Rétaux de Villette
Encyclopedia
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
. While plying his trade as a prostitute, he greatly developed his talent as a forger, using it to write letters in his patrons' name for sums of money greater than were owed for his services.
, the pair staged a scandal involving a diamond necklace. This famous "Affair of the Diamond Necklace" made history in France. Villette played the role of forger, writing letters to Jeanne in the hand of Queen Marie Antoinette
, making it seem as if the Queen desired the necklace, but was unable to purchase it due to reluctance on the part of the King, Louis XVI
. These letters were presented in turn to Cardinal Rohan
, persuading him to buy the necklace for the Queen, or so he thought. After the necklace was purchased by Rohan and given to Jeanne to pass along to the queen, she and Villette immediately took off to London and began selling the jewels from the necklace for their own profit. The scheme was eventually exposed and all those involved were prosecuted.
where he lived out the rest of his days, eventually dying of natural causes.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in the late 18th century. The scion
Kinship
Kinship is a relationship between any entities that share a genealogical origin, through either biological, cultural, or historical descent. And descent groups, lineages, etc. are treated in their own subsections....
of a poor family, he was forced to become a 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...
to survive, but Villette also had a talent for forgery
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...
. While plying his trade as a prostitute, he greatly developed his talent as a forger, using it to write letters in his patrons' name for sums of money greater than were owed for his services.
The Affair of the Diamond Necklace
Through an intimate relationship with Jeanne de Saint-Rémy de ValoisComtesse de la Motte
Jeanne de Valois-Saint-Rémy, "Comtesse de la Motte" 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...
, the pair staged a scandal involving a diamond necklace. This famous "Affair of the Diamond Necklace" made history in France. Villette played the role of forger, writing letters to Jeanne in the hand of Queen 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....
, making it seem as if the Queen desired the necklace, but was unable to purchase it due to reluctance on the part of the King, Louis XVI
Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
. These letters were presented in turn to Cardinal Rohan
Louis René Édouard, cardinal de Rohan
Louis René Édouard de Rohan known as the Cardinal de Rohan , prince de Rohan-Guéméné, was a French bishop of Strasbourg , politician, cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, and cadet of the Rohan family...
, persuading him to buy the necklace for the Queen, or so he thought. After the necklace was purchased by Rohan and given to Jeanne to pass along to the queen, she and Villette immediately took off to London and began selling the jewels from the necklace for their own profit. The scheme was eventually exposed and all those involved were prosecuted.
Later life
As punishment for his involvement in the Affair of the Diamond Necklace, Villette was exiled from France. He took up residence in ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
where he lived out the rest of his days, eventually dying of natural causes.