The Queen's Necklace Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette, the last Queen of France, is known for her extravagance and love for jewelry. One of her most famous pieces of jewelry is the Queen's Necklace, which has a controversial history.
The Creation of the Necklace
The Queen's Necklace was commissioned by Louis XV, the grandfather of Louis XVI, as a gift for his mistress, Madame du Barry. The necklace was designed by the famous jeweler, Charles-Auguste Boehmer, and his partner, Paul Bassenge. It consisted of 647 diamonds and had a total weight of over 2,800 carats. The necklace was estimated to be worth 1.6 million livres, which was a huge sum of money at the time.
The Scandal
However, Madame du Barry never received the necklace as Louis XV died before it was completed. Boehmer and Bassenge struggled to sell the necklace and eventually approached Marie Antoinette, hoping that she would be interested in purchasing it. The Queen, however, declined the offer, stating that the money could be better spent on the navy.
But the story of the necklace did not end there. In 1785, a woman named Jeanne de la Motte approached Cardinal de Rohan, a former ambassador to Vienna and a confidant of Marie Antoinette. De la Motte convinced Rohan that the Queen wanted to purchase the necklace in secret and that he had been chosen to negotiate the deal. Rohan, believing that he was acting on the Queen's behalf, paid for the necklace in installments.
However, the truth soon came out, and Rohan was arrested and put on trial for fraud. Marie Antoinette was cleared of any involvement in the scandal, but the damage had been done, and her reputation was tarnished.
The Necklace Today
The Queen's Necklace is now part of the French Crown Jewels and is on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris. The necklace is a testament to the opulence and excess of the French monarchy, and the scandal surrounding it is a reminder of the turbulent times that led up to the French Revolution.
Conclusion
The Queen's Necklace is more than just a piece of jewelry; it is a symbol of the excess and opulence of the French monarchy and the scandals that surrounded it. Its controversial history has made it a popular topic of discussion, and it continues to fascinate people to this day.
