Comtesse de la Motte
Encyclopedia
Jeanne de Valois-Saint-Rémy, "Comtesse de la Motte" (22 July 1756 – 23 August 1791) was a notorious French adventuress and thief; she was married to Nicholas de la Motte whose family's claim to nobility is dubious. She herself was an impoverished descendant of the Valois royal family
through an illegitimate son of King Henry II
. She is known for her prominent role in the Affair of the Diamond Necklace
, one of many scandals that led to the French Revolution
and destroyed the monarchy of France.
) to a very poor family. While her father, Jacques de Valois de Saint-Rémy (1717–1762) had royal Valois
blood, descended from Henry de Saint-Rémy (1557–1621), illegitimate son of King Henry II
and Nicole de Savigny, he was known as a drunkard and to live from expedients, and her mother, Marie Jossel was a debauched servant girl. The three surviving de Valois de Saint-Rémy children, Jacques (born 25 July 1751 – died 1785), Jeanne, and Marie-Anne (born 2 October 1757 – died 1786) were neglected, went barefoot, tended the cows, and often found it necessary to beg for food. According to Count Beugnot
as written in his Mémoires, they were rescued by his father and the abbot of Langres
. According to another source, the family moved to Boulogne
near Paris where a priest and one of his rich parishioners, Madame de Boulainvilliers, took care of them.
In any case, their Valois ancestry was ascertained by a genealogist at Versailles
, and as a result of legal dispositions set up to help children from poor nobility, Jacques was granted a yearly stipend of 1000 pounds and a post in a military academy; Jeanne and Marie-Anne went to a boarding school in Passy
and were given a stipend of 900 pounds. They were supposed to become nuns in the Longchamps monastery, but instead chose to go back to Bar-sur-Aube where they lived with the Surmont family. On 6 June 1780, Jeanne married Marc Antoine-Nicolas de la Motte
, Mr Surmont's nephew and an officer of the gendarmes
. While the de la Motte family's claim to nobility was dubious, both husband and wife assumed the title comte
and comtesse de La Motte Valois. Of the three siblings, Jeanne would be the only one to achieve notoriety. Jacques died on military duty on Saint-Louis Island
; Marie-Anne went back to religious life. None of the three Saint-Rémy children had descendants.
from the royal family
due to her royal blood. She decided to approach Marie Antoinette
as she felt the Queen, being a woman, would be more sympathetic to her plight; Jeanne therefore made frequent visits to Versailles in the hope of catching the Queen's attention. At that time, any ordinary citizen dressed in suitable attire could enter the palace and its gardens, and observe the royal family. Nevertheless, Marie-Antoinette had been told of Jeanne's questionable lifestyle and refused to meet her.
The marriage between Jeanne and her husband was unsuccessful although they continued to live together. Jeanne took a lover, Rétaux de Villette
, a common gigolo
and Nicolas's fellow officer in the gendarmerie
. Around 1783, she met Cardinal
Prince Louis de Rohan. The thoroughly unscrupulous Jeanne quickly became his mistress
and confidant
e. As a result, she became aware that the Prince
, already one of the richest men of France, wanted nothing more than one more financial favour from Marie Antoinette. Nevertheless, the Queen shunned the Cardinal because he had spread rumours about her when she was dauphine and she was aware of his flawed character.
Jeanne was described as having been slender with small breasts; she had white skin, chestnut-brown hair, limpid blue eyes, and a "winning smile". The Abbé Georgel, Cardinal de Rohan's loyal servant, describes Jeanne as having "the wiles of a Circe
." She was fully prepared to use them to her advantage. She obtained some money from the Cardinal, and a commission for her husband in the Comte d'Artois's bodyguard. But these were not enough to enable the de la Mottes to live in the princely state that Jeanne aspired to.
