famous scandalous affair, went down in history as the "Queen's Necklace" still excites minds.Still would!After all, it involved the Queen of France, Marie Antoinette, the cardinal and politician Louis de Rohan, the infamous Count Cagliostro, an adventuress Jeanne de Luz de Saint Remy de Valois, Countess de la Motte, and the amazing beauty of fabulous diamond necklace price.Fatal jewel entwined destinies of very different people, but many of the details of the story are still a puzzle.
Truth and fiction
Since then, as the story of the "Queen's Necklace" became public, many have tried to get to the truth in this dark adventure.The first were the members of the French Parliament, which is judged the case.Each of the involved in the scandal had its own version - and goldsmiths, and the queen, and the cardinal, not to mention the Countess de La Motte.It is also, incidentally, marked the beginning of the artistic display of the history of the necklace: the memoirs of the Countess, the veracity of which, however, very, very questionable, was the first in a series of many books, where it is told.On the history of the "Queen's Necklace" a hand and Alexandre Dumas, gave his version of the events in the novel of the same name, is also quite far from authenticity - a tendency remarkable writer liberties with historical realities in favor of dramatic and entertaining story is well known.It is trying to sort out the details of the story Stefan Zweig in his book "Marie Antoinette."Do not stay aside and Hollywood in 2001 was released the movie "Affair of the Necklace."
In fact, to understand the history of the really tricky - too much in it intriguing details, oddities and inconsistencies.The key figure, of course, is the Queen Marie-Antoinette.World history has known many queens with a bad reputation, and the fatal destiny.But decapitated by guillotine of the French queen becomes even insulting: a long time, it represented just some Messalina, and even fool addition, although in fact she was not raznuzdonostyu and was far from stupid.But the rock like this woman chose his victim.
Curiously, November 1, 1755, on the eve of the day (November 2), when Maria Theresa, wife of Holy Roman Emperor Franz I, delivered of its fifteenth child - a girl, named Maria Antonia - in the Portuguese capital Lisbon was devastatingan earthquake that claimed many lives.But the king and queen of Portugal were chosen godparents newborn!All we considered a very bad omen for the child.
Queen Frivolous
However, at first it seemed that fate favors Maria Antonia: She grew up healthy and fun.All it took care of the yard, two of the sixteen children of Maria Theresa died in infancy, three more died of smallpox in adolescence.Maria Theresa was a strict mother.Empress closely following the upbringing and education of their children in the program developed by itself.However, despite the severity of Maria Theresa, a teacher noted that lively and cheerful Maria Antonia shows a penchant for frivolity: despite the hefty intelligence, is well absorbed, it is only the fact that it could entertain.This fully manifested itself later, when fourteen Austrian Archduchess Maria Antonia married to the heir to the French throne, and she became Marie-Antoinette, the Dauphin, and later - the Queen of France.
Marie Antoinette in France immediately disliked: styled "Austrian woman" in every way railed at her expense.And all because of a frivolous nature, young, inexperienced and loneliness in a foreign country does not allow her to work out the right strategy.Court life of Marie Antoinette consisted of balls, receptions and gossip.And when her husband inherited crowned grandfather of Louis XV, became Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette even more scope plunged into entertainment.
flabby, head over heels in love with the king's wife indulged in everything.Wise Maria Theresa in a letter expressed extreme concern about her daughter: "Her fate will be either brilliant or deeply unhappy.King, ministers are in a very difficult position, confusing the affairs of state and upset, but she's so young!She has never been and probably never will be serious aspirations. "
mistress Cardinal
Here we come to the history of a diamond necklace.He ordered a Parisian jewelers Boehmer and Bassanzha Louis XV for his mistress, Countess Du Barry.But he died, and not having bought the necklace from the jewelers.Those offered to buy a new necklace to the queen - Marie Antoinette.Despite all his levity and love of jewelry, she did not dare to ask the king's money to purchase: the treasury was exhausted, and asked for the necklace colossal sum - more than a million francs.
In those days, in the court to wipe them with a very remarkable lady - Countess de La Motte.Born in poverty, it is, nevertheless, spoke of his high origin - as if it was an ancestor of Henri de Saint-Remy, the illegitimate son of King Henry II of Valois.Beauty girl and sonorous name - Jeanne de Luz de Saint Remy de Valois - allowed it to successfully marry the Count de la Motte.By the way, Jeanne de La Motte subsequently served as a prototype of two characters created by Alexandre Dumas: the treacherous Milady of the "Three Musketeers" and Jeanne de La Motte from the "Queen's Necklace".
Monsieur de La Motte fully shared his wife's penchant for adventure.Once in Paris, the couple has healed in a big way: Jeanne became the mistress of a noble and wealthy Cardinal Louis de Rohan.Cardinal entered the Countess in high society, and soon she began to tell all about his close friendship with the Queen.I must say that he was Cardinal Rohan at Marie Antoinette in disgrace: it does not complain about my mother Queen Maria Theresa when he was ambassador to Vienna.But the Cardinal was anxious to curry favor with Marie Antoinette, in order to strengthen his faltering political career: after all, the king has always listened to the opinions of his wife.And so, to jewelers claimed Countess de la Motte, and promises to strive as a close friend of the queen of buying necklaces.Soon jewelers visited by Rogan - and buys on behalf of the Queen's Necklace of 1.6 million francs.The amount is divided into a number of payments, and making the first payment, the Cardinal is serving.
was time for the second payment but the money is not received.Tired of waiting, jewelers sent a letter to the Queen.Here's the scandal.
