The XVIII th Century: The Age of Enlightenment

Science played an important role in Enlightenment discourse and thought. 

Many Enlightenment writers and thinkers had backgrounds in the sciences and associated scientific advancement with the overthrow of religion and traditional authority in favour of the development of free speech and thought. 

Scientific progress during the Enlightenment included: 

- the discovery of carbon dioxide (fixed air) by the chemist Joseph Black, the argument for deep time by the geologist James Hutton,the invention of the steam engine by James Watt; 

- significant advancements in the practice of medicine, mathematics, and physics; the development of biological taxonomy; a new understanding of magnetism and electricity; and the maturation of chemistry as a discipline, which established the foundations of modern chemistry. 

The leaders of the Enlightenment included Freemasons such as Diderot, Montesquieu, Voltaire. During the Age of Enlightenment, Freemasons comprised an international network of like-minded men, often meeting in secret in ritualistic programs at their lodges. They promoted the ideals of the Enlightenment, and helped diffuse these values across Britain and France and other places.

Jeanne de La Motte-Valois de St Remy (July 1756 – August 1791): An wonderful usurper

Jeanne de La Motte-Valois de St Remy

Jeanne was a con artist who called herself Jeanne de Saint-Rémy de Valois, a.k.a. Jeanne de la Motte, conceived a plan to use the necklace to gain wealth and possibly power and royal patronage. A descendant of an illegitimate son of Henry II of France, Jeanne had married an officer of the gendarmes, the soi-disant comte de la Motte, and was living on a small pension which the King had granted her.

She was ivolved in the Affair of the Diamond Necklace.

The Affair of the Diamond Necklace:;

Like most good scandals, this one involves a smattering of diamonds, a prostitute and forged correspon­dence. We'll begin with the diamonds.

Jewelers Böhmer and Bassenge nearly went broke creating a necklace that they presumed King Lo­uis XV would buy for his mistress Madame du Barry. Weighing in at 2,800 carats, the jewelers thought they'd fetch 1.6 million livres for the stunner -- that's roughly equivalent to 100 million U.S. dollars in today's market. Unfortunately for Böhmer and Bassenge (and Madame du Barry), the king died before he could purchase it. They hoped that the new king, Louis XVI, might agree to buy the necklace for Marie Antoinette. Whatever frivolous reputation she may have acquired later in her reign, Marie Antoinette made a patriotic, sentient decision to discourage Louis from purchasing the necklace. She reasoned that he'd be better off putting the money toward France's navy [source: Muschamp].

The necklace languished in the jewelers' possession until a desperate, enterprising woman named Jeanne de Lamotte Valois devised a plot to pull herself out of debt by acquiring the necklace and selling it for parts. 

The Comtesse de Lamotte appealed to Cardinal de Rohan, who was rather unpopular at court. From 1772 to '74, he'd served as the French ambassador to Vienna, where he became a quick enemy of Marie Antoinette's mother -- and of Marie Antoinette herself. The comtesse told the cardinal that Marie Antoinette desperately wanted the diamond necklace but that she didn't want to ask Louis for it. Lamotte slyly suggested that if Cardinal de Rohan could find a way to procure it for Marie Antoinette, his good reputation would be restored at court.

Cardinal de Rohan

Lamotte had her lover, Rétaux de Villette, write letters in Marie Antoinette's hand and send them to the cardinal, asking him to buy the necklace [source: Covington]. The comtesse even paid a prostitute who looked like the queen to have a secret tête-à-tête with the cardinal in the Versailles gardens one night. At last, the cardinal wrangled the diamonds from Böhmer and Bassenge on credit. The jewelers presented the necklace to the queen's footman for delivery -- only the footman was Rétaux in disguise. He seized the necklace and headed to London.­

When his first payment was due, Cardinal de Rohan couldn't cough up the amount. The jewelers demanded money from Marie Antoinette, who had no knowledge of the necklace. By then, the necklace had been sold. A furious Louis had the cardinal arrested; later, he was acquitted of all charges and exiled. The scheming mastermind Lamotte was imprisoned but broke free and took up residence in England. There, she spread propaganda about the queen -- though she needn't have bothered.

Marie Antoinette's reputation (already hanging tenuously in the balance) was ruined. The scandal confirmed that she was, indeed, "Madame Déficit." The diamond necklace affair would be one of the final straws before the French Revolution and Marie Antoinette's death sentence.

But before her head rolled, the good times did. Next, we'll peek into her boudoir and investigate her affair with a Swedish soldier.­

MORE:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affair_of_the_Diamond_Necklace

Sciences and curiosities at the court of Versailles: An unexpected face of Versailles

Versailles was a magnificent palace but it was also a place of scientific inquiry in its most varions forms.

