Mary is definitely not a good queen. She is a representative of the old forces and is called the "Lady of Deficit". She was eventually executed by the French revolutionaries.
The carnival of abusing royal power after ascending the throne.
On May 10, 1774, Louis XV died due to contracting smallpox, Louis XVI ascended the throne, and Marie Antoinette became queen.
Marie Antoinette, who was just 19 years old at this time, had too heavy responsibilities and pressure to face. She has to deal with noble ladies who are older than her, know how to survive in the luxurious Palace of Versailles, adapt to the political intrigues between Austria and France, use the queen's rights correctly, and know what to do and what not to do... ...It is indeed a major test for her outspoken and passionate person.
Of course, in fact, these are not problems for this young queen. She is naturally blunt and doesn't bother to think. She was unwilling to give a good look to someone she didn't like, no matter how noble the person was (for example, Louis XV's mistress, the powerful Madame DuBarry, was said to have suffered from Mary's indifference and contempt). She didn't even ask about the intrigues between politicians, she didn't care at all. Doing things you shouldn't do has always been her hobby, and she enjoys breaking royal rules.
As for the queen's rights, she uses them to satisfy her extravagant desires. Countless expensive gems and fashions were brought into her palace, and under her leadership, luxurious fashion swept the French aristocratic life circle. The Rococo art style previously advocated by Madame Pompadour also continues to be popular with the strong support of Queen Marie (as shown in the reference picture, this exaggerated satin skirt fully reflects the Rococo costume art of the time, as well as Marie's own luxury ). She was happiest when inviting nobles with whom she got along to participate in all-night gambling, revelry, and dancing.
Whenever she comes up with some new whimsical idea, she will act like a child and cry and make a fuss, forcing her husband to realize it for her. And it often works. Louis XVI, who was cowardly and easy-hearted, could not control this delicate little queen at all. He gave her advice and gently reminded her not to go too far, but she turned a deaf ear. And he is not the kind of person who can show the majesty of a king and criticize the other party sternly.
As a result, a staggering amount of money was spent on her pursuit of pleasure again and again. One of the most expensive items may be the re-construction of the Petit Trianon - this palace was a gift from Louis XVI to the queen, and the queen used endless creativity to make it more interesting. According to later statistics, the amount of money spent on this palace was approximately 766,000 francs! In France at that time, this was definitely an astonishing number.
While indulgent and extravagant, she alienated those who really helped her. Instead, she became close to those young people who were keen on pleasure, and continued to use the power of the queen to seek improper benefits for them. Among them was Madame Pauline, who benefited from her family and even distant relatives and friends by deceiving the queen. The French treasury spent as much as half a million on the Pauline family a year!
Of course, among these people there are also "real friends" who appreciate Mary's character and are willing to associate with her. For example, the gentle and sentimental Madame Lambald, after the outbreak of the French Revolution, Mary was imprisoned as a prisoner. Regardless of her own safety, Madame Lambald still stood firmly on Mary's side and tried to help her, so that she died tragically.
Another person who played an important role in Marie Antoinette's life was Alcide Fersen (also translated as Fersen), a Swedish nobleman. It is said that the two of them met at a costume party when Mary was 16 years old. Mary was still the Crown Princess at that time, and according to regulations, she was not allowed to go out casually, but she happened to be there. Philson was handsome, humorous, and charming. He was also a political genius and could lead troops in war. Mary is deeply fascinated by Philson, a versatile and talented leader who leads to the development of an affair between her and him.
Marie Antoinette's extravagant and frivolous style gradually spread, which triggered the famous "Necklace Incident" in history.
Although Queen Mary was later proven innocent in the "Necklace Incident", her reputation declined. Moreover, at this time, an anti-royal atmosphere was brewing among the French people. Because Mary recklessly ordered the "execution of the bishop", she became the target of public criticism.
The necklace incident·The epitome of Mary in other people's minds
This incident should have broken out around August 1785, when Marie Antoinette was 29 years old. The jeweler got an expensive ruby ??necklace from the supplier. It was clumsy and ugly in shape. Hugo described it as only being worn around a horse's neck (someone said it was a diamond necklace, with a very antique, unique and exquisite design). It is extremely expensive to build and is inlaid with more than 3,000 rubies of various sizes. The jeweler had planned to sell it to the Queen of Spain and some other nobles, but failed. He heard that Marie Antoinette was a luxurious and extravagant woman, so he thought she might be willing to pay for the necklace, and actually offered her a sky-high price of 1.6 million francs. But Marie Antoinette was not a fool and knew it was not worth it, so she sent someone to kick him out.
At this time, we have to mention a key figure: Jeanne de Valrol. She is a former British princess. Because her ancestors failed in the battle for the throne, she was demoted to a commoner and lived a miserable life of displacement. With the help of a very sympathetic Marchioness, she was nurtured and brought into the upper social circles. But this princess no longer has the dignity of the royal family. She often uses various means to defraud money from various people. However, she is really smart, and most of the people who are deceived are not aware of it.
