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Jeanne de Valois-Saint-Rémy, Comtesse de La Motte

Also known as: Jeanne de Valois-Saint-Rémy, Comtesse de La Motte; primary name: La Motte, Jeanne de; other name: (Comtesse de la) Motte; other name: Motte, Jeanne de la; other name: Motte-Vallois, Jeanne de; other name: Valois, Jeanne de; other name: Valois-Saint-Rémy, Jeanne de
Details: individual; French; Male
Life dates: 1756-1791
Biography: Adventuress, chiefly known for her role in the Affair of the Diamond Necklace that did so much to discredit Marie Antoinette; she was the descendant of the royal house of Valois royal through an illegitimate son of Henry II of France; in 1780 she married Nicolas de la Motte (q.v.), an officer from the gendarmes, and from that point on they were known as Comte and Comtesse de la Motte. In an attempt to secure her rise in society she became close to Cardinal Prince Louis de Rohan and manipulated him into lending the money to buy an expensive diamond necklace, supposedly for Queen Marie Antoinette, whose favours the Cardinal had been seeking. The necklace was bought and the diamonds sold by Nicolas in Paris and London. When the scam was discovered Jeanne was arrested. A public trial soon took place, and although the public sympathised with her rather than with Marie Antoinette, Jeanne was sentenced to be whipped, branded and imprisoned for life. She escaped and fled to London. In 1789 she published her self-justificating Memoirs. She died in London and was buried in St Mary's Churchyard, Lambeth.