Lever is particularly skilled at describing the highly charged dynastic expectations that attended louis xvi and marie antoinette s marriage. Marie antoinettes scandalous secret letters to her. No queen of france has been more written about than marie antoinette and. Famously known as the eighteenthcentury french queen whose excesses have become legend, marie antoinette was blamed for instigating the french revolution. Simone bertiere simone bertiere is the author of a number of excellent texts in french on french monarchy and marie antoinette.
Mar 06, 1991 marie antoinette s life is a fascinating dichotomy. Nine months later, marie antoinette was charged with child molestation, theft, and treason. Its not so good to be the queen the new york times. The book was written by historian evelyn farr and shares a collection of love letter antoinette reportedly wrote to her lover during their twodecade affair. However, as fraser acknowledges in the book, there was no solid proof that the love. Antonia fraser is the author of many internationally bestselling historical works, including love and louis xiv. The first recording of marie antoinette in relation to the phrase did not occur until 50 years after her death. The tragic 18thcentury queen of france conducted a 20year affair with swedish count. A love story for valentines day marie antoinette and count. The five best marie antoinette books around the last french queen. Virile lovers, and passionate politics hardcover by. She was the sixth child of louis victor, prince of carignano and. With the help of a french hairdresser, marie antoinette embarked on what initially appeared to be a happily fated alliance between the habsburgs and the bourbons. Mar 15, 2016 marie antoinette had a really gross beauty secret.
There were secret codes, invisible ink for passionate clandestine letters and two love children who cemented the affair between marie antoinette and her swedish lover. The journey by antonia fraser, becoming marie antoinette by juliet. The journey, published in 2001, also addresses their affair. Two of marie antoinettes four children fathered by her. Juliet grey s trilogy of books starting with becoming marie antoinette and ending with confessions of marie antoinette tells marie antoinette s entire story from beginning to end, starting with her transformation from maria antonia of austria into the marie antoinette of france, and ending with the events of the french revolution and marie. My history teacher told me that count fersen didnt even exsist. Marietherese louise of savoycarignan was born on the 8th of september 1749 in turin. Sep 05, 2016 antoinettes hair was a sort of palette for power.
I have just been condemned, not to an ignominious death it is such to the guilty alone but to rejoin your brother. Popular marie antoinette books showing 150 of 174 marie antoinette. Today i am featuring some of the best books that gives us an intimate and fascinating portrait of the famous french queen. Marie antoinette was born in austria and, at a young age, married to king louis xvi of france. Marieantoinettes 30year romance with a swedish count revealed. Becoming marie antoinette by juliet grey, paperback barnes. Jan 11, 2016 marie antoinettes secret love children have been revealed in a new book, i love you madly. To this day, there are wavering opinions about the young queen. Sign me up to get more news about historical fiction books.
Yes, she may love cake, grandiose fashion, and gambling, but her frivolity is presented like a reaction to the sheltered and isolated existence she. Jan 30, 2017 marie antoinettes last letter follows almost verbatim. Never before has the life of marie antoinette been told so intimately and with such authority as in antonia fraser s newest work, marie antoinette. Were marie antoinette and count axel fersen lovers. Marie antoinette, born maria antonia archduchess of austria, never quite fit into the aristocracy of 1700s france. Sep 23, 2001 in the year of marie antoinette s birth, a party of twentythree, three of them ladies, killed nearly 50,000 head of game and wild deer. I have been asking like everyone i know and noone seems to have an answer for me. Dec 30, 2015 news uk home news marie antoinettes 30year romance with a swedish count revealed in new book.
An intimate history is definitely a mustread biography for marie antoinette fans. Mar 04, 2009 were marie antoinette and count axel fersen lovers. List of books and articles about marie antoinette online. Marie antoinette s death was one of the biggest scandals of her life. Prior to marie antoinettes lifetime, the philosopher rousseau cited that a 16thcentury princess had uttered let them eat cake upon hearing that her people were starving. For seven years, louis xvi and marie antoinettes marriage was unconsummated and it was all anyone could talk about.
