ALICE BIRKHEAD, PATTEN WILSON
MARIE ANTOINETTE
language
( June 10, 2012)
Marie Antoinette was an Archduchess of Austria from 1755 to 1770, a Dauphine of France from 1770 to 1774 and the Queen of France and of Navarre from 1774 to 1792. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Emperor Francis I. and Empress Maria Theresa.
Initially charmed by her personality and beauty, the French people generally came to dislike her, accusing "L'Autre-chienne" (a pun in French playing with the words "Autrichienne" meaning Austrian (woman) and "Autre-chienne" meaning Other bitch) of being profligate, promiscuous,and of harboring sympathies for France's enemies, particularly Austria, her country of origin. The Necklace incident further ruined her reputation. Although she was completely innocent in this affair, she became known as Madame Déficit.
The royal family's flight to Varennes had disastrous effects on French popular opinion, Louis XVI was deposed and the monarchy abolished on 21 September 1792; the royal family was subsequently imprisoned at the Temple Prison. Nine months after her husband's execution, Marie Antoinette was herself tried, convicted of treason, and executed by guillotine on 16 October 1793.
Initially charmed by her personality and beauty, the French people generally came to dislike her, accusing "L'Autre-chienne" (a pun in French playing with the words "Autrichienne" meaning Austrian (woman) and "Autre-chienne" meaning Other bitch) of being profligate, promiscuous,and of harboring sympathies for France's enemies, particularly Austria, her country of origin. The Necklace incident further ruined her reputation. Although she was completely innocent in this affair, she became known as Madame Déficit.
The royal family's flight to Varennes had disastrous effects on French popular opinion, Louis XVI was deposed and the monarchy abolished on 21 September 1792; the royal family was subsequently imprisoned at the Temple Prison. Nine months after her husband's execution, Marie Antoinette was herself tried, convicted of treason, and executed by guillotine on 16 October 1793.
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