Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France, met her fate at the guillotine on October 16, 1793. Her fate was sealed long before the French Revolution began in 1789. From her earliest days as a bride of Louis XVI, living at Versailles, Marie Antoinette was a victim of schemes and agendas by political rivals and the French aristocracy, some of them her husband’s own relatives.
Maria Antonia Becomes Marie Antoinette
Maria Antonia was the youngest daughter of the formidable Maria Theresa of Austria. Having escaped lessons as child by bribing her tutors, Maria Antonia could barely read and write in her native German, let alone French and had little understanding of the political map of Europe. At the age of 14, the Austrian princess arrived at the border of France and was transformed into the very French Marie Antoinette, dressing in French blue, leaving all her old attendants, and even her pet dog, behind.
Marie Antoinette’s intended groom, the dauphin, was equally inept to rule France. When Louis VX died, leaving his grandson the next king, Louis VXI and Marie Antoinette inherited a kingdom on the brink of collapse. High taxes, bread shortages, and a grossly unequal social system were among the main reasons for the French Revolution. However, many political detractors would have the public believe that all of France’s woes lie with the Queen.
“Libelles” Scandal Sheets
When Marie Antoinette first arrived in France, the people were enchanted by her youth and beauty. The aristocrats however, did not like her at all. Marie Antoinette had no use for the strict court etiquette of Versailles, and made no secret of it. Instead she opted for gambling and dancing, surrounding herself with people whose company she enjoyed. Marie Antoinette was also very open about her love of Austria. Enemies used this loyalty to their advantage, claiming the Queen's lavish spending was her attempt to bankrupt France and make it a puppet government of Austria.
In 1781 scandalous sheets, called libelles, began circulating around Paris. Though no one knew who was responsible for the scandal sheets, it is possible that the Comte d’Artois, Marie Antoinette’s brother-in-law, was behind the propaganda. In the libelles, it was claimed that the Queen was unfaithful to king, having multiple affairs with other aristocrats at court. Because Louis XVI had not consummated the marriage and there were no heirs, it was assumed the queen must be seeking amusement elsewhere. Even after the birth of her oldest two children, libelles continued to circulate about the Queen, ranging accusations about lewd behavior to allegations of enormous spending, while the people of Paris starved.
Even though Marie Antoinette visited hospitals and poor houses and pared down her spending and lifestyle, none of it could undo the damage of the libelles. Marie Antoinette didn’t consider the slander dangerous, despite growing opposition to her. Instead of speaking up in her own defense she choose silence, which may have been her undoing.
Let Them Eat Cake
One of the most famous pieces of propaganda used against Marie Antoinette is the infamous line “If there is no bread, then let them eat cake.” Though she never actually uttered those words, today it is still associated with the last queen of France. When Austria and Prussia declared war on France in 1792, Marie Antoinette was blamed once more, accused of passing secrets to the enemy. By that time the French Revolution and Reign of Terror were well underway and nothing she could have done could save her from the damage of other peoples' words.
Sources:
Castelot, Andre. Queen of France: A Biography of Marie Antoinette. New York: Harper
& Bros., 1957.
Mayer, Dorothy Moulton. Marie Antoinette: The Tragic Queen. New York: Coward-
McCann, Inc., 1968.
Nagel, Susan. Marie-Therese, Child of Terror. New York: Bloomsbury USA, 2008.
Lorri Brown - I am a published freelance writer living in the beautiful foothills of Western Maine. Mom to four wonderful children, my passion for ...
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