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 and de Villette, concocted a plan to use this situation to their financial advantage. Rétaux de Villette was a master forger
and wrote letters from 'the Queen' to the "comtesse". She 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, and she would grant him the stipend he wished for. Jeanne de la Motte was named as the Queen's agent. The Cardinal believed these letters to be authentic and agreed to buy the necklace for the Queen. The Cardinal knew very well that the Queen never met Jeanne in public, but believed that she was her trusted agent due to their secret liaison. A late night rendezvous was arranged, where the Cardinal met 'the Queen' (in reality a prostitute who resembled her, called Nicole le Guay d'Oliva) and received forgiveness. The jeweler was contacted and asked to bring the necklace.
The necklace was given to Jeanne de la Motte to pass on to the Queen. Her husband promptly began selling the diamonds in Paris and London. The affair came to light only when the Cardinal was arrested. Jeanne de la Motte, Rétaux de Villette, Nicole d'Oliva and Count Cagliostro (a self-proclaimed holy man who had helped Jeanne persuade the Cardinal to purchase the necklace) were all arrested. "Comte" Nicholas de la Motte stayed in London.
While they were not directly implicated and could have tried the swindlers without publicity, the King and the Queen insisted on a public trial.
Nevertheless, the trial actually had the opposite effect and destroyed the reputation of the French Queen because the public saw her as the guilty party. The Cardinal was found not guilty and acquitted. King Louis XVI promptly had him exiled. Rétaux de Villette was found guilty of forgery and exiled. Nicole d'Oliva was acquitted. Count Cagliostro was exiled. Jeanne de la Motte was found guilty and sentenced to be whip
ped, branded
and imprisoned. The public sympathized with her. She was condemned to prison for life in the Salpêtrière, but soon escaped, disguised as a boy, and made her way to London, where in 1789 she published her memoirs, entitled Memoires Justificatifs de La Comtesse de Valois de La Motte, recalling false sexual encounters with the Queen.
The Cardinal survived the revolution and lived out his life in exile. Rétaux de Villette also lived and died in exile in Italy. Nicole d'Oliva faded into obscurity and died at age 28. Count Cagliostro was imprisoned during the Roman Inquisition
and died in prison. Nicolas de la Motte returned to Paris after the Revolution. Jeanne died in London after falling from her hotel room window. Some people believed she was killed by royalist
s, but she was probably trying to hide from debt collectors when she fell. She died on 23 August 1791, two years before Marie Antoinette, who went to the guillotine
in 1793. Jeanne is buried in St. Mary's Churchyard in Lambeth
, London.
and its 80s anime adaptation, portrayed as an ambitious young woman raised by a poor seamstress along with her half sister, the main character's protegée Rosalie Lamorliere, daughter of Saint-Remy and a Madame de Polignac. In the anime version, she kills herself along with her husband Nicholas de La Motte. The manga is slightly more accurate to the historical version, as she falls from a balcony.
The story was also later turned into a movie
in 2001
. The Affair of the Necklace
stars Hilary Swank
as the Comtesse de La Motte with Jonathan Pryce
, Adrien Brody
, Simon Baker
and Joely Richardson
as Marie Antoinette. It deviated from the historical record in a number of regards.
Valois Dynasty
The House of Valois was a cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty, succeeding the House of Capet as kings of France from 1328 to 1589...
through an illegitimate son of King Henry II
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
. She is known for her prominent role in the Affair of the Diamond Necklace
Affair of the diamond necklace
The Affair of the Diamond Necklace was a mysterious incident in the 1780s at the court of Louis XVI of France involving his wife, Queen Marie Antoinette. The reputation of the Queen, which was already tarnished by gossip, was ruined by the implication that she had participated in a crime to defraud...
, one of many scandals that led to the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
and destroyed the monarchy of France.
Early years and marriage
Jeanne de Valois was born on 22 July 1756 in Fontette (northeastern France near Bar-sur-AubeBar-sur-Aube
Bar-sur-Aube is a commune of France in the Aube department, of which it is a sub-prefecture.-Population:The inhabitants of the commune are called Baralbains.-Culture:*Market every Saturday morning in the halls...