The husband Jeanne chose was Captain de Rameau of the King's Guard. With Jeanne's efforts, de Rameau received the title of count, and Jeanne became a countess. With a decent identity, Jeanne began to show her talents in the social world. Whether due to her own bragging or the misunderstanding of others, she gradually became regarded in the social circle as "a close friend of Queen Marie Antoinette" - although this was not the case.
Later, this rumor reached the ears of Cardinal Teresa (also translated as: Rohan). Rohan served as French ambassador to Austria. Because he insisted on wrong opinions in the Austrian court, he offended Queen Theresa and was sent back to France. At the same time, Theresa wrote to her daughter, asking her to use the queen's privileges to persuade her husband, Louis XVI, not to promote this person. Rohan's political future in France was ruined. He felt guilty and wanted to beg Queen Marie Antoinette to let him live. But Marie Antoinette listened to her mother's words and not only refused in person, she even didn't give Roan a good look for fifteen consecutive years.
When the cardinal heard about Jeanne's special identity, he immediately believed it and asked Jeanne to speak kindly to the queen for him. Jeanne lied to him that the queen wanted him to admit his mistakes to her in a written report, so he wrote it. The queen's reply was coldly forgiving at first, but her tone finally softened several times. The cardinal was very happy and kept in touch with the queen by correspondence for three years, and continuously provided money to the "good Samaritan" Jeanne to express his gratitude.
In the past three years, Jeanne has not wasted. She seduced the Cardinal's confidant, the former dragoon captain Leto, and asked him to act as an internal agent. Later, in order to save time, Jeanne directly called Leto Pretending to be the queen, he wrote a reply to the cardinal. There were bound to be problems with such a long-term deception, and the cardinal began to suspect that, although the queen was very cordial in her letters, she still treated him coldly in public. He asked Jeanne anxiously, and Jeanne lied to him that the queen was unable to express her true attitude in front of her former enemies for political reasons. The cardinal begged her to let the queen see him to prove that she was not lying.
Jeanna decided to find someone to act in a play. She tricked the 15-year-old prostitute Miss Olinor into wearing a headscarf, a veil, and clothes imitated from the queen's portrait, disguising herself as the queen. Accompanied by Leto pretending to be a servant, he met the cardinal on a dark night and handed him a letter and a rose. Jeanne also taught her to say a line that showed the queen's anger and arrogance, "Now you should know."
Miss Olinore found it interesting that she could fool an adult and a high official. He readily agreed.
But when it came time to act on the spot, she was really nervous, tremblingly handed the thing to the bishop, and stammered in fear: "Let us forget the past."
At this time, Count Delamo brought the Countess Jeanne came on the scene just in time to kiss the "Queen's" hand, and then the four withdrew. This move was not only to save the situation and prevent leaks, but also to show that the queen did have an intimate relationship with him. Objectively speaking, the performance was a failure, but the cardinal believed it and did not express any doubt for a long time. Although he was always surprised that Leto's handwriting when signing official documents was very similar to the reply from the queen he had kissed many times, and he almost recognized that the attendant next to the "queen" that day was Leto pretending to be one.
What happened next went smoothly. Jeanne deceived the cardinal and said that the queen wanted to buy the 1.6 million franc necklace, but the king did not allow it. She wanted to buy it with her own money, but money was tight and she was afraid that the king would blame her. Therefore, the queen hopes that the cardinal will act as an intermediary and make an installment agreement.
The cardinal finally found the opportunity to be loyal to the queen, and of course he refused to let it go. The jeweler, Jeanne, and the cardinal met and signed an agreement. The 1.6 million francs were paid in four installments. The necklace was taken by Jeanne and given to the queen - of course, it ended up going directly into Jeanne's own pocket, and was later dismantled and sold on the black jewelry market.
The first payment for this necklace was dated August 1, 1785. At that time, the cardinal was heavily in debt due to his luxurious life and was unable to raise this huge sum of money in time. The jewelry merchant who couldn't receive the money went directly to Queen Marie Antoinette to complain. As you can imagine, the queen was furious, and the truth of this shocking scam was revealed.
It is said that Louis XVI initially wanted to conceal the matter and handle it privately. But the queen refused, and her hatred for the bishop blinded her mind, and she firmly believed that the bishop was the culprit, and the purpose was to frame her through this scam. She used the queen's privileges to persuade Louis XVI to order the brutal arrest of the bishop and send him to the Supreme Court for a public trial, and continued to encourage the court to execute the bishop.
On May 31, 1786, the bishop was found not guilty, but was also dismissed and exiled. The liar Jeanne was whipped, branded and imprisoned for life. But later she miraculously escaped from prison and went to England, where she also wrote a memoir. It is not difficult to imagine how she slandered the queen in the book.
To be fair, the queen was completely a victim in this matter, and she knew nothing. But we also have to say that as a queen, Marie Antoinette did have some irregularities. If not everyone knew that she was extravagant and depleted the national treasury, who would believe that the country would buy jewelry in installments in the future? If she hadn't behaved frivolously and failed to observe royal etiquette, how could the bishop believe that she could secretly receive him in such a late night?
