The Main Actors in Marie-Antoinette and Louis XVI's marriage

 Empress Maria-Theresa

She had always dreamt of a prestigious alliance with the French kingdom, and settling in the most famous kingdoms in Europe one of her daughters. Little did she know how unfortunate her daughter's fate would become in the end. In her letters, she poured many advices on her last daughter in order to secure her place in the French court, notorious for being one of the cruelest. But because of some of her demands, she put Marie-Antoinette in danger. The French opinion thought that MA was still Austrian at heart and was ready to betray her new country while serving the Austrian interests. 

 King Louis XV. Louis XVI's grand-father. He had long hesitated before agreeing to the marriage between his grandson Louis-Auguste, born in August 1754, and the young archduchess. Nonetheless, this alliance was, in his eyes, probably a mean to get some revenge against the UK. Indeed, the French lost the 7-year War against England, and a marriage, a cooperation between France and Austria could be a solution against the English supremacy.
Louis XV was famous for being handsome, though quite shy. He was extremely loyal to his wife, the queen, with whom he had had numerous children. When she decided to stop having sexual relationships with him (because constant pregnancies started to wear her out), he began to have mistresses. The most famous ones are the Marquess of Pompadour, and Countess du Barry. The latter was Marie-Antoinette's biggest rival when she arrived in France, but this rivalry was in fact, only in MA's mind. 

 Ambassador Mercy-Argenteau. Marie-Antoinette grew very attached to him; she considered him as a second father. But he wasn't as sentimental as her, to be honest. Today, many historians think he was a bit of a bad genius towards Marie-Antoinette. He secretly furnished the empress with many details about her daughter's new life, giving to MA the impression that she was completely and relentlessly spied on;  indeed her mother knew everything about her way of living. Moreover, he thought Louis-Auguste, future Louis XVI, was a stupid, naive young man that could be easily manipulated.

 Chancelier Kaunitz

Minister Choiseul. He was rather a good politician but alienated Louis XV because of his "war" with Mme du Barry, Louis XV's mistress. The marriage between MA and Louis XVI was also one of his ideas, and Marie-Antoinette felt extremely grateful towards him. Unfortunately for him, after Louis XV's death, he never recovered from his feud with Countess du Barry, and Louis XVI never took him back as a minister, trying to erase everything that may remind him of his grandfather's failures to only keep what seemed good to him and for the kingdom.

Marie-Antoinette's death

Well, I'm making a huge in time, from Marie-Antoinette's wedding preparations to her death. Today, this is 16th Wednesday, October, and the French queen died on a Wednesday, 16th, October, 1793. It was 220 years ago.

One of her last portraits, where there's only a ghost of her former, famous smile...

New book

I bought this, today, for only 3 euros instead of 9,90. Guess I am lucky.
It's going to be more readings for me :)

Louis XVI et Marie-Antoinette, la fin d'un monde

by Max Gallo 

Max Gallo is known for writing about biographies. That is thanks to that man that I know more about Louis XIV since, for the moment, I'm much more interested in the 18th and 19th centuries than the 17th. 

Lady Ocar or Versailles no Bara

I was such a big fan of this manga when I was a kid. I used to watch it as soon  as I got home, after school. It was broadcast again when I was around 7-8. That's how I came to know about this. It's funny that Japanese people are the ones to make me know more about my natal country. Versailles no Bara's author, Riyoko Ikeda, created her manga in the 70's, a decade in which many female drawers started to make their voices heard and publish a lot mangas. In the same "vein", you can also find Lady Mitsuko, inpired by a true story, too, like Versailles no Bara.

Versailles no Bara focuses on Marie-Antoinette's life, in parallel with a fictional character, the mythical Oscar François de Jarjayes. I started reading again the volumes; and I remember why I was such a fan of Oscar. Brave, strong, just, honorable, courageous and respectful of her own principles which allow her to give herself only to the man she loves, despite their social ranks' difference, she's a brilliant character. That's a very powerful story, emphasizing on women's conditions, too, be it about Marie-Antoinette or Oscar. (In some excerpts, in my edition, Oscar sometimes says: "If i were a man, things would be so much easier!")

I'm not a big fan of Marie-Antoinette in this manga. While it depicts her personality, her struggles, her motives well enough, the manga has quite flaws which annoy me more and more. For instance, Louis XVI's representation. He's always seen as a fat and clumsy man, which I dislike since he was so much more than this stupid depiction. Secondly, the love story between MA and Fersen really irks me on many levels. For a few reasons, I don't really believe that they were lovers (I'll explain in a post, but it seems it'll be long....) etc.. So the contrast between Louis XVI and Fersen feels bothersome and unfair. Moreover, Marie-Antoinette's last thoughts might have been far away from about Fersen, seriously. Her children were everything for her; she was completely devastated by her husband's death that occured only 9 months before hers. So I hardly think she was thinking about Fersen and her moments with him when her last minute approached. While we don't know exactly what happened between them, I feel the story has been way too romanticized in the manga.

