Marie Antoinette

One interesting fact about me is that I might know everything there is to know about Marie Antoinette.

After Sofia Coppola's film of the same name, I became immersed in the world of a 18th century queen.

But, she was such a cool historical figure.

For example, she was married off to France at the age of 15 (in 1770) by Austria to try and create peace between the countries. So, after traveling to France, being stripped of everything she had even known, and sent into a world she knew nothing about, she had to marry King Louis XVI.

Louis Auguste was not handsome. He wasn't Prince Charming, and he didn't sing beautiful songs through the forest. Actually, he was quite a heavy young man and enjoyed lock making.

I'm serious, the dude loved to make locks.

So this is the company that Antoinette was to keep for the rest of her life. As she learned more about the French royalty, she began making friends and enemies. She had several comrades, including one male bestie by the name of Count Axel von Ferson, her lover.

He, by the way, was very cute.

Anyways, all of the sudden it's 1775 and the King is dead, and Antoinette is now the queen of France. Louis Auguste is officially King Louis XVI.

Now comes the awkward part.

The marriage between King Louis and Marie Antoinette was unconsummated for seven years. Seven years! Historians assume that little Louis was a shy little guy, young enough to be extremely afraid of the idea of consummating his marriage, yet old enough for it to be a serious problem.

Meanwhile, Antoinette's sister-in-law is popping out babies left and right, finally having a boy before Antoinette. This was a big problem, because all of France was waiting for a new Dauphin to reign after King Louis XVI. France began doubting Antoinette's ability to produce a heir.

Finally, once the two sorted out their bedroom problems (the movie suggests Louis was counseled by Marie Antoinette's brother...does that seem weird to anyone else?) Antoinette was finally preggo.

Uh oh, nine months later she gave birth to a girl, Marie Therese. She was quoted saying to her daughter, "You are not what was expected, but you are no less loved by me."

Finally, she gave birth to a boy, Louis Joseph Xavier Francois, who later died in his early childhood.

A second boy soon came, by the name of Louis Charles, and he lived a healthy life.

By the time she had lost a son and had another, Antoinette's popularity in France had declined. Some thought she was a spy from Austria, others were enraged at the luxurious life she led at Versailles.

Here come the most tragic but amazing part of Antoinette's story.

A local newspaper quoted her saying, "Let them eat cake!" when asked what should be done about the French people, who were extremely poor and had no bread.

This answer, as perceived by the public, simply meant that if Antoinette herself did not have any bread, what would she do? Have some cake, of course.

This, however, led to one of the most famous quotes in history and the eventual execution of Antoinette.

The French were ticked at someone who would lead a lavish life and leave them to die, and decided to say, "Off with her head!"*.

The worst part is that she never said "Let them eat cake!"

And that, in a nutshell, was Antoinette's life. Of course there's more, for there is more to every story, but my fingers hurt and so does my brain, so I'm done for tonight.

*Aunt Sheri, this of course, was an Alice in Wonderland reference for you. :)