Jean de Carrouges - Marguerite de Thibouville

Marguerite De Thibouville

Returning home in 1380 after a successful campaign, Carrouges married Marguerite de Thibouville, only daughter of the highly controversial Robert de Thibouville. Thibouville was 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, Thibouville hoped to restore his family's status and wealth whilst Carrouges was hoping for an heir from the young Marguerite, whom contemporaries described as "young, beautiful, good, sensible and modest".

Shortly after his marriage, Carrouges revealed another motive for the union. The valuable estate of Arnou-le-Faucon, given to his rival Jacques Le Gris two years earlier, had been formerly owned by Carrouges' father-in-law 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. 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 his followers he chose. Despite losing the case, the lawsuit reflected very poorly on Carrouges at the court in Argentan and resulted in his further estrangement from Count Pierre's circle.

Two years after the Arnou-le-Faucon lawsuit, Carrouges was once again in court facing Count Pierre, this time in dispute over the lands administered by his recently deceased father. Carrouges III's death early in 1382 vacated the captaincy of the castle of Bellême, a post Carrouges IV believed would be his by right. However, due to the failed lawsuit two years earlier, Count Pierre passed Carrouges over for the captaincy and gave it to another of his followers. The infuriated Carrouges again brought legal action against his overlord and again he was defeated in court. The only lasting result of the action was the further separation of Carrouges and Count Pierre's court.

In March 1383, Carrouges made a third effort to expand his family holdings, with the purchase of the neighbouring fiefs of Cuigny and Plainville from his neighbour Sir Jean de Vauloger. The sale required approval from Count Pierre, who was overlord of both fiefs, but as consequence of the previous legal difficulties Carrouges had caused him, Pierre refused to permit the sale and insisted that Carrouges turn the properties over to him in exchange for a full refund of the original price paid. Carrouges had no choice but to comply and subsequently blamed Jacques Le Gris' influence for this new misfortune.