Marie Antoinette, childhood and family part 1

* I write the name in the French version*

The least we can say about Marie-Antoinette was how happy she was as a child, surrounded by a numerous family, in a relative freedom (compared to the Versailles Etiquette), protected by lovely parents.

When she was born, she already had 9 big sisters [two died as children, the 1rst daughter whose name 'Marie-Elisabeth' will be given to the fourth daughter; and the 6th daughter, whose name was 'Marie Caroline'. Her name too was given after her death to another sister]. And also 5 brothers; two of them became Emperors after their mother's death.

Here are the sisters:

 Marie-Anne (or Marianne, I've read this version several times), (1738-1789). She was handicapped, so her parents didn't marry her. In the end she became an abbess.

 Marie-Christine (1742-1798). She was the favourite of Empress Marie-Thérèse. Intelligent, determined, she succeeded in marrying the man she loved (Albert of Saxe) after her father's death. Marie-Antoinette never got along with her and probably most of her siblings felt immensely jealous of her. Her brother Joseph did, too, since his wife, Isabelle (grand-daughter of king Louis XV) adored Marie-Christine and might have favoured her companionship.

 Marie-Elisabeth (1743-1808). As it can be pointed out, she lived one of the longest lives among all relatives. Her beauty was acknowledged everywhere, and she was terribly proud of it, to the extent of becoming vain enough about it. Her mother said that a compliment, even though said by either commoners or nobles, made her extremely happy. Unfortunately she got sick and the illness disfigured her. She therefore never married and became an abbess, too.

 Marie-Amélie (1746-1804). Pretty enough, she was also popular with the people. Nevertheless, it seems she suffered between Marie Christine being the favourite and noticeable for being intelligent, and Marie-Elisabeth, reknown for her beauty. Amélie hoped to marry a man she loved; however her parents refused since her lover at the time was considered too inferior in rank for her. Sent to Parma to marry a young king, Ferdinand, she got many children and lived an independent life enough. Moreover, Marie-Thérèse's every first grand-daughter was to be named Marie-Therese,too. But Amélie refused, which was a sign of her independence. She got along very well with Marie Antoinette.

 Marie Jeanne Gabrielle (1750-1762).

 Marie-Joséphine (1751-1767). The pretty princess was to marry the king of Naples but she died of smallpox before her departure. Her death was probably highly grieved since her family really appreciated her soft personality. It seems she hugged her little sister Marie-Antoinette before her death because she felt she would soon join all her already dead relatives.

Marie-Caroline (1752-1814). It's essential I think to acknowledge the extraordinary life this 9th daughter was destined to, like Marie-Antoinette. Marie-Caroline had a very strong personality, and her own mother noticed that the both of them were very alike. She was Marie-Antoinette's best confident. Like most of her sisters, she didn't choose her husband and ended up with a man she didn't love at all. The first years of marriage were difficult for her but she did manage to have many children, with her husband, king of Naple. There, she succeeded in developping her new kingdom and to direct it, getting an interest in politics. Marie-Antoinette's execution made her dislike the Revolution ideas and even France, the country she saw as the murderer of her beloved sister. She is Napoléon II's great-grand-mother.

And at last: 

Marie-Antoinette (1755-1793). She was supposed to be the happiest but her life turned out a hell. Many conjectures can be presented, be it political, educational, hazardous etc. to explain why her life turned out the way it had become. Seen as a big criminal by many revolutionaries at the time of her execution, it seems her innocence is now acknowledged and proved.
Her incredible life, with its plethora of ups and downs, the constrast between the beginning of her life in France and how it ended up, her bright personality, her quest for freedom and intimacy, had triggered a passion for her; and among all the sisters, she's probably the best known, the most popular and documented on.

TBC

Documentation from wikipedia and personal knowledge about the family.

Marie Antoinette's Birth

Marie Antoinette of Habsbourg-Lorraine was born on 2^nd, November 1755 to Austrian Empress Maria-Theresa and her husband, Consort Emperor Francis I of Lorraine. She's the little sister of many big brothers and sisters (more than 10) already: indeed, the marriage between her parents was a marriage of love, and Empress Maria-Theresa saw her generous offspring as incredible political tools. Why so? Because it is a way to furnish many potential wives to other European crowns and assure her power and strength outside her own empire. That way, her children assured the extension of her influence.

 (Marie Antoinette is the smallest one, in the craddle)

However, this “hunger” for control and power will lead the poor Marie Antoinette-future French queen- to an inexorable tragic destiny.

Since her birth, the little archduchess with big blue eyes (“à fleur de tête”) had seemed to be overshadowed by pessimistic signs.

2^nd, November: two days after All Souls' Day.

The day before her birth: a terrible earthquake ravaged Lisbon, capitol of Portugal, and its queen and king became Marie Antoinette's godmother and godfather.

What's more, her education was highly neglected, throughout her childhood and even a few years before her marriage to Dauphin Louis-Auguste! At 12 years-old, MA could barely read and write!

This neglect can be seen, today, as one of Marie Antoinette's downfall causes (I'll be back about it later). She never learnt to concentrate, neither making an effort.

Her mother grew superstitious some time before her last daughter go to France. Some medium/fortune-teller or religious man (can't really remember) said: “there's a cross for everybody” when the Empress asked him about her daughter's future in France.

(Marie Antoinette as a baby. Her features are already quite noticeable: big blue eyes, strong nose)

Nevertheless, when the healthy baby girl was born, all those dark thoughts were not hovering over the family yet. Indeed, the people respected Marie-Theresa, her relationship was to her husband excellent (even though he often cheated on her) and her numerous children assured her power.

Similarly to her most of her siblings, Marie-Antoinette would serve a political goal, in order to maintain her mother's (and Austria's) influence.