Marie Antoinette was the Queen of France and the wife of King Louis XVI during the time of the French Revolution. She was known for her lavish lifestyle, especially when put in contrast to the lives of the French commoners. As such, she became a symbol of the monarchy’s excesses and was widely unpopular among the French people, especially during the country’s financial crisis. Despite efforts to support her husband during the Revolution, she was arrested, tried, and executed by guillotine in 1793.
MARIE ANTOINETTE – EARLY LIFE
Marie Antoinette was born on November 2nd, 1755, in Vienna, Austria. She was the fifteenth child of Empress Maria Theresa and Emperor Francis I of Austria. As a member of the powerful Habsburg Dynasty, she was raised in luxury and educated in music, languages, and court etiquette. At just 14 years old, she was married to the future King Louis XVI of France to strengthen the alliance between Austria and France. Her early life was shaped by royalty, diplomacy, and preparation for her role as queen. However, her life is best remembered today as related to the French Revolution, which saw the people of France overthrow the absolute monarchy of Louis XVI and reject the traditions of feudalism.
MARIE ANTOINETTE – QUEEN OF FRANCE
Louis XVI, who belonged to the Royal House of Bourbon, became King of France in 1774 when his grandfather Louis XV died. Earlier, in 1770, at the age of fifteen, Louis XVI married Marie Antoinette, the fourteen year old daughter of the Emperor and Empress of Austria. The marriage was arranged to strengthen the alliance between France and Austria. Upon her marriage to Louis she became the Dauphine of France.
The personalities of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette differed tremendously. Louis XVI was introverted, shy and indecisive. As well, he enjoyed solitary activities, such as: reading and metalwork. Whereas, she was outgoing and craved social encounters such as parties.
During the first few years of the marriage, Marie Antoinette became very unpopular with the people of the France. First, Louis and Marie failed to produce any children for the first 18 years of marriage. This caused the people to spread rumors about her and accused her of being promiscuous. Second, she was young when she became queen and liked to indulge herself by extravagant spending of jewels, clothes and parties. This did not sit well with the working class people of France who were struggling under the estates system. For this reputation she earned the nickname “Madame Deficit”. As the anger of the French people reached incredibly high levels they began to blame her for the large debts of the country and its financial crisis. In the years before the French Revolution, the country was struggling from an economic crisis and the royal family were often blamed for their lavish lifestyles.
In 1785, Marie Antoinette was accused of buying a diamond necklace worth 1,600,000 livres. Although it would be eventually proved that she did not buy the necklace, she had already lost the confidence of the French people. As financial crisis and poor harvests gripped France in the 1780’s, Marie Antoinette’s extravagant lifestyle helped create a growing sense of anger from the people of France towards the French monarchy. Countless cartoons and pamphlets accused the Queen of extramarital affairs and overspending.
For his part, Louis XVI was ultimately ignorant of the crisis that the people of France faced and the growing opposition in France to himself and his Queen. Many historians blame Louis XVI for not recognizing the issues facing his country at the time and for responding so poorly to the plight of the third estate citizens.
MARIE ANTOINETTE – FRENCH REVOLUTION
As the crisis worsened the major events of the French Revolution unfolded, which would eventually find both Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette arrested. First, on July 14th, 1789 Parisians stormed the Bastille prison marking the beginning of the French Revolution. Later, a crowd of French citizens (mostly women) marched from Paris to the Palace of Versailles and demanded the King and Queen return to Paris. Afterwards they were essentially imprisoned in their palace in Paris.
MARIE ANTOINETTE – EXECUTION
As the chaos of the French Revolution unfolded Louis XVI failed to respond to the uprising and remained indecisive on how to respond. In 1793, the radical new republic, called the National Convention, put Louis XVI on trial for treason. He was convicted and executed by guillotine on January 21, 1793. Marie Antoinette was put on trial several months later for treason and theft, as well as a false and disturbing charges of sexual abuse against her own son. She was executed by guillotine on October 16th, 1793 as the last queen of France.
MARIE ANTOINETTE – SIGNIFICANCE
Marie Antoinette’s life is significant for several reasons. First, she symbolized, for the French people, the extravagance of royal life and the massive inequality that led up to the French Revolution. Her lavish spending, and elaborate parties, made her a target of public anger, earning her the nickname ‘Madame Deficit’. As a result, she became a central figure in revolutionary propaganda, which represented her as an example of excess and corruption of the monarchy of France.
Also, her trial and execution in 1793 marked a powerful moment in the events of the French Revolution. For instance, it showed that even the queen was not above the will of the people. Her and Louis XVI’s executions were central to the revolutionary goals of the French people and highlighted the shifting political order of France and the Western world. As such, historians consider her life and death to be important for the development of individual rights and democracy.
