Jeanne de Valois

Jeanne de Valois~Saint~Rémy & The Affair of the necklace

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Jeanne was a notorious French adventuress and thief.

She was married to Nicholas de la Motte, whose family's claim to nobility was dubious to say the least.

Jeanne herself, was an impoverished descendant of the Valois Royal Family, through an illegitimate son of King Henry II.

Jeanne has been known for her prominent role in the 'Affair of the necklace', one of many scandals that led to the French Revolution, and helped to destroy the French monarchy.

Jeanne de Valois was born on 22nd July 1756, in Fontette northeastern France.

She was the third of six children of Jacques de Valois de Saint~Rémy, an illegitimate direct line from King Henry II, and his wife Marie Jossel, a court servant girl.

Three of the children died in infancy, leaving Jeanne with a brother and sister.

Despite having royal Valois blood, Jacques was known as a drunkard, and neglected his family.

Jeanne and her sister went barefoot, tended the cows, and often found it necessary to beg for food.

Of the three siblings, Jeanne would be the only one to achieve notoriety.

Jeanne's father Jacques, died on military duty and her mother Marie went to a religious life.

The marriage between Jeanne and her husband was unsuccessful, although they continued to live together.

While the couples claim to nobility was dubious, both husband and wife assumed the title Comte and Comtesse de La Motte Valois.

Jeanne took on many lovers around this time.

When it became clear that Nicolas was unable to meet the Jeanne's financial needs to maintain them in the extravagant style that she avidly desired, Jeanne resolved to ask a more generous pension from the royal family, due to her royal blood.

Jeanne decided to approach Queen Marie Antoinette, anticipating a sympathetic reaction from a fellow female.

Jeanne made frequent visits to Versailles, in the hope of catching the Queen's attention.

Nevertheless, Marie-Antoinette had been told of Jeanne's questionable lifestyle, and refused to meet her.

Around 1783, she met Cardinal Prince Louis de Rohan, and quickly became his mistress.

Jeanne was described as having been slender with small pert breasts, white skin, chestnut-brown hair, limpid blue eyes, and a "winning smile", all winning attributes for the Cardinal.

It soon became obvious to Jeanne, however, that her lover wanted nothing more than to win Marie Antoinette's approval.

The Queen had previously shunned the Cardinal, as she was aware of his scandalous and venal lifestyle.

At the same time, the jeweler Charles Auguste Boehmer, was trying to sell a particularly expensive and luxurious diamond necklace, originally designed for Madame du Barry.

He had invested a fortune into this piece of jewelry and had to sell it fast to avoid bankruptcy.

He soon realized that only the King could possibly buy such an item, but Louis XVI and the Queen refused the necklace.

Jeanne, with the active help of her husband, concocted a plan to use this situation to their financial advantage.

She bought the services of master forger, and former lover Rétaux de Villette, to write some incriminating letters....

In the fake letters, the Queen stated that she wanted the necklace, but was aware of the reluctance of the King to buy it due to the current dismal financial situation of the country.

She hoped that the Cardinal could lend her the money as a secret favor.

Jeanne was named as the Queen's agent.

The Cardinal believed these letters to be authentic, and agreed to buy the necklace for the Queen.

In August 1784 in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles, a late night rendezvous was arranged.

The jeweler was contacted and asked to bring the necklace.

The necklace was given to Jeanne on the understanding she was going to pass it on to Marie Antoinette.

Her husband promptly began selling the diamonds in Paris and London.

The affair came to light, only when the Cardinal was arrested.

Also soon arrested were Jeanne and Rétaux de Villette.

Jeanne was accused of being the one who persuaded the Cardinal to purchase the necklace.

While they were not directly implicated, the King and the Queen insisted on a public trial, to defend their honor.

The trial actually had the opposite effect and destroyed the reputation of Queen Marie Antoinette, the public saw her as the guilty party.

The Cardinal was found not guilty and acquitted.

King Louis promptly had him exiled to one of the Cardinal's own properties in southern France.

Rétaux de Villette was found guilty of forgery, and exiled.

Jeanne was found guilty and sentenced to be whipped, branded and imprisoned.

However, she has somehow gained the sympathy of the public, and was condemned to prison for life.

Jeanne escaped disguised as a boy, and made her way to London.

In 1789, she published her memoirs entitled Memoires Justificatifs de La Comtesse de Valois de La Motte, which attempted to justify her actions, while casting blame upon Marie Antoinette.

Jeanne died in London as a result of injuries sustained after falling from her hotel room window, while hiding from debt collectors.

She was found terribly mangled, her left eye cut out, one of her arms and both her legs are broken.

She died on 23rd August 1791, two years before Marie Antoinette went to the guillotine in 1793.

Jeanne is buried in St. Mary's Churchyard in Lambeth, London.

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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanne_de_Valois-Saint-Rémy

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