Marie Antoinette

By: Kristen ScattoliniSamantha Dukes

Early Life• Born November 2nd, 1755 – Vienna,

Austria• She was the youngest daughter of 15

children• Growing up, she believed that one

day she would be queen of France• She was an extremely carefree child

Characteristics• She became aggressively social • She liked to attend opera’s and dances in the

capital, gambling and partying late at Versailles

• She was always seen in the latest and most expensive fashions

• She had “secret lovers”

Her Main Job

• her main job was to produce a male heir to continue her husband’s royal line.• She became Queen when her father

had died of small pox

How French Perceive Her• The hatred for the aristocracy gradually extended for hatred

towards the King and Queen• The Diamond Necklace affair contributed to the hatred that

the French had towards the Royalty.• A mob of people had arrived outside the queen’s palace, they

demanded that she come outside. When her two children came out with her they demanded that they go back in. The two children left and the people then pointed muskets at her, she bowed and walked inside. This showed bravery and many respected her for that. People shouted “Long Live The Queen!”

Family• Her mother Maria Theresa was the

archduchess of Austria.• She got married 1770 to strengthen France’s

alliance with Austria.• She had 4 children.

Diamond Necklace affair

• Cardinal de Rohan was trying to sell an extravagant necklace to Queen Marie Antoinette that was originally made for King Louis XV’s lover; Madame du Barry. Cardinal figured that the only one that would buy such an expensive necklace would be Marie Antoinette. When the Queen refused the offer a con-artist (Madame La Motte) heard about the whole situation. She came up with an idea.

Necklace affair continued…• She fixed this whole meeting where she got a woman to

pretend to be Queen Antoinette. The “fake” Marie Antoinette met with Cardinal de Rohan and discussed the necklace. Then Madame La Motte announced to Cardinal that “Marie Antoinette” wanted her to accept it in her behalf. She then took the necklace and ran off to London with her husband. There they sold the necklace. When Cardinal went and approached the Queen for payments, that’s when they all found out about the scheme.

Her Later Years…• Marie Antoinette die in Paris, France in 1793.• During the French Revolution the King and Queen

tried to flee France but failed.• They were arrested and on the way back, the

French insulted the queen by calling her “The Austrian.”

• The queen was then separated from her kids and was brought to the Conciergerie.

• She was executed on Oct. 16,1793 by the guillotine.

Work Cited Page• http://www.royalty.nu/Europe?France?

MarieAntoinette.html• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The-march-on-

Versailles• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/marie-antoinette