10. Carrouges again sought to expand his holdings through marriage
Robert de Thibouville was a Norman noble, with vast estates, which he somehow managed to hold onto despite twice taking up arms against the French king. His temerity severely reduced his influence in France, and he hoped to restore his reputation and standing through the marriage of his only daughter, Marguerite, to a person in good standing with the Crown. Carrouges, at the same time, had his eye on further increasing his own holdings. A deal was struck, Carrouges obtained a new wife, and additional lands, including, according to the new husband, a valuable estate, promised as part of his bride’s dowry. The estate, known as Aunou-le-Faucon, had been obtained by Robert de Thibouville from his father-in-law. Either Carrouges overlooked, or de Thibouville failed to tell him, that ownership of the land had changed prior to his marriage to Marguerite.
Three years before Carrouges demanded the estate as part of his marriage contract, de Thibouville had sold the property to Count Pierre. The Count, had then granted the lands to Jacques Le Gris, an event which occurred during the negotiations over Carrouges’ dowry. Carrouges initiated a lawsuit to establish his rightful ownership of the estate, antagonizing both Le Gris and Count Pierre. The latter had a legal advantage; he was a cousin of the French king, Charles VI. The king supported Count Pierre’s claim in the dispute, and Carrouges found himself persona non grata in the court of Count Pierre. His friendship with Le Gris was also left in tatters. Carrouges also suffered from a campaign by Count Pierre and Le Gris to discredit him, including questioning his recounting of events during the many campaigns in which he had fought for France.