) to a very poor family. While her father, Jacques de Valois de Saint-Rémy (1717–1762) had royal Valois
Valois Dynasty
The House of Valois was a cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty, succeeding the House of Capet as kings of France from 1328 to 1589...
blood, descended from Henry de Saint-Rémy (1557–1621), illegitimate son of King Henry II
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
and Nicole de Savigny, he was known as a drunkard and to live from expedients, and her mother, Marie Jossel was a debauched servant girl. The three surviving de Valois de Saint-Rémy children, Jacques (born 25 July 1751 – died 1785), Jeanne, and Marie-Anne (born 2 October 1757 – died 1786) were neglected, went barefoot, tended the cows, and often found it necessary to beg for food. According to Count Beugnot
Jacques Claude Beugnot
Jacques Claude, comte de Beugnot was a French politician before, during, and after the French Revolution. His son Auguste Arthur Beugnot was an historian and scholar.-Revolution:...
as written in his Mémoires, they were rescued by his father and the abbot of Langres
Langres
Langres is a commune in north-eastern France. It is a subprefecture of the Haute-Marne département in the Champagne-Ardenne region.-History:As the capital of the Romanized Gallic tribe the Lingones, it was called Andematunnum, then Lingones, and now Langres.The town is built on a limestone...
. According to another source, the family moved to Boulogne
Boulogne-Billancourt
Boulogne-Billancourt is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Boulogne-Billancourt is a sub-prefecture of the Hauts-de-Seine department and the seat of the Arrondissement of Boulogne-Billancourt....
near Paris where a priest and one of his rich parishioners, Madame de Boulainvilliers, took care of them.
In any case, their Valois ancestry was ascertained by a genealogist at Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
, and as a result of legal dispositions set up to help children from poor nobility, Jacques was granted a yearly stipend of 1000 pounds and a post in a military academy; Jeanne and Marie-Anne went to a boarding school in Passy
Passy
Passy is an area of Paris, France, located in the XVIe arrondissement, on the Right Bank. It is traditionally home to many of the city's wealthiest residents.Passy was formerly a commune...
and were given a stipend of 900 pounds. They were supposed to become nuns in the Longchamps monastery, but instead chose to go back to Bar-sur-Aube where they lived with the Surmont family. On 6 June 1780, Jeanne married Marc Antoine-Nicolas de la Motte
Nicholas de Lamotte
Nicholas de la Motte , originally Marc Antoine-Nicolas de la Motte, was an 18th century Frenchman and adventurer known for his part as a swindler in the affair of the diamond necklace...
, Mr Surmont's nephew and an officer of the gendarmes
Gendarmerie
A gendarmerie or gendarmery is a military force charged with police duties among civilian populations. Members of such a force are typically called "gendarmes". The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary describes a gendarme as "a soldier who is employed on police duties" and a "gendarmery, -erie" as...
. While the de la Motte family's claim to nobility was dubious, both husband and wife assumed the title comte
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
and comtesse de La Motte Valois. Of the three siblings, Jeanne would be the only one to achieve notoriety. Jacques died on military duty on Saint-Louis Island
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
; Marie-Anne went back to religious life. None of the three Saint-Rémy children had descendants.
The affair of the diamond necklace
When it became clear that Nicolas was unable to meet the couple's financial needs to maintain them in the extravagant style that his wife avidly desired, Jeanne resolved to ask a more generous pensionPension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
from the royal family
Royal family
A royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
due to her royal blood. She decided to approach Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette ; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was an Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of France and of Navarre. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I....
as she felt the Queen, being a woman, would be more sympathetic to her plight; Jeanne therefore made frequent visits to Versailles in the hope of catching the Queen's attention. At that time, any ordinary citizen dressed in suitable attire could enter the palace and its gardens, and observe the royal family. Nevertheless, Marie-Antoinette had been told of Jeanne's questionable lifestyle and refused to meet her.
The marriage between Jeanne and her husband was unsuccessful although they continued to live together. Jeanne took a lover, Rétaux de Villette
Rétaux de Villette
Rétaux de Villette was born in France in the late 18th century. The scion of a poor family, he was forced to become a gigolo to survive, but Villette also had a talent for forgery...
