Marie Antoinette of Austria-Lorraine and Dauphine of France

Marie antoinett

What was the life of Maria-Theresa’s youngest daughter like? At what age was she married to Louis XVI and where did the wedding take place? Who was not present?

The youngest daughter of Maria Theresa, who was born in Vienna on November 2, 1755, was christened Maria Antonia .

Through her marriage to the French heir to the throne, Louis XVI , she became the Dauphine of France . 14 years old she was at the wedding in the Augustinian Church. The 15-year-old groom was not present. A proxy wedding was common in the House of Habsburg.

The groom was represented by someone else and the marriage was performed per procurationem. This took place on April 19, 1770 in the Augustinian Church. Two days later the departure to France took place.

Marie Antoinette received extensive instruction and was prepared accordingly for her role as Queen of France. She was popular with her subjects at first, but later she was considered wasteful and conceited.

The couple’s many years of childlessness raised doubts about whether the marriage had ever been consummated and developed into a state matter. In 1777 Marie Antoinette received a longer visit from her brother Emperor Joseph II.

One result of this stay was that the marriage had finally been consummated. According to some biographers, Louis would have suffered from a narrowing of the foreskin, which had now been surgically repaired. In 1778 Marie Antoinette gave birth to her first child, who was christened Marie-Thérès after her grandmother. Three more children followed, of which only one son reached adulthood.

The famous phrase “If they have no bread, let them eat cake” is said never to have been said by Marie-Antoinette, but belongs to the realm of anecdotes. But it shows the social problems of the time.

After the outbreak of the French Revolution, an escape attempt failed. Marie Antoinette was executed by guillotine for treason on October 16, 1793 . Her husband was executed nine months before her.

Due to her tragic fate, Marie Antoinette became the most famous daughter of Maria Theresa in the world. She is buried at Saint-Denis, the traditional burial place of French kings, alongside her husband.

Time Travel Tip: Tracing the footsteps of Marie-Antoinette in Vienna takes you first to Schönbrunn Palace, the Belvedere (where her engagement took place) and the Augustinerkirche (where her wedding took place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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