Marie Antoinette and the Famous 'Let Them Eat Cake', Who was She?

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Marie Antoinette was trending on social media, especially in Indonesia. The French queen immediately became the talk of the town thanks to Erina Gudono, wife of Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s son, Kaesang Pangarep, son of Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

People attributed Erina's hedonistic attitude to that of Marie Antoinette's. But who was actually the French queen? Citing from Britannica, History, and Château de Versailles, let’s find out more about Marie Antoinette.

Early Life of Marie Antoinette

Marie Antoinette was the queen of France from 1774 to 1793. She was among the key figures during the French Revolution and was infamously associated with the French Monarch's decline.

Born on November 2, 1755, in Vienna, Austria, Marie Antoinette was the 15th child of Empress Maria Theresa and Emperor Francis I of the Holy Roman Empire, according to history.com. At the age of 15, she was married to Louis-Auguste, the future King Louis XVI of France, to solidify the alliance between Habsburg (Austria) and France.

On May 16, 1770, their second wedding ceremony was held in the royal chapel at Versailles. It was a lavish ceremony and was attended by over 5,000 guests.

Subsequently, after the death of Louis XV in 1774, Louis-Auguste took the throne as Louis XVI. Since her husband came into power, Antoinette became queen of France when she was not yet 20 years old, as stated in Britannica.

Marie Antoinette As Queen of France

Upon becoming queen, Marie Antoinette was granted the opportunity to assume a role at the Court by her husband, Louis XVI. Despite this, her reputation in the eyes of society remained decidedly negative.

History explained, that due to few official duties, Marie Antoinette spent most of her time socializing and indulging her penchant for luxury. Her lavish lifestyle and extravagant behavior led to criticism from the public and even false rumors about her.

On top of that, her lavish lifestyle earned her the infamous nickname "Madame Déficit", although Britannica revealed that her extravagance was only a minor contributor to France's mounting debt in the 1770s and '80s.

Not to mention, whereas she was also well-known for her alleged quote "Let them eat cake", or “Qu'ils mangent de la brioche”, which should have been translated as “Let them eat brioche”, as her response to the starving peasants, scholars widely believe that she never actually said the words, as there is no historical evidence.

In fact, according to History, that quote appeared in Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Confessions written around 1766, when Antoinette was still at the age of 11.

Regardless, the turning point of Marie Antoinette’s life was actually the Affair of the Diamond Necklace in 1785. Citing from Château de Versailles, she was accused of emptying the royal coffers even further, a charge that was ultimately proven to be false.

Despite her innocence, she was unable to regain the public's trust. Furthermore, this scandal not only damaged her reputation but also catalyzed the French Revolution.

The Tragic Ending for Marie Antoinette

Marie Antoinette died in 1793. To be precise, she was guillotined after the Revolutionary Court found her guilty of crimes against the state, Britannica said.

As the French Revolution gained momentum, the royal family failed to escape and was eventually arrested. Antoinette herself was imprisoned in the Temple on August 10, 1792. Following the execution of her husband in January 1793, she was then moved to the Conciergerie.

On October 14, 1793, she faced her trial before the Revolutionary Tribunal and was convicted of treason. Two days later, on October 16, 1793, at the age of 37, Marie Antoinette was guillotined.

Britannica | History.com | Château de Versailles

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