The Luxury and Tragedy of Marie Antoinette
She was loved, hated, and beheaded
Marie Antoinette is one of the most famous queens who ever lived. As the daughter of an emperor and the wife of a king, she enjoyed a privileged lifestyle full of wealth, pleasure, and luxury.
But Marie Antoinette’s life did not end well. The people of France turned on her, and she fell victim to one of the bloodiest events in human history: the French Revolution.
Childhood and Marriage
Born in November 1755, Marie Antoinette was the youngest daughter of Empress Maria Theresa and Emperor Francis I, who ruled over the Holy Roman Empire.
Marie Antoinette’s childhood was idyllic and luxurious. She and her family divided their time between three extravagant homes in Austria: the Hofburg Palace, the Schönbrunn Palace, and the Laxenburg Palace. The young princess had a knack for singing and dancing, and she also enjoyed riding in the summer and tobogganing in the winter.
But her life changed dramatically in 1770 when she was married off to Prince Louis of France, who was heir to the French throne. Though Marie…