(Author Riyoko Ikeda awarded with the Légion d'Honneur in France for her contribution to the French culture.)

Nonetheless, the books are still enjoyable to read, the story/plot quite interesting and the drawings breathtaking. But I think Oscar, in some parts, really steals the spotlight from the queen. She was probably inspired by the real Chevalier D'Eon, a man who often disguised himself as a woman to run missions for the kingdom. He had known Marie-Antoinette, too. Oscar's father did exist; or at least, the man who inspired her father did: François de Jarjayes who really planned to save Marie-Antoinette when she was in jail, at the Conciergerie.
Of course, there are some anachronisms, and for a question of esthetism, Riyoko Ikeda drew her characters' outfits out of inspiration by reality instead of copying it loyally. Same for the hairstyles etc. Nonetheless, instead of being a nuisance to the whole plot, this re-creation, this interpretation help to build a very unique universe in the manga genre.

Marie-Antoinette and actresses

If a film about Marie-Antoinette was to be made again, these are my choices of actresses:

Annabelle Wallis

Jennifer Lawrence

Leelee Sobieski

From what I can see, Marie-Antoinette is still a great source of inspiration. For example, here's Katy Perry's perfum ad:

Mmh, this post gave me some ideas about my dream's cast for a film about the queen. I should develop one later. Watch out for this ;)

Marie-Antoinette as she arrived in Versailles

How was Marie-Antoinette as she travelled through European lands to meet her future husband?

She was a happy child, spoiled and well raised.
Dancing and playing music were among her favourite leisures.
She tried to read more and study better. Nevertheless, these two activities remained secondary to her occupations for a long time.
Most of contemporaries didn't consider her shy, which could be a good and important point since she was to be the first lady of France, a future queen. Moreover, a great and numerous court was supposed to surround her from day 1.

As arts were very much appreciated in Versailles, she promised to brighten the aging court.
Physically, she offered some satisfaction: blond, blue-eyed, very fair-skined (all her life MA would be known for her beautiful pale complexion), smiling and graceful. But it didn't seem enough: she was still short in size, her breasts were rather small. However, hopes were allowed since she was only 14 and a half when she arrived. So she had all her time to mature and become a woman.

As for her weight, there are some contradictory opinions. Some historians say she was a bit skinny when curvy women were considered beautiful and appealing; others say that Louis XV noticed her slight overweight. Marie-Antoinette, according to a few portraits and a sculpture, had a double chin.

Upbrought in a warm family with strict moral codes, Marie-Antoinette barely knew about the frivolity in the French court. The latter was also filled with intrigues and gossips. Furthermore, the French king shamelessly showed off his new mistress, countess du Barry, a woman of low birth and it seemed, former prostitute.

Compliant, generous, kind-hearted, Marie-Antoinette was all in all ready to live in this corrupted foreign court at first sight. Nonetheless, she probably lacked a great deal of knowledge about Versailles' real codes, since her mother might have overlooked this important point; it could have certainly helped MA to lead a better life in Versailles. Though respectful and conscious of her rank, Marie-Antoinette was also lively and a follower to more simplicity. So Versailles' rigid ceremonial and rituals, and its court filled with old-nobility families, overshadowed the gossips, rumours that ruined her.

Preparations for a marriage or Marie-Antoinette's Fate

The political strategists from Marie-Thérèse led her to her dream: making her youngest daughter Marie-Antoinette future queen of France.
Her sister Marie-Caroline married with the king of Naples a few years before Marie-Antoinette went to France. Indeed, one of their big sisters died and MC had to replace her. As for Marie-Elisabeth, she was disfigured by illness and was considered unmarriable, finally.

(the portrait they sent to the French king as the lilly flower can be seen embroidered to her ermine coat).

Their father, François-Etienne died when Marie-Antoinette was around 9.
The first talks for a marriage between a dauphin (French heir to the French throne) and an archduchess must have started about 1764.
This marriage was seen as an extension of the alliance between France and Austria. Indeed, some years before everything was concluded for MA and Louis-Auguste, a conflict opposed Prussia and England against France and Austria. It ended up in disaster, and both Louis XV and Marie-Thérèse renounced to some of their land possessions. From that moment, France tried to maintain its alliance with Austria, but the French king still felt some mistrust towards this country. Like England (mostly with the competitions between French king François I and English king Henry VIII during the Renaissance times), Austrian sovereigns were considered as rivals.

