marie antoinette the perfect scapegoat. who was she? princess of austria, forced to marry louis xvi...
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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