The Affair Of The Diamond Necklace Summary
The Affair of the Diamond Necklace was a scandal that rocked 18th century France. It involved a plot to steal an expensive diamond necklace intended for Queen Marie Antoinette. The scandal was a significant factor in the decline of the French monarchy and the subsequent French Revolution.
The Diamond Necklace
The diamond necklace in question was commissioned by King Louis XV of France for his mistress, Madame du Barry. The necklace was made up of 647 diamonds and had a total weight of 2,800 carats. The jeweler who made the necklace, Charles Auguste Boehmer, hoped to sell it to Queen Marie Antoinette, but she refused the offer.
Boehmer was unable to sell the necklace and was left with a significant amount of debt. He approached a con artist named Jeanne de la Motte with a plan to sell the necklace to the queen without her knowledge. La Motte agreed to the plan and enlisted the help of several accomplices.
The Plot
La Motte convinced Cardinal Louis de Rohan, a former ambassador to Vienna who had fallen out of favor with the queen, to act as an intermediary in the sale of the necklace. Rohan believed that he had been given permission by the queen to purchase the necklace on her behalf.
La Motte and her accomplices then obtained the necklace from Boehmer under the pretense that it was to be shown to the queen. They exchanged the necklace for a fake version and sold the real necklace in pieces throughout Europe.
The Discovery
The scandal was eventually uncovered, and La Motte was arrested and put on trial. She claimed that she had acted on behalf of the queen, but this was quickly proven to be false. Cardinal Rohan was also arrested and tried, but he was acquitted due to lack of evidence.
The scandal had far-reaching consequences. It damaged the reputation of the French monarchy and contributed to the already growing discontent among the French people. It also had a significant impact on the lives of those involved. La Motte was imprisoned, and her husband was executed. Cardinal Rohan was exiled to the abbey of La Chaise-Dieu, where he spent the rest of his life.
The Legacy
The Affair of the Diamond Necklace remains one of the most infamous scandals in French history. It has been the subject of numerous books, plays, and films. The scandal is a reminder of the danger of greed and the lengths that people will go to achieve their goals.
The scandal also serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of believing in rumors and conspiracy theories. The plot to steal the necklace was based on false rumors about the queen's desire for the necklace, and the scandal was fueled by rumors and gossip.
Conclusion
The Affair of the Diamond Necklace was a scandal that rocked France in the 18th century. It involved a plot to steal an expensive diamond necklace intended for Queen Marie Antoinette. The scandal had far-reaching consequences and contributed to the decline of the French monarchy. It remains one of the most infamous scandals in French history and serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of greed and rumor-mongering.
