliation
While Carrouges was collecting his pay for a disastrous military campaign, Marguerite was attacked by Jacques Le Gris
Denied justice by Count Pierre, Marguerite and Carrouges went to the king and called for trial by combat
King, count, lawyer, and knight became embroiled in the dispute, while court testimony stoked the fire of national interest
For the first time in decades, and after a turbulent trial, the court approved trial by combat
The king and thousands of his subjects were in attendance to watch an unwell Carrouges battle the sturdier Le Gris
The two combatants read oaths that wagered their immortal souls before breaking into brutal, bloody battle
The duel reached a dramatic conclusion, and the winner drew the king’s awe before later dying on crusade
Summary of the key insights
Selected critiques in brief
Final word
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The Last Duel — Book Summary Snapshot
Who should read The Last Duel book
- Medieval and military history buffs
- Francophiles
- those curious about law during the Middle Ages
- Game of Thrones fans
About the author of The Last Duel
Eric Jager
Eric Jager is a UCLA professor of English focusing on medieval literature. He has been nominated for the CWA Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction, while his other publications include The Book of the Heart (2000) and Blood Royal (2014).
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