Marie AntoinetteMarie Antoinette

The Perfect ScapegoatThe Perfect Scapegoat

Who Was She?Who Was She?

Princess of Austria, Princess of Austria, forced to marry Louis XVI forced to marry Louis XVI of France at age 14of France at age 14 Marriage was supposed to Marriage was supposed to

heal the feud between the heal the feud between the two nationstwo nations

Became queen of FranceBecame queen of France Was very unpopular with Was very unpopular with

the French people, but the French people, but was isolated from themwas isolated from them

What Was Marie Expected to Do?What Was Marie Expected to Do? Be a link between Be a link between

Austria and France – be Austria and France – be Austrian in diplomatic Austrian in diplomatic issues, be French the issues, be French the rest of the timerest of the time

Win over the hearts of Win over the hearts of the French peoplethe French people

Entertain the French Entertain the French nobilitynobility

PRODUCE AN HEIR PRODUCE AN HEIR TO THE THRONETO THE THRONE

Marie and the NobilityMarie and the Nobility Always had to impress the Always had to impress the

nobilitynobility Needed to wear expensive, Needed to wear expensive,

hand-tailored dresses and hold hand-tailored dresses and hold lavish partieslavish parties Tradition from Louis XIVTradition from Louis XIV

Nobility was always gossiping, Nobility was always gossiping, if Marie offended the wrong if Marie offended the wrong person she would be person she would be ostracizedostracized

If Marie broke with French If Marie broke with French tradition people would think tradition people would think she was trashyshe was trashy

Marie and the CommonersMarie and the Commoners

Marie wasn’t French, Marie wasn’t French, so the commoners so the commoners hated her from the hated her from the startstart

Rumors spread quickly Rumors spread quickly about how she spent so about how she spent so much moneymuch money

She never wanted any She never wanted any interaction with people interaction with people from the 3from the 3rdrd estate estate

She couldn’t produce She couldn’t produce an heir to the thronean heir to the throne

Marie and IsolationMarie and Isolation

Marie rarely left the royal palacesMarie rarely left the royal palacesShe had a very small group pf close She had a very small group pf close

friends who could not always spend time friends who could not always spend time with herwith her

Rumors about Marie caused significant Rumors about Marie caused significant depressiondepression

She spent money to feel better about She spent money to feel better about herselfherself

The Petit TrianonThe Petit Trianon

Chateau on the Chateau on the grounds of Versaillesgrounds of Versailles

Louis gave the Marie Louis gave the Marie free reign to remodel free reign to remodel the buildingthe building

Marie used it as a Marie used it as a getaway from the getaway from the duties of the royal duties of the royal courtcourt

The Little HamletThe Little Hamlet

Rustic retreat Marie Rustic retreat Marie had built so she could had built so she could “get away from it all”“get away from it all”

Looked like a quaint Looked like a quaint peasant villagepeasant village

Very expensive to Very expensive to build and maintainbuild and maintain