Community Chat

[Oznell]

The dislocations of the violent and tumultuous French Revolution were many, including of course, the imprisonment and execution Louis XVI.  Just like in the case of the royal Romanovs in Russia, rumors abounded about possible royal survivors.

The "lost Dauphin",  little Louis XVII, was believed by some to have escaped.  Elaborate and wistful theories as to how he assumed a new identity were concocted.   

Various factions claimed he resurfaced as a boy who had been raised by Native Americans in the United States, as a German clockmaker, and even as American naturalist John James Audubon!  Even Mark Twain referred to the mystery in "Huckleberry Finn".

What happened to Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette and their children is a fascinating and sad passage of history.  Read below to find out what DNA testing on a preserved heart was able to prove:

https://www.biography.com/news/marie-antoinette-children-louis-charles-marie-therese?li_source=LI&li...

P.S.  I never realized that Louis and Marie's daughter, Marie Therese, actually later became Queen of France-- for less than half and hour!

[Witchy Woman]

@Oznell 

About a week ago, TCM was airing Marie Antoinette with Norma Shearer.  I've watched it in bits and pieces and always enjoyed it for the lavish scenery and costumes.  

Norma was wonderful, even if she was a bit over the top in some scenes.  Somehow, they fit  And, it was an interesting depiction of a woman/situation/time I know little about.

However, I went on to read a bit about it afterwards and learned what you have just posted.  Fascinating stuff!

It frustrated me to think they could not see the suffering around them and do something about it.  Nevertheless, her end, and that of her family was a sad tale.  Harsh punishment and a ghastly end for all involved.

I found myself wishing they had been able to rise above their own selfishness and make a difference for their people and country.  

[tobes]

@Oznell thanks oznell I enjoyed reading the bio

[Oznell]

True, philosophical @Witchy Woman ,  that's the rub with hereditary monarchies like theirs (and the Romanovs, and others) back then especially.  It was a spin of the wheel as to whether you'd get a decent ruler in any given generation.  If they were blundering, ignorant, callous or cruel, you just were stuck with it, or with the other odious prospect, a bloody, often uncontrolled uprising...

I haven't seen that Norma Shearer version in a while, but remember it as being quite well-done, too....

[Oznell]

Me too, @tobes --  and I just happened to stumble on it by accident!  I'd love to be more versed in French history, have to find crumbs here and there!

[tobes]

@Oznell...I admt I have some inadacacy in French history.  I need to know more.

[Nuttmeg]

@Oznell

I subscribe to a YouTube channel by Lindsay Holiday. Her "talks" are about the royal families of Europe. 

[Oznell]

Good tip, thanks @Nuttmeg !

[spiderw]

Very good article on a tragic figure of history, there were so many, Marie Antoinette.  I have seen movies  and read books,about her. I   love history and reading about royal families always gives me insight as to what they did and endured.  So many were cruel individuals who tortured and murdered people through lies and forcing people to tell falsehoods about the victim. That was the norm with Henry VIII.

Anastasia is also another heir who people believed survived  the deaths of Tsar Nicolas and family. I think Ingrid Bergman starred in a movie about Anastasia.  

[Oznell]

Oh, yes, @spiderw ,  Bergman I think gave one of her best performances as "Anastasia",  even though the woman she played turned out to have been a 'pretender' in real life.  That woman, as you know, was among the most convincing of all the impostors, but down went her claims with trusty old DNA testing!

Such an engrossing movie-- Yul Brynner and Helen Hayes were at the top of their respective games too...