The Execution of Marie Antoinette - The French Revolution

Marie Antoinette, 2 November 1775 – 16 October 1793
One of the most enduring images associated with the French Revolution is of Marie Antoinette facing her impending death, with disdain for the starving citizens of France. It’s a persisting myth that she said “Let them eat cake” – this quote was attributed to her 50 years after her death. However, her unpopularity in France was no tall tale. An Austrian princess, Marie Antoinette married the future Louis XVI when she was just 14 years old. Their union was intended to cement an alliance between Austria and France, which had been at war for many years.

Although initially charmed by this young princess, popular opinion soon turned sour and she became despised by the ordinary working-class French for her lavish spending and extravagance. She even commissioned a model village to be constructed at Versailles as her own personal retreat, which was widely seen as a mockery of peasant life. Rumours circulated that she was having a number of affairs and she began to embody everything that the revolutionaries hated about the Ancien Régime.

After the royal family’s failed attempt to flee Paris in June 1791, Antoinette spent the remaining months of her life in various prisons, and France’s declaration of war with Austria in April 1792 did nothing to help her situation. Her last prison, the Conciergerie, was infested with rats, and foul water ran through it from the nearby River Seine.

The execution of Louis XVI saw the Queen’s two surviving children separated from her, including eight-year-old Louis-Charles who was later made to testify against his mother at her trial. Nine months later, Marie Antoinette was brought before a tribunal and found guilty of treason. She was guillotined on 16 October 1793. Her last words were an apology for standing on the foot of her executioner.

Marie Antoinette’s body was thrown into an unmarked grave – her remains, and those of her husband, were exhumed in 1815 and relocated to the Basilica of Saint-Denis.

[boybye]

You can't put a young woman with no experience nor training in that area on the throne and expect them to know how to rule.

[carlo]

That actually did happened when she tripped over the executioner she said sorry

[strasbourgeois]

A lot of this is surprisingly accurate. The drum roll before the execution, the filthy crowds, and even the scene where Marie accidentally stepped on the guys foot.

[Skecherff]

She was hated from jump because she was Austrian. She was young and not properly educated on how to be a queen. The French monarchy had already done damage to its image to the French people. She came in at the worst possible time. She was damned if she did and damned if she didn't. It is a sad story and Marie Antoinette will always be known for that insipid "let them eat cake" bs. So glad I have learned about who she truly was. She was a remarkable individual who did her best to earn her subject's love and respect. In the end, it wasn't enough.

[LucyLovettLestrange]

In real life and right before she was executed, she had accidentally stepped on the executioners foot, and she told him, “I did not do it on purpose.” The last and final words of Marie Antoinette.

[johnsteigerwald]

Her position in France was to look pretty, have many babies, spread charity, and set the fashions of the court. Her opinion was rarely consulted in matters of state. I don't think she knew how bad it was until the mobs descended on Versailles

[bobandlucas]

I must be sleeping during history class in school as I thought this happened during the middle ages.
Now knowing that it happened in18th century
Sent chills through me.

[lianat]

When I learned what Marie Antoinette's last words were I was overcome by a huge wave of sadness and compassion but also fascination. I think that very few people would have apologized to the person who is about to behead you. This politeness a few moments before her own death shows me that she was absolutely not a bad person but also that she left with dignity. She maintained her royal demeanour to the end. Life wasn’t easy for her, she was still a child when she was married and became the wife at the king's side in a country which was foreign to her. Then she lost her children, her husband and was finally executed. She didn’t deserve such a death at all.

[LJB]

I mentioned this in another clip from this movie: Christopher Lee who plays the executioner actually witnessed the last public execution by guillotine in France in 1939 when he was 17.

[sofiachaves]

i don't believe she was good as a queen (my opinion) but as a person, i kinda think that was a cruel destiny to someone such as her

[madam-mint]

Marie and Louis the 16th (or was it 17th? Sorry, I mix up the numbers) really weren’t bad people. Not at all. They were two teenagers thrust into a role that was too big for them. They were basically strapped to a ticking time bomb with only a couple years before it exploded.

[anglbby]

I hope everyone knows that she was about 18 when she became queen. 18 year olds usually don’t care about politics, so there is a reason to feel sorry for her.

[melodyaustria]

She was teenager when she got married and barely 20 when she became a queen and she was the youngest female born into their family.

[PurpleQueen]

How can anyone expect a teenager to be responsible and pay attention to politics? I am never interested in politics it’s just filled with foolish people doing things for their own selfish end.

[KaythatsGorey]

honestly, the whole buildup felt so real and terrifying

[MistressTomoe]

I'm actually very surprised that Marie kept herself calm and bravely walked to the guillotine, without any tears or screaming. To think, she already got numerous dirty made-up fake stories from not only those cruel and thoughtless citizens, but even from nobilities (except her best friends and family). Marie even tried to help those people, even though she still hadn't even got a chance to learn about those poor status of a country. But people always hated her for just being Austrian. Even from the prisoner life, she wroted a letter, *"I'm alright. It's not their fault. After all, I am not dying for doing guiltiness."* And as you know, her final word was when she stepped executor's foot, and said "Forgive me sir, I never meant to do this." Even in the end, she never bragged or faulted anyone. Her majestic and braveness was shown even on her end. She is definitely the *Innocent Princess with too Pure Heart, who was sacrificed for Nation.*

[jackster]

The Queen of France: **literally is about to get executed in front of everyone**

Toymakers: I N V E S T

[wirthmart]

One of the biggest shames in history. Blessed be her loving memory.

[johnodonnell]

Interesting fact…The executioner was played by Christopher Lee who, while visiting Paris in 1939, witnessed the last execution by guillotine in France.

[andrew_koala]

Re-written edited text:
; Marie Antoinette, born Thursday 2 November 1775 –
; executed by guillotine on Wednesday 16 October 1793
: 6558 Days -- 17 Years, 11 Months, 14 Days
; One of the most enduring images associated with the French Revolution
; is of Marie Antoinette facing her impending death - with disdain for
; the starving citizens of France. It’s a persisting myth that she said
; “Let them eat cake” – this quote was attributed to her 50 years after
; her death. However - her unpopularity in France was no tall tale.
; An Austrian princess - Marie Antoinette married the future King -
; Louis XVI when she was just 14 years of age.
; Their union was intended to cement an alliance between Austria and
; France - which had been at war for many years.

; Although initially charmed by this young princess - popular opinion
; soon turned sour and she became despised by the ordinary working-class
; French for her lavish spending and extravagance. She even commissioned
; a model village to be constructed at Versailles as her own personal
; retreat - which was widely seen as a mockery of peasant life.
; Rumours circulated that she was having a number of affairs and she
; began to embody everything that the revolutionaries hated about the
; Ancien Régime.

; After the royal family’s failed attempt to flee Paris in June 1791 -
; Antoinette spent the remaining months of her life in various prisons -
; and France’s declaration of war with Austria in April 1792 did nothing
; to help her situation.
; Her last prison - the Conciergerie - was infested with rats - and foul
; water ran through it from the nearby River Seine.

; The execution of Louis XVI saw the Queen’s two surviving children
; separated from her - including Louis-Charles - age 8 who was later
; made to testify against his mother at her trial.
; Nine months later - Marie Antoinette was brought before a tribunal
; and found guilty of treason.
; Marie Antoinette was guillotined on Wednesday 16 October 1793
; Her last words were an apology for standing on the foot of her
; executioner.
; Marie Antoinette’s body was thrown into an unmarked grave –
; her remains - and those of her husband - were exhumed in 1815
; and relocated to the Basilica of Saint-Denis.