The Return ofThe Return ofMartin GuerreMartin Guerre

The Return of Martin GuerreThe Return of Martin Guerre

Looking Into the PastLooking Into the Past Opposite of Carlo Opposite of Carlo

Ginzburg, Natalie Davis Ginzburg, Natalie Davis is a great believer in is a great believer in the possibility of the possibility of “multiple truths” co-“multiple truths” co-existing besides one existing besides one anotheranother

Davis brings to light the Davis brings to light the life of Martin Guerre by life of Martin Guerre by using “invention…held using “invention…held tightly in check by the tightly in check by the voices of the past”voices of the past”

A Family On The MoveA Family On The Move No inhabitants of No inhabitants of

Artigat paid manorial Artigat paid manorial dues or owed any dues or owed any services to a seigniorservices to a seignior

The Guerres The Guerres developed enough developed enough writing skills to keep writing skills to keep simple financial simple financial accounts, though they accounts, though they never signed business never signed business contracts with their contracts with their names and probably names and probably could not readcould not read

Marriage of Martin & Marriage of Martin & BertrandeBertrande

The marriage The marriage contract of Bertrande contract of Bertrande and Martin has not and Martin has not survived, but we can survived, but we can assume it was similar assume it was similar to others of its timeto others of its time

A cash payment of A cash payment of 50 to 150 livres 50 to 150 livres ($600), and a ($600), and a vineyard west of the vineyard west of the Leze called Leze called DelbouratDelbourat

Leaving Home…Leaving Home…

After spending a few years as a lackey for Francisco de After spending a few years as a lackey for Francisco de Mendoza, Martin passed into the service of his brother Mendoza, Martin passed into the service of his brother Pedro…noticing Martin’s physical prowess, he went with Pedro…noticing Martin’s physical prowess, he went with Pedro’s entourage to fight alongside the Spanish armyPedro’s entourage to fight alongside the Spanish army

Back Home in FranceBack Home in France Bertrande was no Bertrande was no

more than 22 when more than 22 when Martin left, and was Martin left, and was unable to go through unable to go through many of the typical many of the typical courting rituals she courting rituals she saw her friends enjoysaw her friends enjoy

When urged by her When urged by her relatives to separate relatives to separate from Martin, from Martin, Bertrande firmly Bertrande firmly refusedrefused

Martin’s Happy ReturnMartin’s Happy Return When Bertrande When Bertrande

saw him, she at first saw him, she at first recoiled in recoiled in surprise…it was only surprise…it was only when Martin when Martin reminded her of reminded her of things they had things they had done together and done together and affectionate names affectionate names they had for each they had for each other that she finally other that she finally started weeping and started weeping and hugged himhugged him

Trouble With Uncle PierreTrouble With Uncle Pierre

Where Pierre bragged at first, the uncle Where Pierre bragged at first, the uncle began to balk when Martin began selling off began to balk when Martin began selling off some inherited landsome inherited land

The two finally came to blows when Martin The two finally came to blows when Martin asked Pierre to give him back his inherited asked Pierre to give him back his inherited bank accounts left to him after his father’s bank accounts left to him after his father’s deathdeath

After bantering about it for two years, in late After bantering about it for two years, in late 1558 or early 1559 Martin brought a civil suit 1558 or early 1559 Martin brought a civil suit against Pierre before the local judgeagainst Pierre before the local judge

Two Separate Events…Two Separate Events… Just when Martin and Just when Martin and

Bertrande began to Bertrande began to feel safe, two separate feel safe, two separate events flared the events flared the situation up againsituation up again

A visiting soldier who A visiting soldier who had fought with Martin had fought with Martin denounced him as a denounced him as a traitor, and Martin traitor, and Martin himself was jailed on a himself was jailed on a charge of arsoncharge of arson

The Second TrialThe Second Trial 150 people came to 150 people came to

testify…45 against testify…45 against Martin, 40 people for Martin, 40 people for Martin, and another Martin, and another 65 who couldn’t tell65 who couldn’t tell

Some testimony said Some testimony said Martin was thinner, Martin was thinner, taller, and darker…a taller, and darker…a shoemaker said his shoemaker said his shoe size was shoe size was different…the different…the prisoner did not prisoner did not resemble Sanxi but resemble Sanxi but he did resemble he did resemble Martin’s sisters Martin’s sisters

Guilty As Charged?Guilty As Charged? The Criminal Court The Criminal Court

was one of five was one of five chambers of the chambers of the French parliamentFrench parliament

The court was made The court was made up of a rotating up of a rotating group of ten to group of ten to eleven judges who eleven judges who would take turns as would take turns as court presidentcourt president

The judge in charge The judge in charge of Martin’s case was of Martin’s case was Jean de CorasJean de Coras

The Real Martin GuerreThe Real Martin Guerre

The real Martin Guerre explained that he had survived The real Martin Guerre explained that he had survived having his leg amputated, and thanks to the help of having his leg amputated, and thanks to the help of both Francisco and Pedro de Mendoza, he was both Francisco and Pedro de Mendoza, he was appointed to the royal court and named a Spanish appointed to the royal court and named a Spanish knight by Philip IIknight by Philip II

Arnaud du TilhArnaud du Tilh Passing through Mane Passing through Mane

along the Salat River along the Salat River one day, he one day, he encountered two encountered two friends of Martinfriends of Martin

They took him for the They took him for the missing man from missing man from Artigat, at which point Artigat, at which point the trickster in the trickster in Pansette set about Pansette set about learning everything learning everything he could about he could about Martin’s lifeMartin’s life

Amende HonorableAmende Honorable Arnaud’s sentence Arnaud’s sentence

required him to recite required him to recite an an amende honorableamende honorable, a , a confession to the familyconfession to the family

Arnaud commended the Arnaud commended the judges and pleaded judges and pleaded with Martin not to be with Martin not to be harsh with Bertrandeharsh with Bertrande

Arnaud du Tilh was Arnaud du Tilh was hanged on hanged on

September 16, 1560September 16, 1560