, a common gigolo
Gigolo
Gigolo may refer to:* A male prostitute, escort, or dancer, who offers services to women* Gigolo , a 2006 single by Helena Paparizou* Gigolo , a 2003 single by Nick Cannon...
and Nicolas's fellow officer in the gendarmerie
Gendarmerie
A gendarmerie or gendarmery is a military force charged with police duties among civilian populations. Members of such a force are typically called "gendarmes". The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary describes a gendarme as "a soldier who is employed on police duties" and a "gendarmery, -erie" as...
. Around 1783, she met Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
Prince Louis de Rohan. The thoroughly unscrupulous Jeanne quickly became his mistress
Mistress (lover)
A mistress is a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually,...
and confidant
Confidant
The confidant is a character in a story that the lead character confides in and trusts. Typically, these consist of the best friend, relative, doctor or boss.- Role :...
e. As a result, she became aware that the Prince
Foreign Prince
Foreign Prince is the English translation of prince étranger, a high, though somewhat ambiguous, rank at the French royal court of the ancien régime.-Terminology:...
, already one of the richest men of France, wanted nothing more than one more financial favour from Marie Antoinette. Nevertheless, the Queen shunned the Cardinal because he had spread rumours about her when she was dauphine and she was aware of his flawed character.
Jeanne was described as having been slender with small breasts; she had white skin, chestnut-brown hair, limpid blue eyes, and a "winning smile". The Abbé Georgel, Cardinal de Rohan's loyal servant, describes Jeanne as having "the wiles of a Circe
Circe
In Greek mythology, Circe is a minor goddess of magic , described in Homer's Odyssey as "The loveliest of all immortals", living on the island of Aeaea, famous for her part in the adventures of Odysseus.By most accounts, Circe was the daughter of Helios, the god of the sun, and Perse, an Oceanid...
." She was fully prepared to use them to her advantage. She obtained some money from the Cardinal, and a commission for her husband in the Comte d'Artois's bodyguard. But these were not enough to enable the de la Mottes to live in the princely state that Jeanne aspired to.
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
Madame du Barry
Jeanne Bécu, comtesse du Barry was the last Maîtresse-en-titre of Louis XV of France and one of the victims of the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution.-Early life:...
. 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 and de Villette, concocted a plan to use this situation to their financial advantage. Rétaux de Villette was a master forger
Forgery
Forgery is the process of making, adapting, or imitating objects, statistics, or documents with the intent to deceive. Copies, studio replicas, and reproductions are not considered forgeries, though they may later become forgeries through knowing and willful misrepresentations. Forging money or...
and wrote letters from 'the Queen' to the "comtesse". She 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, and she would grant him the stipend he wished for. Jeanne de la Motte was named as the Queen's agent. The Cardinal believed these letters to be authentic and agreed to buy the necklace for the Queen. The Cardinal knew very well that the Queen never met Jeanne in public, but believed that she was her trusted agent due to their secret liaison. A late night rendezvous was arranged, where the Cardinal met 'the Queen' (in reality a prostitute who resembled her, called Nicole le Guay d'Oliva) and received forgiveness. The jeweler was contacted and asked to bring the necklace.
The necklace was given to Jeanne de la Motte to pass on to the Queen. Her husband promptly began selling the diamonds in Paris and London. The affair came to light only when the Cardinal was arrested. Jeanne de la Motte, Rétaux de Villette, Nicole d'Oliva and Count Cagliostro (a self-proclaimed holy man who had helped Jeanne persuade the Cardinal to purchase the necklace) were all arrested. "Comte" Nicholas de la Motte stayed in London.
While they were not directly implicated and could have tried the swindlers without publicity, the King and the Queen insisted on a public trial.