Jun 17, 2001 marie antoinette s halfconscious battle to assert her individuality was an unexpected gift to the growing enemies of the court. Letters show the queens love was far from platonic, the author of new book tells katie grant. Juliet grey is the author of becoming marie antoinette and days of splendor, days of sorrow. Princess charlotte fired over 9000 shots, nearly as many as. New book claims marie antoinette had 2 secret love children. The political power of marie antoinettes hair jstor daily. I previously knew very little about marie antoinette, only that she was the queen of france who was beheaded during the french revolution and that she once said, of the starving masses, let them eat cake. Apr 03, 2012 marie antoinette was in love with a woman. Susan nagel susan nagel is the author of marietherese, child of terror. Marie antoinettes secret love children revealed in newly. Jan 11, 2016 nine months later, marie antoinette was charged with child molestation, theft, and treason. The secret letters, the british historian evelyn farr lays bare the queens alleged infidelity. Told from the notsohistoricallyaccurate point of view of mme du barry dolores del rio, famous mistress to louis xv. Kirsten dunst as marie antoinette and jason schwartzman as louis xvi in the 2006 film interpretation of the queen s life.
How can one, with all the money she could ever want and access to every imaginable pleasure, have such a tremendously sad life. Marie antoinette s secret love children have been revealed in a new book, i love you madly. Pamphleteers, many of them supported by the king s brothers, used. The marie antoinettesidonie interplay, benoit says, is less obviously sexual than the relationshp between the queen and polignac. She was subsequently found guilty of all charges and executed on october 16, 1793. Apr 15, 2016 marie antoinette s life was so extravagant and tragic that her story inevitably attracts and inspires creative minds to this day.
In 1770, marie antoinette, aged 14, wed the awkward 16yearold who in 1774 became louis xvi. The queens rooms were largely refurbished by marie antoinette and reflect the opulent style that made her such a target of public criticism despite the fact that it was no more lavish than. She has extensively researched european royalty and is a particular devotee of marie antoinette, as well as a classically trained professional actress with numerous portrayals of virgins, vixens, and villainesses to her credit. Marie antoinettes scandalous secret letters to her lover voulezvous coucher avec moi. Both sophie and louischarles said to be fathered by the count. The first thing marie antoinettes newest biographer, antonia fraser, would have. Sympathizers point to the fact that young antoine, as she was called in her native austria, was nothing more than a bargaining chip for her mother. The tragic life of marie antoinette, rich in conflicting detail, remains a biographer s challenge, and antonia fraser s richly human yet evenhanded account is a reader s delight. Marie antoinettes gossip guide to the 18th century. Antonia fraser shelved 38 times as marie antoinette avg rating 3. Marie antoinette, serial killer by katie alender paperback.
French researchers have uncovered secret love letters between marie antoinette and a swedish count. Marie antoinette s paris author s note illustrations. One of the underlying causes of the french revolution, the disastrous marriage between louis xvi and marieantoinette, has been brought down to size by a meticulous investigation into the royal. Marie antoinettes will i lived only for my children. The union, however, was not altogether popular, and marie antoinette s actions only increased hostility toward her. Marie antoinette an intimate history from teen queen to madame guillotine melanie clegg. Becoming marie antoinette is the first installment of the marie antoinette trilogy by juliet gray. It is to you, sister that i write for the last time. Marie therese is the first daughter of marie antoinette and louis xvi.
The author does not go into very deep detail about politics. Innocent like him, i hope to show the same firmness in my last moments. Apparently because 1933 is the 40th anniversary of marie antoinettes death, this is her second biography in twelve weeks. The child grew up in the loving arms of her mother, lived at versailles and lived through the. Marie antoinette book suggests a secret life, affair, love. Marie antoinettes last letter before her death geri walton. Unfortunately, i am halfway through the 512 page book and the glue in the binding has given so the.
Marie antoinette biography marie antoinette 1755 1793 austrian bornfrench queen, executed during the french revolution. Marieantoinettes 30year romance with a swedish count. Aug 24, 2017 the writing is light and is a very easy read for the general reader. She was married in 1770 to the dauphin, who became king in 1774. If you think that you know everything about marie antoinette, this biography may surprise you.
1219 1510 1191 713 275 1483 124 1410 351 784 968 332 1353 532 1060 517 508 144 1354 781 585 1204 498 944 857 669 1164 651 1326 836 1394 1034 1047 1315 324 221 1014