Choiseul, a French nobleman, worked on a marital project between the two countries in order to make the bond between them much stronger. Indeed, Bourbons and Habsbourgs had both a lot of prestige and this new form of alliance could only make it brighter and more powerful.

From 1766 to 1769, diplomats exchanged many letters about Marie-Antoinette and the union between the princess to dauphin Louis-Auguste. If she already pleased with her pretty face and good manners, her lack of sturdy education started to worry her mother. So in 1768, the empress really began to catch-up for her daughter's short comings.

Marie-Antoinette made tolerable progress in French, history etc but it remained superficial enough. The most important was to get her to speak the best French possible. As she had all the graces required for a princess, her entourage felt sure about her social success.

It seemed the little princess underwent some physical make-over: her new hairstyle coiffed her (to arrange her high forehead), a dentist took care of her teeth (badly aligned at first) and they sewed for her new dresses in a more French style. We have to remember the French court was the nest of fashions in all categories possible.

A portrait is sent to the French court. It probably was received with both satisfaction and contentement. As for Marie-Antoinette, she only received a painting of her future husband plowing a field. I think it was done so in order to make her see her future husband's qualities (a great worker? a humble  and healthy young man?). Though such a choice of representation can still be seen as strange. And she probably didn't complain because no one reported a sign of disappointment from her part.

On June 13rd, 1769, Marie-Antoinette was officially asked in marriage by the French king for his grand son Louis-Auguste.

Marie-Antoinette and actresses

*Ute Lemper, in L'Autrichienne, 1990.

*Carol Sihol, in a play

* Charlotte de Turckheim in Jefferson à Paris, 1995.

*Kirsten Dunst in Marie-Antoinette, 2006

*Joely Richardson in The Affair of the Necklace, 2001

*Jane Seymour, La Révolution Française, 1989

*Norma Shearer, Marie-Antoinette, 1938

* Karine Vanasse in Marie-Antoinette, La Véritable Histoire, 2007. 

*Rachel Mulcahy in an English documentary

*Raphaëlle Aguogué in Louis XVI, l'homme qui ne voulait pas être roi, 2011

*Diane Kruger, in Les Adieux de la Reine, 2012.

*Lana Marconi, Si Paris m'était conté, 1953.

Some books!

Here are a few books that help me to write my blog. They are really great reads.
I'll shall make a post about Marie-Thérèse's memoirs. I finished it in a few hours; her writing isn't bad at all, very lively.

 1. Marie-Antoinette, Un Destin Brisé, by Evelyne Lever
 2. Derniers Jours à la Prison du Temple, Journal de la fille de Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette, by Marie-Thérèse Charlotte de France.
 3. Marie-Antoinette, La Dernière Reine de France, by Evelyne Lever
 4. Louis XVI, l'Otage, by Jean-François Chiappe.
 5. Marie-Antoinette, épouse de Louis XVI, mère de Louis XVII, by Philippe Delorme.

Marie-Antoinette and Anne Boleyn

I have been watching the Tudors with Jonathan Rhys Meyers playing Henri VIII. As I took a sort of interest in all the wives he had, I don't think I could think of Anne Boleyn without thinking of Marie-Antoinette.

(Left: Anne Boleyn by Holbein; right: Marie-Antoinette by d'Agoty)

So here are some comparisons I made between the French queen and the English one.

They were two women whose gracefulness and liveliness were acknowledged in their court. While Anne B. somewhat received an education in France (serving as a lady in waiting for the queen) that she brought back to England, Marie-Antoinette was "formed" to live in the French court. Both had then a very particular relationship with this country.

Marie-Antoinette was the new "thing" in the Versailles court, taking from her natal Austria, her freshness, her youth and her special beauty. To be honest, she matched the expectations of the French court as far as beauty standards were concerned. Blond, blue-eyed, lovely, very fair-skined, growing tall (though she was very petite at the beginning) etc.

On the contrary, Anne Boleyn was rather an exotique woman: she was dark-haired and brown-eyed and olive-skined when the Renaissance time actually favoured blond-haired women with very pale complexion. She was standing out in the English court. Plus her skills in French and dancing and fashion appealed to most men. They grew rapidly fond of her and this was how Henry VIII noticed her.
Both women animated their courts and while occupying the most powerful positions as women, they were much looked up at and admired. They were the centre of attention.

Their marriages revealed themselves unhappy at least, more for Anne Boleyn. She dealt with an unfaithful husband. H.VIII was capricious, hot-tempered, authoritarian. Their relationship became rather tumultuous after waiting several years before marrying and having sex together. AB knew how to keep her distance with the king in order to be elevated at a better position than a king's mistress. Poor Katherine of Aragon, dealing with a cheating husband and a rebellious lady-in-waiting. Sigh. When AB gave birth to a daughter instead of a son, the disappointment was huge but they expected for other children.