Nevertheless, the trial actually had the opposite effect and destroyed the reputation of the French Queen because the public saw her as the guilty party. The Cardinal was found not guilty and acquitted. King Louis XVI promptly had him exiled. Rétaux de Villette was found guilty of forgery and exiled. Nicole d'Oliva was acquitted. Count Cagliostro was exiled. Jeanne de la Motte was found guilty and sentenced to be whip
Whip
A whip is a tool traditionally used by humans to exert control over animals or other people, through pain compliance or fear of pain, although in some activities whips can be used without use of pain, such as an additional pressure aid in dressage...
ped, branded
Human branding
Human branding or stigmatizing is the process in which a mark, usually a symbol or ornamental pattern, is burned into the skin of a living person, with the intention that the resulting scar makes it permanent. This is performed using a hot or very cold branding iron...
and imprisoned. The public sympathized with her. She was condemned to prison for life in the Salpêtrière, but soon escaped, disguised as a boy, and made her way to London, where in 1789 she published her memoirs, entitled Memoires Justificatifs de La Comtesse de Valois de La Motte, recalling false sexual encounters with the Queen.
The Cardinal survived the revolution and lived out his life in exile. Rétaux de Villette also lived and died in exile in Italy. Nicole d'Oliva faded into obscurity and died at age 28. Count Cagliostro was imprisoned during the Roman Inquisition
Roman Inquisition
The Roman Inquisition was a system of tribunals developed by the Holy See during the second half of the 16th century, responsible for prosecuting individuals accused of a wide array of crimes related to heresy, including Protestantism, sorcery, immorality, blasphemy, Judaizing and witchcraft, as...
and died in prison. Nicolas de la Motte returned to Paris after the Revolution. Jeanne died in London after falling from her hotel room window. Some people believed she was killed by royalist
Royalist
A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of government, but not necessarily a particular monarch...
s, but she was probably trying to hide from debt collectors when she fell. She died on 23 August 1791, two years before Marie Antoinette, who went to the guillotine
Guillotine
The guillotine is a device used for carrying out :executions by decapitation. It consists of a tall upright frame from which an angled blade is suspended. This blade is raised with a rope and then allowed to drop, severing the head from the body...
in 1793. Jeanne is buried in St. Mary's Churchyard in Lambeth
Lambeth
Lambeth is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated southeast of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
, London.
Portrayals in media
Jeanne was featured in the 70s manga series Rose of Versailles by Riyoko IkedaRiyoko Ikeda
is a Japanese manga artist and singer. She is included in the Year 24 Group. She was one of the most popular Japanese comic artists in the 1970s, being best known for The Rose of Versailles.- Biography :...
and its 80s anime adaptation, portrayed as an ambitious young woman raised by a poor seamstress along with her half sister, the main character's protegée Rosalie Lamorliere, daughter of Saint-Remy and a Madame de Polignac. In the anime version, she kills herself along with her husband Nicholas de La Motte. The manga is slightly more accurate to the historical version, as she falls from a balcony.
The story was also later turned into a movie
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
in 2001
2001 in film
The year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
. The Affair of the Necklace
The Affair of the Necklace
The Affair of the Necklace is a 2001 American historical drama film directed by Charles Shyer. The screenplay by John Sweet is based on what became known as the Affair of the Diamond Necklace, an incident that helped fuel the French populace's disillusionment with the monarchy and, among other...
stars Hilary Swank
Hilary Swank
Hilary Ann Swank is an American actress. Swank's film career began with a small part in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and then a major part in The Next Karate Kid , as Julie Pierce, the first female protégé of sensei Mr. Miyagi...
as the Comtesse de La Motte with Jonathan Pryce
Jonathan Pryce
Jonathan Pryce, CBE is a Welsh stage and film actor and singer. After studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and meeting his longtime partner English actress Kate Fahy in 1974, he began his career as a stage actor in the 1970s...
, Adrien Brody
Adrien Brody
Adrien Brody is an American actor and film producer. He received widespread recognition and acclaim after starring in Roman Polanski's The Pianist . Winning the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2003 at age 29, he is the youngest actor to do so...
, Simon Baker
Simon Baker
Simon Baker is an Australian actor. Since 2008, he has starred in the CBS television series The Mentalist.-Early life:...
and Joely Richardson
Joely Richardson
Joely Kim Richardson is an English actress, most known recently for her role as Queen Catherine Parr in the Showtime television show The Tudors and Julia McNamara in the television drama Nip/Tuck...
as Marie Antoinette. It deviated from the historical record in a number of regards.