Chapter 8, the Trial in Toulouse Summary and Analysis

Toulouse is the capital of the province of Languedoc in the 1500s. In the year 1560, the trial of the alleged Martin Guerre is moved there. The court in Toulouse also sees many cases dealing with "Protestant activists" who invade Catholic Churches and break and destroy the pictures and decorations, calling them pagan images. The Toulouse Parliament has 5 chambers, and one of them is the "Criminal Chamber." This court has ten Judges and two Presidents. It is Jean de Coras, a judge, whose writing gives us much of the story of the case of the false Martin Guerre. Some of the judges, like Jean de Coras, later join the Protestant revolt and are killed. The false Martin Guerre is still in the jail in Toulouse, the Conciergerie. Pierre Guerre and Bertrande have to go...