1785's Diamond Necklace Affair

By James Davis

In 1785, a scandal rocked the French court and became one of the most famous cases of wrongful accusation and social class injustice in history - The Diamond Necklace Affair.

The story begins with Jeanne de La Motte, a noblewoman from a disreputable family, who was trying to regain her social status and fortune by any means possible. She met Cardinal Louis de Rohan, a member of the court and a man of great influence, who had recently fallen out of favor with Queen Marie Antoinette.

The cardinal, eager to win back the queen's favor, agreed to help La Motte purchase a diamond necklace that Marie Antoinette had previously shown interest in but never bought due to its exorbitant price. The plan was for the cardinal to purchase the necklace on the queen's behalf and have La Motte deliver it to her, thereby winning back her favor.

However, the entire affair was a scam orchestrated by La Motte. She convinced the cardinal that the queen was indeed interested in the necklace, using an accomplice to pose as the queen's messenger and send letters to the cardinal. La Motte then took possession of the necklace, but instead of delivering it to the queen, she and her accomplices fled to London, where they sold the necklace and divided the profits.

When the fraud was discovered, the scandal exploded in the press, and La Motte was arrested and sentenced to prison. However, her claim that she was acting on the queen's orders made the affair even more scandalous and put the reputation of Marie Antoinette at risk.

The court was divided, and rumors circulated about the queen's character, with many believing that she was involved in the plot. The scandal further fueled the already existing hatred towards the queen, and the diamond necklace affair became a symbol of the decadence and corruption of the French monarchy.

Eventually, the truth came to light, and the cardinal was exonerated, while La Motte and her accomplices were punished severely. The affair had far-reaching consequences, contributing to the decline of the monarchy and the revolution that followed a few years later.

In conclusion, the diamond necklace affair was a tale of deception, greed, and social injustice that shook the French court and contributed to the downfall of the monarchy. The affair serves as a reminder of the dangers of greed and the need for honesty and integrity in public life.