Janna de Lamott Countess, née Valois, adventurer, thief of royal diamonds Country: France

Biography of Jeanne de Lamotte (Gashé)

Jeanne de Lamotte, born Valois, was a countess, adventurer, and the infamous thief of the Queen's Necklace. She was described as being as flexible as a snake and possessed a cunning intellect. In Alexandre Dumas' novel "The Queen's Necklace," the story revolves around Countess Jeanne de Lamotte, who belonged to the ancient Valois family and was known for her beauty and wit. Through a clever intrigue involving Queen Marie Antoinette, Cardinal de Rohan, and even the famous magician Count Cagliostro, Jeanne was able to steal a necklace worth 1.6 million livres, an astronomical sum at the time. However, her plan backfired when King Louis XVI became enraged and ordered her arrest.

In 1786, Jeanne de Lamotte was captured and sentenced to public punishment. She was branded with a hot iron on her shoulder, marking her as a noble criminal, and imprisoned in the Bastille. Despite her capture, the stolen necklace remained missing. A year later, Jeanne miraculously escaped from the Bastille and fled to England. According to the records of the Lambert Church in London, she ended her life by jumping out of a window in a hotel room, claiming her own life.

However, there are doubts about whether Jeanne de Lamotte truly perished or if it was a clever ploy to escape and live a peaceful life. Several decades later, a mysterious stranger appeared in Russia. The Russian Archive describes Countess Gashé, born Valois and formerly known as Jeanne de Lamotte, as a middle-aged woman who dressed modestly in a gray coat and wore a black beret with feathers. Her face was pleasant, and her eyes were lively. Many gossiped about her peculiarities and suggested there was something mysterious about her past, but she remained silent, neither denying nor confirming the speculations.

The mysterious Countess Gashé caught the attention of Emperor Alexander I, who granted her a special audience. However, the elderly countess did not stay long in the rainy capital of the Russian Empire. She soon moved to Crimea and settled in Koreiz, in the estate of her acquaintance, Anna Golitsyna. After some time, Countess Gashé moved to Stary Krym, where she lived quietly, avoiding attention. It was only after her death that people began to remember her. Upon hearing the news of Countess Gashé's death, an order was issued by the chief of staff, Baron I.I. Dibich, to seize a dark blue box from her belongings. A case titled "Search for the Dark Blue Box in Countess Gashé's Possessions" was opened in the Taurida Governorate's office. The search for the box lasted a long time, and when it was finally found, it was empty.

The story of Countess Gashé and the contents of her dark blue box, which intrigued even the emperor, caught the attention of historian R. Belousov. He managed to uncover the results of the investigation conducted in 1826: "Let us turn to this case and retrace the events. On the night before her death, the countess sorted through her papers, some of which, according to the maid's testimony, she threw into the fire. The rumors that she was delirious about diamonds and precious gems before her death also came from the maid's account, as did the story that the countess asked not to be washed or undressed when buried. This request was not fulfilled, and during the washing, the mark of the brand was discovered..." Belousov also discovered that the French Historical Society recognized the identity of Countess Gashé with Countess Jeanne de Lamotte.

Thus, the branded adventurer, the thief of the Queen's Necklace, and the Valois-born countess, Jeanne de Lamotte, found her final refuge in Crimea. However, the mystery of the dark blue box remains unsolved. What did it contain? Papers shedding light on the intricate intrigue involving France's highest figures? Or perhaps the stolen diamond necklace itself?