This is the story of a man who came home after eight years, and a wife who took him in. It is one of the most famous cases of stolen identity in European history, and it asks a hard question: how can anyone prove who a person is? It begins in Artigat, a village in southern France. At fourteen, Martin Guerre was married to Bertrande de Rols. For years they had no child, and neighbors blamed a sorcerer's curse. Then a son was born. Soon afterward, Martin's father accused him of stealing grain. Martin ran rather than face his father's anger, and he did not come back. Church law forbade Bertrande to remarry without proof that her husband was dead, and she had none. So she waited. Then one summer, a man walked into the village and said he was Martin Guerre.
Martin Guerre: The Impostor Husband
In 1556 a peasant named Arnaud du Tilh lived three years as Martin Guerre until the real Martin returned with a wooden leg.
A Husband Who Ran
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Arnaud du Tilh and how did he fool Martin Guerre's family?
Arnaud du Tilh was a peasant from a nearby village, nicknamed Pansette, who looked like Martin Guerre. After two people mistook him for the missing man, he spent months learning Martin's life. His knowledge convinced Martin's four sisters and his wife Bertrande.
How did the trial of the false Martin Guerre end?
A local court convicted him of imposture in early 1560, and he appealed to the court at Toulouse. The judges were close to freeing him when a man with a wooden leg arrived and claimed to be the real Martin. The sisters and Bertrande recognized him, and Arnaud was hanged on September 16, 1560.
Why is the Martin Guerre case still debated today?
Judge Jean de Coras published an account of it in 1561 that became a bestseller. Readers still argue over whether Bertrande was truly deceived or a willing accomplice. Historians like Natalie Zemon Davis have also used the case to study peasant life and gender roles in the 16th century.
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