The Death Of Marie Antoinette And The French Revolution

Marie Antoinette was one of France 's most notorious queens. She was born on November 2, 1775 (Fraser, 2001) and was the fifthteenth child of Queen Maria Theresa, of Austria. Marie Antoinette married her second cousin once removed, Louis XVI when she was fourteen. Her actions while being the queen of France helped kindle the flames of the French Revolution. The political and social issues that led to the French Revolution also led to the death of Marie Antoinette.

Marie Antoinette was not well liked by the French public for multiple reasons. The public saw Antoinette as a foreigner because she was not born in France. The French public thought Marie Antoinette was always influencing Louis XVI. She had very few political powers as queen, her

Marie Antoinette would often attend operas, throw parties at Versailles, and gamble while the French public starved. Antoinette wore the latest and most expensive fashions while people in France were very poor. Marie Antoinette was one of France’s most controversial figures mostly due to the French’s view of her. The French’s public view on her in result led to her death.

One of the most significant scandals that ruined Marie Antoinette’s already crippled reputation which helped lead to her death was the Affair of the Diamond Necklace. A con artist known as Jeanne de Saint-Rémy de Valois, or Jeanne de la Motte created a plan to give herself wealth and power. Motte was the mistress of Cardinal de Rohan, a former ambassador, who spread rumors about Marie Antoinette 's mother, Maria Theresa. Rohan was looking to become one of Louis XVI’s ministers. He needed to regain his trust with Marie Antoinette. Rohan sent letters to Marie Antoinette, Motte replied to the letters posing as Antoinette. He believed Marie Antoinette was in love with him and wanted to meet her. In the evening of August 11,

Before the French Revolution in 1789 France was on the verge of a political revolution. The French Monarch’s enjoyed a luxurious life and ultimate power, while the majority of the French public did not enjoy the same benefits of the Monarchy 's. The Seven Year’s War between England and France in 1756-1764 (Rana, 2015) caused France to go in great debt with France gaining little outcome for an expensive war. After the Seven Year’s War, Louis XVI succeeded Louis XV and came into power in 1774. His reign was cut short due to the French Revolution in 1789. During his reign he would often be influenced by Marie Antoinette, which the public was not supportive of. The political problems that caused the French Revolution in 1789 also ended the life of Marie