As for Marie-Antoinette, her marriage to Louis XVI gave her some mixed feelings at the beginning. First, his shyness and distance kind of hurt the princess but they grew to appreciate each other. They waited a long time before consumating their marriage and catching up for their fruitless honeymoon. Seven years passed before this happening and they needed eight years when a daughter was born, at last. This would, I think, help MA to consider her husband under a better light. Before he was able to make love with her, she called him the "poor man" in a letter which really stupefied and disgusted her mother. As she knew she gave birth to a daughter, on December 19th 1778, she could barely refrain her disappointment. But then, she and Louis XVI were much delighted to have a child at last, and to see they were fertile.

The two queens suffered gossips and rumours. People's tales really damaged their reputations. As for AB, she was unlucky to have married a versatile man who grew quickly tired of her. He couldn't stand her fits of anger and jealousy any longer and was starting to notice women much different from her. That was why sweet Jane Seymour caught his attention. Moreover, AB still didn't give him a male heir, which made them  both so exasperated and unhappy. It also made her position more fragile. Because she probably started to feel her situation was crumbling, AB miscarried several times (and there may be some problems from Henry too). More and more people wanted her to be off.

Marie-Antoinette's popularity declined because she neglected the court as she sought intimacy and tranquillity with just a small society of friends around her. Furthermore, some old aristocracy disliked how she waved them away, making probably some old ladies jealous of her beauty and youth. Versailles was more deserted than it had been under Louis XV. Louis XVI who was still popular at the end of his reign could have prevented such a fall out between his wife and the people. Indeed, he should have been firmier as far as some of her leisures were concerned. And maybe put a halt to some of her expenses. Slanders, lies and bad gossips really ended up as the evil towards MA. But unlike Anne, Marie-Antoinette enjoyed having a faithful husband.

Both women spent their last days in prison, MA in the conciergerie, AB in the London tower.

(Natalie Dormer as Anne Boleyn)

(Kirsten Dunst as Marie-Antoinette)

Marie-Antoinette was executed when she was 38 years old, at least, 15 years after her marriage.
Anne was beheaded just 3 years after her marriage and coronation. From some reports, she might have been under 30.

Marie-Antoinette, family and childhood part 4

Marie-Antoinette, unlike Louis-Auguste (aka Louis XVI) grew up in a happy surrounding where she blossomed like the prettiest rose. She played a lot, with her sisters and friends, but didn't care much for her education and disliked studying. Her governess Mrs Brandeis was a bit too lenient towards her: she adored the little princess and sometimes, did her homework. For example, with a pencil the governess would write said homework/lesson and with ink, MA would retrace the formerly written letters. Marie-Thérèse, of course, got rid of this overobliging lady to replace her by a woman MA would never quite accept.

Nonetheless, she danced a lot since many opportunities were given to her for such an activity. Dancing became one of her favourite leisures, every biography attests this. She was already much graceful, even more when French teachers would have her learn how to maintain herself before going to France.
From these lessons, she became the woman who walked the best (i.e: the most prettily), according to her portraitist Vigée-Lebrun and other contemporaries. (Some people said when she walked, it was as though she was sliding instead making steps. It must have been something amazing to see...but it also reminds me of, um, ghosts).

 (This painting is now at her castle Petit Trianon, I had the opportunity to take it in picture. She's on the very right).

To come back to dance -and singing etc.- the empress wanted her children to participate in feasts and celebrations, the earliest possible. That is why it was such an important part for MA when she lived in Versailles.

In one of her biographies, her big brother Joseph was said to tease her a lot while her big sister Marie-Christine made all her sisters jealous since she was her mother's favourite (born on the same day etc.).

Her upbringing could be seen as a "bourgeois" one. The family was rather close despite the mother being very busy and able to spend several days without visiting her children.

Nonetheless, in spite of the lack of sturdy education, MA received a strict and deep religious and moral education. This made her a rather prude woman who, although she liked to flirt, stayed cold and distant with most of her young male admirers. This point is very important because it somewhat blurs the exact nature of Marie-Antoinette and Fersen's relationship... (This "relationship" remains quite controversial...Were they lovers? Countless debates about this haven't definitely given a clear conclusion. There may have been strong feelings between them but did they do more? Not easy to answer...)

At the Vienna's court, people spoke several languages as expected from the highest classes. MA could speak German of course, but also a little bit of Italian and French. As she grew up, her mother wanted her to speak a better French so that she could honour the French court and her new family. And bring pride to her Austrian family.

(A part of the family during Christmas: Christine on the left side, probably Ferdinand before her crying because he didn't get good presents, an obviously happy MA showing a new doll, her mother in blue standing behind the father's armchair and Maximilien sitting on the carpet, tasting cakes).