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Source Record

The Chevalier d'Eon

Why this source is used

British Museum collection page describing the Chevalier d'Eon's public life across gender categories and related collection material.

Start with the answer

Start with the answer What do gender-diverse historical lives show? They show that people have crossed, rejected or reworked gender categories across many centuries, cultures and institutions. Read the topic guide Gender-Diverse Historical Lives Gender-diverse lives appear throughout history, from religious leaders and soldiers to Indigenous cultural ambassadors, surgeons and early transition pioneers.

Source Status

Publisher
British Museum
Type
organisation
Reliability
high
Cited by
3 pages

Source Links

Open original source https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/desire-love-and-identity/chevalier-deon Accessed 4 June 2026 Open archived copy https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/desire-love-and-identity/chevalier-deon

Used by Topics

Gender-Diverse Historical Lives

Used by Questions

What do gender-diverse historical lives show?

Used by Timeline Events

August 1777 CulturalTransPeopleUK

Chevalier d'Éon — French Spy Legally Recognised as a Woman

The Chevalier d'Éon de Beaumont, a French diplomat, spy, and soldier who had served Louis XV, was officially declared female by a French court and ordered by King Louis XVI to dress exclusively in women's clothing. D'Éon had lived the first 49 years of life presenting as male, serving as a dragoon captain and diplomat, before claiming to have been assigned female at birth and raised as male. D'Éon spent the remaining 33 years of life living as a woman in London. After death in 1810, doctors confirmed a male body.