A tale of two murders : passion and power in seventeenth-century France / James R. Farr.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Farr, James Richard, 1950-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Giroux, Philippe, 1605?-1643--Trials, litigation, etc.

Giroux, Philippe.

Giroux, Philippe, 1605?-1643.

Trials (Murder)--France--Franche-Comté--History--17th century.

Trials (Murder).

Law--History--Social aspects--France--Franche-Comté--17th century.

Law.

History.

France--Franche-Comté.

Physical Description:

xiv, 225 pages : illustrations, 1 map ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

Durham : Duke University Press, 2005.

Summary:

"Giroux affair" was a maelstrom of intrigue, encompassing daggers, poison, adultery, arch-enemies, servants, royalty, and legal proceedings that reached the pinnacle of seventeenth-century French society. In 1638 Philippe Giroux, a judge in the highest royal court of Burgundy, allegedly murdered his equally powerful cousin, Pierre Baillet, and Baillet's valet, Philibert Neugot. The murders were all the more shocking because they were surrounded by accusations (particularly that Giroux had been carrying on a passionate affair with Baillet's wife), conspiracy theories (including allegations that Giroux tried to poison his mother-in-law), and unexplained deaths (Giroux's wife and her physician died under suspicious circumstances). The trial lasted from 1639 until 1643 and came to involve many of the most distinguished and influential men in France, among them the prince of Conde, Henri II Bourbon; the prime minister, Cardinal Richelieu; and King Louis XIII.

Contents:

Prologue: Looking Back 1

1 Tales of Two Murders 3

2 Passion and the Beautiful Cousin 14

3 The Trial Opens: Jean-Baptiste Lantin's Investigation, 1639-1640 28

4 A Hat, a Rapier, a Knife, and a Dagger 40

5 The House of Giroux 54

6 Prison 69

7 Poison 86

8 Jailbreak 97

9 A "Minister of Vengeance" 109

10 Rape? 122

11 Attack, Counterattack 136

12 The King of Spades 150

13 Life or Death? The Day of Reckoning Draws Near 161

Analytical Essay: The Paradoxes of Power, Law, and Justice 195.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [205]-217) and index.

ISBN:

0822334593

0822334712

OCLC:

57344153