Tangled scandal
Struck Marie Antoinette demanded that the husband to look into the matter.She said that did not think to buy such an expensive necklace, and even secretly from her husband, and even with the mediation of the hated Rohan.And "close friend" Jeanne de La Motte generally unfamiliar.Rogan was called before the king's eyes, but clear explanations could not give: mumbled something about that he deceived the Countess of La Motte, and where she is and where the necklace - do not know.When asked how he dared to buy on behalf of the Queen's Necklace without her consent, Rogan said that a letter signed by the Queen, in which she discussed with him the deal."Minghui" the cardinal lamented that, as can be seen now, and the letters were fake.
Queen furiously demanded the arrest of the Cardinal.They arrested all honest company: Cardinal, Countess de la Motte, and along with close friend and adviser Rohan, the famous adventurer Alessandro Cagliostro (which is quite Jeanne became friends).However, before the arrest of the Cardinal had to order to fake letters Queen were burned.Why would he do that?After all, the letter could be another proof that he himself was deceived.Strangely it all ...
during interrogation has developed the next version.Knowing the desire of the cardinal will approach the queen, Jeanne conceived fraud.She wrote on behalf of the Queen forged letter in which Cardinal promised mercy if he would help with the purchase of the necklace.Then she and her secretary arranged a night in the gardens of Versailles meeting horn with the "Queen", played by dressed girl of easy virtue.Having seized the necklace, Jeanne and her husband tried to sell it in parts.But the stones were too perceptible, and the Count de La Motte went with diamonds in London.Thus, Cardinal Rohan had the innocent victim of an insidious Jeanne de la Motte.Rohan and Cagliostro was released, and Jeanne publicly flogged, branded as a thief, and was sentenced to life imprisonment.
I wonder, how did Jeanne intended to explain to her lover, the fraud would have been exposed?Or she and her husband wanted to flee, taking the diamonds?But it is very short-sighted would lose such a patron, Cardinal.And acquire enemies in the face of the King, the Queen and the Cardinal de Rohan.According to investigators, the wife of La Motte hoped that learning about the deception, Rogan zamnet necklace case and pay in full, in order not to expose themselves to ridicule.It is very doubtful version: as it turned out, the financial affairs of the Cardinal were upset exorbitant spending.And everybody knew about it, including jewelers Boehmer and Bassanzh.
Maybe Cardinal himself conceived this scam to buy a necklace in installments, using the name of the Queen: he would jewelers do not believe in credit, and a royal word - please?Who knows ... Anyway, the cardinal does not seem naive simpleton, one of his friendship with Cagliostro is worth something!
Mysterious diamonds
Liberation Cardinal public perceived with delight: it has acquired the aura of a martyr, a victim of whimsical "Austrian woman."Countess de la Motte also briefly stayed in prison: she managed to escape her husband to London, where she released her scandalous memoirs, in which vengeance ink Marie Antoinette, declaring that the queen was involved in the scam with the necklace.In France, she willingly believe: too bad there belonged to the queen.Thus, the Queen became the victim almost the main culprit!
Poor: bad luck pursued the woman since she moved to France.End of the Queen was abysmal: 42, she clasped his head on the block, revolutionary Convent accused of all mortal sins, until the cohabitation with its own minor son.
way: that which was originally intended fateful diamond necklace, the Countess Du Barry, and was executed during the French Revolution.
And where did delos necklace?La Motta still managed to sell diamonds?It is still unknown.Moreover, there is a very strange message.As if, when, after the fall of the Commune restored badly damaged during the fire of the revolution the Tuileries Palace, where lived for some time the king and queen, the worker found a trunk.It opened in the presence of the Prime Minister and the Mayor of Paris - were there the treasures of the Bourbons.Between them is the lovely diamond necklace ... identified as the "Queen's Necklace"!Treasure is given not to the Treasury, and representatives of the Bourbon dynasty, the relatives of the executed Louis XVI of Bourbon.Was it the same, fateful necklace, and where it is now - is unknown.Now there are only a reconstruction of the famous jewelry.
There prelyubopytny version of the further fate of the Countess de La Motte.At the International Children's Center "Artek", located in the Crimea, is a small house, which is now, like, a museum founder and first director of "Artek" Solovyov Zinovy.But until now zdanitse is called a "Devil's House" or "House of My Lady", as in the 1820s there lived a kind of mysterious Countess de Gaucher, which is actually, allegedly, was none other than Jeanne de Luzde Saint-Remy de Valois, Countess de la Motte.According to legend, at the end of the life of Jeanne he found refuge in the Crimea, settling in a remote tract of Artek.There, she allegedly buried.Tomb it lost, and what happened to the remains of the diamond necklace - is not known.Like, until his death at the Countess saw the casket, which she really treasured.Anyway, Artek beliefs it with Jeanne de La Motte attribute the appearance of the famous Artek bring - the White Lady.They say it is the spirit of Countess guards the treasure buried somewhere nearby.
Svetlana Ivanova
Photo source: artprintimages.com
Articles Source: oracle-today.ru