From this perspective, Marie Antoinette was not completely innocent.
It can be said that the reason why the necklace incident was successful is because Marie Antoinette has become the spokesperson of "luxury", "waste" and "absurdity" in everyone's mind.
Death penalty·Falling flowers of a country
During the French Revolution, Marie Antoinette's fate took a tragic turn. In this irresistible anti-royal wave, the king and queen have become the primary targets of attack - especially the queen. The gentle and kind king is not so harmful in the eyes of the people, but the spendthrift queen is really intolerable. Someone has made statistics. During the twelve years of Louis XVI's rule, France's debt reached 1.25 billion! The king himself was thrifty and thrifty. Who spent the money? The answer is self-evident. People at that time described her as an evil and ferocious witch and a shameless whore. Almost all the people's anger was focused on her alone. Louis XVI, on the other hand, was described as a good monarch who was kind and loving to his people, but was just burdened by her (although this was indeed the case).
On July 11, 1789, the French Revolution officially began. Subsequently, on the 14th, the Bastille was captured. Louis XVI understood the meaning of revolution, but he had no way of dealing with it. Queen Mary, on the other hand, believed that "revolution is rebellion" and was determined not to bow to the revolutionaries.
When the entire French aristocracy was fleeing, and some even voluntarily gave up their aristocratic status and joined the revolutionary ranks, Marie Antoinette was still using her meager strength to defend the throne. The woman who originally only knew about pleasure finally burst out with amazing willpower. As the French politician Mirabeau said, "She was the only man in Versailles at that time."
However, even if the queen was so strong, on the one hand the nobles were uncooperative and on the other hand the revolutionary wave was irresistible, the king and his wife still had to lose. On October 5, 1789, the Palace of Versailles was captured by a group of female (and male disguised as female) revolutionaries. On the 6th, Louis XVI, the queen, the prince, and the princess were escorted to Paris and lived in the Tuileries Palace.
Here, all the movements of the king's family are monitored to prevent them from escaping at any time, and all correspondence and information transfer are strictly monitored. But Antoinette did not give up. She used all her intelligence and wisdom to contact the outside world, ask for help from foreign countries, and seek help from the exiled nobles. It is a pity that everyone wants to be alone and even wants to profit from it. No one really cares about their life and death.
Only the loyal Faison stood up bravely at this time. He designed a sophisticated escape plan for Antoinette, but it ultimately failed due to the king's family's lack of emergency knowledge and various other accidental factors. They were discovered in the border city of Varennes and escorted back to Paris.
After returning to Paris, Louis XVI accepted the constitution drawn up by the revolutionary masses and established the National Assembly. Marie Antoinette agreed outwardly, but she still refused to give in. She supported the king's refusal to convene the Estates-General, which only heightened popular anger.
In 1792, Franz, the Austrian emperor and Antoinette’s nephew, came to the throne. That same year, war was officially declared between Austria and France.
This war gave Marie Antoinette new hope. She continued to use her advantage at home to pass intelligence to the Austrian military in a variety of codes. No doubt she expected her nephew's army to enter Paris, rescue his aunt, and help restore their royal prestige.
Although Mary destroyed all the letters and hid her various actions very well, the matter was eventually exposed. In addition, Braunschweig, the commander-in-chief of the Prussian-Austrian coalition at the time, issued a declaration asking the French revolutionary masses to respect the royal family. The words in it were fierce and the attitude was arrogant, which greatly angered the revolutionaries. On August 10, 1792, angry people in Paris poured into the Tuileries Palace and threatened to kill the king and his family. The frightened king and queen had no choice but to take the prince and princess to seek the protection of the National Assembly.
After August 13, 1792, the king's family was transferred to Temple Fort and lived like a prisoner. On September 21, the Legislative Assembly announced the abolition of the royal government. The next day, the First French Revolutionary War was established. The royal power that Antoinette spent so much effort to maintain finally evaporated. Execution of Louis XVI
As the revolution progressed, a large number of documents secretly hidden in the Tuileries Palace on colluding with foreign enemies and conspiring to suppress the revolution were discovered. Louis XVI was executed for treason by the National Convention. . On January 20, 1793, he saw Marie Antoinette for the last time, and was guillotined the next day (refer to the picture, the guillotine used in France at that time was the Gironde-style guillotine. It was extremely efficient). Antoinette became a widow. Legend has it that she still refused to give up and made several attempts to escape, but all ended in failure.
On October 12, 1793, Mary was put on trial. Many charges were brought against her, some of which were simply unbelievable, such as having an incestuous relationship with her own son, Louis XVII. This trial lasted for several days, and on the 15th, Mary was officially sentenced to death.
At approximately 11 o'clock on October 16, 1793, Marie Antoinette was publicly executed in the Place de la Révolution (Place de la Concorde), and then buried hastily. It can be said that until her final death, she never really lowered her head and always maintained her dignity as a queen.