Download presentation
Presentation is loading. Please wait.
Published byMitchell Poole Modified over 9 years ago
1
Marie Antoinette Analyzing the Rumours and Myths as...
2
First, some background information Born Nov. 2 nd, 1755 in Vienna Became the Daupline of France at 14 when she married Louis-Auguste Youngest daughter of Francis I of Holy Roman Empire and Maria Theresa Lived a quiet and private childhood, French life would be a shock Several of her siblings were set up fro arranged marriages to consolidate various alliances her mother had set up Many of her siblings died of small pox and she was left being the only potential bride for Louis-Auguste Handed over to French bearers on May 7 th 1770
3
Relatively popular at first because of her charm and beauty Not liked by older members of the court because of long standing conflicts with Austria Would not acknowledge Madame du Barry Accused at laughing at other older women in the court Her and the King taking a long time to consummate marriage and produce heir Had 4 children, (Marie-Therese Charlotte, Louis Xavier, Louis Charles and Marie Sophie Helen) Bad political image led her concentrate on her children After the storming of the Bastille (beginning of revolution), Women march to Versailles and take the royal family to the tuileries palace in Paris Executed on Oct 16 th, 1793.
4
Myth #1: She said “Let them eat cake” Myth: Supposedly she said when hearing the peasants had no bread “Let them eat cake.” Reflects unawareness of lower class problems. Statement first appeared in Jean Jacques Rousseau’s Confessions in 1769... She was only 13 then. Rousseau vaguely referred to a “great princess” Also this statement appeared in a letter Rousseau wrote in 1757, 18 years before Antoinette's birth Famous Biographer Antonia Fraser wrote in 2002 that Rousseau is likely referring to Marie-Therese, Louis XIV’s wife
5
Attributed to her because she was often a scapegoat for France’s problems Also bread was the staple of the lower class diet so it was fitting for the time Some believe that Rousseau created this statement himself Verdict:
6
Myth #2: She Participated in a Diamond Necklace Scandal 2,000,000 livres [$100 million today]
7
Myth: People of France persisted that Marie Antoinette had participated in this Scandal An extravagant necklace designed for Madame du Barry Louis XV died, jeweller tries to sell it to the new Queen Countess de LeMotte, acting as a con-artist conceives a plan She became the mistress of Cardinal de Rohan, a former French ambassador to the court of Vienna The Cardinal wanted to win the Queen’s favour in order to gain a position as one of the King’s ministers. The Countess tells him that she is speaking well about him to the Queen, but is lying A fake correspondence is created between “Queen” and Cardinal
8
LaMotte hires a prostitute to act as the Queen This fake queen lets Rohan know she wants to purchase the necklace but needs to borrow the funds to save her public image Worked it out that he would pay in instalments and met with a messenger to do the exchange When the funds were insufficient, the jeweller complained to the Queen...who said she didn't know what he was talking about Rohan called to court to state his story, he a letter signed by the Queen, signed Marie Antoinette de France... They didn’t use surnames Rohan arrested and Jeanne was branded, whipped and sent to the prostitutes prison Verdict:
9
Myth #3- She deserved the title “Madame Deficit” Myth: Marie Antoinette spent outrageous amounts of money and helped drive the country further into debt. She was given the Petit Trianon, a small farm in 1774 Rumors circulated that she plastered the walls with gold Rousseau’s ideas of the natural state of man resonated with her and she thought the Petit Trianon helped her accomplish this. Later on she had the Hameaude de la reine- a modern hamlet built in the garden of the petit Trianon with a mill and 12 cottages Also bought the Chateau de Saint-Cloud and intended to leave it for her children- cost 6 million livres- the people were shocked
12
Verdict:
13
Myth #4: The Queen had a wild extra-marital sex life Her marriage to Louis XVI was not great, it took them a long time to consummate their marriage Suspected she might have had an affair with the handsome Swede, Count Axel von Freson Satirical pamphlets were published about the king’s impotence and her finding sexual gratification elsewhere Her close friendships with women led to rumours of lesbianism Rumours of orgies, and even an affair with her brother in law Comte d’Artois During her execution trial she was deemed guilty of having orgies and sexually abusing her son.
14
Her son was coached into stating that his mother sexually abused him by his guardian There is no real proof that Marie Antoinette had any affairs, however it is known that her and her husband did not have a close marriage Verdict:
Similar presentations
© 2025 SlidePlayer.com. Inc.
All rights reserved.