Indeed, it was the place where control over science was exercised, where science was taught and practiced, where scientists exchanges ideas.

It was also a place of scientific and technological experiments (electricity experiments, burning mirrors experiments,...etc) and applications.

Sciences in Versailles : The sun's king burning mirror

Sciences in Versailles: A robot featuring Marie-Antoinette

Sciences in Versailles: The wax american indian head

Sciences in Versailles: The Passemant astronomical clock

The Passemant astronomical clock is an astronomical clock designed by Claude-Simeon Passemant in the eighteenth century. It is displayed in the Salon de la pendule in the  petit appartement du roi on the first floor of  Versailles.

The clock is an exceptional rococorwork over 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) in height, crowned with a moving celestial sphere. It shows the date, time, real time average phases of the moon and Copernican planetary motion. The large astronomical dials mark the rising and setting of the sun and moon every day. Earth is represented by a bronze globe on which all countries are engraved with the main cities. This globe is placed among the rocks and waterfalls, which serve as a universal horizon.

The mechanism is designed to be able to display the date until the end of the year 9999.

List of regular events and events from 1770 to 1774

1/ Hunts: 

Louis 15 and 16 like hunting very much. Sometimes Marie Antoinette goes with them just to watch and picnic. Hunts take place in Fontenaibleau, Compiegne, Versailles, …etc. Mme Du Barry sometimes joins the group.

There is one interesting story about Marie-Antoinette and hunts. French people liked very much the young Marie-Antoinette. That is why, very often, when she joined her husband and/or Louis 15 for hunting, many inhabitants come to meet and talk to her. When Marie-Antoinette noticed these people were poor, she was used to give them food … even if Louis 15 did not like that.

2/ Masses

One mass takes place each Sunday in the church of Versailles palace.

Marie-Antoinette, Louis 15, Louis 16, Mme Du Barry attend to the mass.

3/ Le « Grand Couvert » - The royale Table

It was a public dinner which takes place each sunday evening in the private appartement of Versailles palace. Louis 15 presides this diner. Louis 16, Marie-Antoinette and Mme du Barry are there.

http://en.chateauversailles.fr/discover/history/royal-tables

4/ Plays

Marie-Antoinette, Louis 16 and Louis 15 like plays very much.

In Versailles palace, Louis 15 decides to « offer » plays to Marie-Antoinette. These plays are Tuesday and Friday. They are comedies because Marie-Antoinette enjoys them very much.

In Fontainebleau palace, plays are Tuesday (plays with actors from La Comédie Française), Thursday (tragedies) and Sunday ( opéra).

In Choisy palace, plays are Sunday.

Mme Du Barry assists quite often to these plays. Louis 15, Louis 16 and Marie-Antoinette too.

Sometimes, Louis 16 organizes plays in his appartements. The actors are him, Marie-Antoinette, his brothers (Artois, …etc) and Marie-Antoinette’s friends. The audience is only members of Marie-Antoinette and Louis 16 ’s staff.

5/ January 1st / each year:

A ceremonial « party» of all the women of the court takes place in Marie-Antoinette’s appartement. Mme Du Barry is one of these women.

6/ Military Parade in Les Sablons (at the entrance of Paris)

Louis 15, Marie-Antoinette and Louis 16 are there. 

http://art.rmngp.fr/fr/library/artworks/jean-baptiste-le-paon_defile-dans-la-plaine-des-sablons-revue-de-la-maison-du-roi-passee-par-louis-xv_gouache

I do not know if Mme Du Barry used to be there too and when this parade took place. But I can confirm you that at least one happened between 1770 and 1774.

7/ Compiegne, Choisy and Fontainebleau palaces

Each year, Louis 15, Louis 16, Marie-Antoinette and Mme Du Barry used to spend few days or weeks in these palaces.

8/ Count of Provence (Louis 16’s brother) marriage.

9/ Chantilly palace

Between 1770 and 1774, Marie-Antoinette goes once to the Chantilly palace.

Indeed, Prince of Condé had invited Louis 15 for a big party. Marie-Antoinette and Mme Du Barry were invited too.

Many entertainments (fireworks, …etc) took place.

List of interesting facts:

Mme Du Barry

In 1773 or 1774, Mme Du Barry :

.introduces a wonderful woman to the Court of Versailles. It is her niece and she has the same age of Marie-Antoinette;

. has a new ally: Mercy.

Fire of the Hotel Dieu 1772

It is a big hospital located near Notre Dame.

In 1772, a fire takes place.

Marie-Antoinette (who is not a queen yet) decides to give money in order it can be rebuilt.

Versailles: a secret world under its fountains

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