Marguerite de Carrouges

Marguerite de Carrouges (1362, Château de Fontaine-la-Soret (Eure)-1419) born De Thibouville was a French noblewoman. She married Jean de Carrouges in 1380. The only daughter of Jeanne de Bois Héroult and of the highly controversial Robert de Thibouville, a Norman lord who had twice sided against the French king in territorial conflicts, betrayals he was lucky to survive, albeit in reduced circumstances. By the union of Marguerite and Carrouges, de Thibouville hoped to restore his family's status while Carrouges was hoping for an heir from the young Marguerite, whom contemporaries described as "young, noble, wealthy, and also very beautiful".[1]

Shortly after his marriage, Carrouges revealed another motive for the union. The valuable estate of Aunou-le-Faucon, given to his rival Jacques Le Gris two years earlier, had been formerly owned by Carrouges' father-in-law, Robert de Thibouville, and had been bought by Count Pierre for 8,000 French livres in 1377. Carrouges immediately began a lawsuit to recover the land-based on an assumed prior claim to it.[2] The case dragged on for some months until ultimately Count Pierre was forced to visit his cousin King Charles VI to officially confirm his ownership of the land and his right to give it to whomever of the followers he chose. The lawsuit reflected very poorly on Carrouges at the court in Argentan and resulted in his further estrangement from Count Pierre's circle.[2]

Marguerite de Carrouges accused Jacques Le Gris, a rival of Carrouges, of rape, leading to one of the last judicial duels permitted by the French king and the Parliament of Paris (the actual last duel occurred in 1547[3] opposing Guy Chabot de Jarnac against François de Vivonne). The combat was decreed in 1386.