Eric Jager

I had never heard of the Carrouges-Le Gris affair before this book (unsurprising, as I have hardly made a study of late 1300s France) but I found this book on a secondhand bookshop shelf and was intrigued. It was a bit dry and slow of pace, but most definitely interesting.

The history told is well-backed-up, pieced together in the places where there is no surviving record (or there was only a mystery even at the time) and clearly shown what is known for sure, what is supposition, where there are gaps in the record.

Eric Jager presents a story with remarkable depth of focus, but also breadth, where appropriate - where wider history and culture come into play, he expands upon them duly and most informatively yet without wandering off topic.

The people introduced through the story are given a remarkable amount of character, some of it clearly drawn from their actions, record, and interpersonal relationships, some of it supposition, but it makes the story come to life even more. I'm glad I picked up the book, I learned many interesting things from it.

It also reflects somewhat on later, and even current, perceptions - of crimes (certain crimes), accusations, perpetrators, and particularly of women who accuse their assailants.

(I've seen people claim it was obvious what the outcome of the duel would belong before it was told; I do not feel it was, I was unsure even during the retelling of the duel itself, and even if it were . . . it's a historical examination, the outcome is a matter of record. I wouldn't necessarily condemn the book for that.)… (more)

I was surprised by this book. I thought it was going to be a historical narrative; it is historical but it is not told in a narrative fashion but rather in a linear non-fiction style that belies a documentary feel.

I've yet to watch the movie.

The beginning is slow; there are a lot of setups, back story, genealogy, and heraldry to get through prior to the actual incident itself. And you have to wonder at the competence of the knights/Lords in question overall with some of the petty grievances and backhanded things they supposedly did to each other to make it get to the point where there was no other way to get even than assaulting a woman for revenge.

There are a few illustrations throughout this very short book; they all look to be taken from illuminated manuscripts of the time. They are lovely accompaniments to the information.

Jager does a great job of keeping himself out of the tale as well. Sometimes, an author who is exploring a historic event finds it necessary to introduce their person as a character or dive into their explorations and research habits which leads to a ramble for a while. Jager does not do this. While he provides his own thoughts, they are subtle and included appropriately {academically} in place with the progression of the facts rather than becoming their own narrative.

I would recommend this to readers interested in historic crime, trials, and combat. The actual combat scenes were thorough and intense; I enjoyed them!

**All thoughts and opinions are my own.**… (more)