History · Art · Culture
Marie-Antoinette and the French Revolution
Duration
90 minutes
Take-Aways
After this seminar, you'll know all there is to know about : Queen Marie-Antoinette, History of France, Palace and Gardens of Versailles, life at the French court, the Enlightenment, the Ancien régime, King Louis XVI, the French Revolution
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Marie-Antoinette is one of the most tragically iconic figures in French history, and also one of the most misunderstood. During this seminar, we'll delve into Marie-Antoinette's life and discover the secrets of her charming life at the Palace of Versailles, the scandals she was tangled up in, and the unrest that finally led to her tragic downfall under the French Revolution.
Childhood in Austria and Early Years in France
During the first part of the seminar we'll take a look at Marie-Antoinette as a young girl in Austria and her early years in France. Daughter of the Empress of Austria, she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth and grew accustomed to oppulence and luxury from a young age. At just 14 years old, she was betrothed to Louis, the future King of France, and would leave her beloved Austria forever, to follow her destiny as Queen of France.
Queen of France : Scandals & Debauchery
Five years after the wedding, at the age of only 19, Marie-Antoinette and her husband would be thrust upon the royal throne as King and Queen of France, unaware of the ominous duties and heavy responsibilities that awaited them, and utterly unprepared. In the decades to follow, Marie-Antoinette would prove unequal to the task, and would be involved in a series of scandals that would slowly gain the enmity of everyone around her.
The French Revolution
Meanwhile, a political movement was gathering steam in the far-off capital of Paris, later to be known as the French Revolution. While Marie-Antoinette continued her lavish daily routine within the insulated walls of the Versailles Palace, the people in Paris and France rebelled and brought down the monarchy. Marie-Antoinette was emprisoned, along with her husband the King and her children, and would meet with a tragic end at the guillotine.