Community Chat

[abbeythe 8th]

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@SharkE wrote:

Marie Antoinette and her husband, the Dauphin, were married for seven years before consummating their marriage -- much to the chagrin of Marie's family, particularly her critical mother, the Empress Maria Teresa of the Holy Roman Empire. Marie's place in the royal household of France and Franco-Austrian relations absolutely depended on her producing a male heir, even before her husband became the King of France in 1774. Despite the rocky start, Marie and Louis XVI would have four children -- only one of whom lived to adulthood.

Marie Antoinette's first child was a girl, named Marie Thérèse after Marie's mother. When she was born on December 9, 1778, Marie Antoinette suffered a convulsive fit and collapsed, not surprising after 12 hours of labor in her stuffy room and the possibly dangerous incompetence of her doctor. The Queen wasn't informed the sex of the child until hours later. But when she woke, she reportedly said, "Poor little girl, you are not what was desired, but you are no less dear to me on that account. A son would have been property of the state. You shall be mine." There certainly would have been witnesses to the episode: Court custom at the time dictated that queens gave birth in full view of their courtiers.

Louis Joseph, the King's male heir and the next Dauphin of France, was born three years later, followed by Louis Charles in March of 1785 and Sophie in July of 1786. But Sophie, who was born premature, died just a month shy of her first birthday, and Louis Joseph, who'd been a delicate child most of his life, died two years later, at the age of 7, likely from tuberculosis.

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I've been to Vienna and France  It was interesting to hear the story of Marie Antoinette (and her family) from both points of view. The Austrian view glorified her and Maria Teresa, while the French did not exactly see her as a heroine.

Also the Austrian tour guide portray Louis XVI as a dim stutterer while the French tour guide said he was shy.

[Moonchilde]

Here's a website for you:

http://www.historyextra.com/

It's done by the BBC History magazine. BTW, it's possible to get the BBC History magazine in the US, either print copy (expensive) or digital (slightly less expensive).

[Poodlepet2]

Mooresville, I grabbed the Kindle edition today! So much reading to do.....so little time!

Poodlepet2