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Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI. Marie Antoinette. Background. 1755-1793 Born an Austrian Archduchess Married Louis XVI at age 14 Became queen of France four years later. Reign. Appointed friends to positions of power Spent enormous amounts of money on diamonds, gambling and clothes
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Background • 1755-1793 • Born an Austrian Archduchess • Married Louis XVI at age 14 • Became queen of France four years later
Reign • Appointed friends to positions of power • Spent enormous amounts of money on diamonds, gambling and clothes • Gave birth to a boy in 1781 (Louis Joseph) • Had a small village at Versailles
Marie Antoinette • People resented the fact that she was Austrian and spent money lavishly • Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI decide to stay at Versailles, even after the Bastille falls • People mistakenly believe the rumor that she said “Let them eat cake” upon hearing about the suffering of peasants
Revolution • A mob storms Versailles in October of 1789 • Rumors had spread that Versailles was holding all of the grain • Why is grain important? • She and Louis XVI are forced to reside at the Tuileries (pronounced “twooleries”) • She will try to escape in 1791, but will fail and will be a prisoner here until 1793
Marie Antoinette 1783 1793
Marie antoinette • Marie is put on trial for conspiring with other countries • Her brother was Leopold II, Habsburg Emperor • Found guilty of treason and sentenced to death • On Oct 16th, she was paraded around Paris for an hour and finally executed
Reign • Loved at first, but resented for his indecisiveness • His indecisiveness allowed Marie Antoinette to make most of the decisions • Still acts as king, even though under house arrest at Tuileries
Reign • Tries to escape to Austria in 1791, but captured • The Brunswick Manifesto is intercepted July 25th, 1792 • States that Prussia would punish France if the royal family was harmed
Downfall • The Brunswick Manifesto is taken as proof that Louis is collaborating with foreign countries • Louis is arrested August 13th and France is declared a Republic on Sept. 21st • Louis was accused of high treason and sentenced to death (Jan. 1793)