The French Revolution | Part 1 | Marie Antoinette

The French Revolution is one of the great seismic events of global history. A devouring conflagration of bloodshed, violence and utopianism, it changed France and then latterly the whole of Europe forever. Yet, amidst the panoply of colossal, colourful names that defined this cataclysmic event, few have endured as iconically as that of Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France, who has in many ways come to embody the revolution in the popular imagination. Yet, from the moment of her arrival from Austria at the tender age of fifteen, Marie Antoinette was a contentious figure in France, with rumours circulating throughout her life of her insatiable sexual appetite and frivolity, her sapphic proclivities, and even her vampirism. But who was the real Marie Antoinette - voraciously decadent 'it' girl and snob or a well-meaning but naive scapegoat? Under what circumstances did she come to marry the Dauphin, the future Louis XVI, and to what extent did she truly spark the French Revolution, with her calls to “let them eat cake!”?

Join Tom and Dominic for the first instalment of their magnificent sweep through the outbreak and first years of the French Revolution, as they discuss the early life and character of one of its most celebrated and lambasted figures - an icon of style, a beacon of whimsical, bucolic giddiness, a rapacious monster - Marie Antoinette.

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*The Rest Is History LIVE in the U.S.A.*
If you live in the States, we've got some great news: Tom and Dominic will be performing throughout America in November, with shows in San Francisco, L.A., Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Boston and New York.

*The Rest Is History LIVE at the Royal Albert Hall*
Tom and Dominic, accompanied by a live orchestra, take a deep dive into the lives and times of two of history’s greatest composers: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven.

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Twitter:
@TheRestHistory
@holland_tom
@dcsandbrook

Producer: Theo Young-Smith
Assistant Producer: Tabby Syrett

[bookaufman]

I grew up poor in the Southern United States but my mother had a thing for trying to show us what she could show us of culture. The local supermarket had a series called the great artists and they had a different one every month. I believe there was something like 24 of them and my mother bought them all. The one that always stuck with me was The Death of Marat by David. It's still bouncing around in my mind today and every time I see something about the French revolution it's one of the first images I conjure up.

[restishistorypod]

Hello everyone!

Just to let you know, the last Fall of the Sioux episodes will be out in the coming weeks.

We wanted to ensure that the French Revolutions episodes are released as video around the same time as the audio version.

All the best,

The Rest is History Team.

[brynmorjames]

I’m in south China, in a city called Huizhou, drinking some Crozes-Hermitage and have just finished listening to your French Revolution series. I’m pretty speechless, what phenomenal drama you have unfolded, and with what clarity and style. Thanks guys. Vive The Rest Is History.

[bronwenperry]

Totally enjoying this series on the French Revolution ... have already listened to all 8 episodes ... and now re-listening to each one of them to see what detail I might have missed ... this series is a triumph😍 Thank you so much🙏🏽

[Springreverb]

Please do Lawrence of Arabia one day - I need to separate Peter O’Toole from the real man.

[lesblakeman]

Marie Antoinette is just like Ann Boleyn, wrong place, wrong time in a world dominated by men, be it male heirs or revolution, timing was everything, in fact, it still is

[felixaliaga]

The portrayal of Queen Marie Antoinette in the inauguration show of the Olympic Games in Paris last week was gross and offensive. Western Europe takes pride in banning death penalty, but then some people applaud the image of an innocent woman decapitated more than 200 years ago. That queen had no power over the government budget or politics. She was confined to the court etiquette. She was accused of crimes and obscenities she didn't commit. But she had to be killed, in the name of extremism (revolution) to please a bunch of (male) assassins, many of whom had the same end (ironies of destiny).

[excellentcomment]

I can never think of Marie Antoinette or the French Revolution without thinking of her little boy. Or rather shrinking from that thought.

[JJ_hehehehehe]

Good to see another episode back on YouTube!

[kevinpoole]

Ironically, Coppola’s film found its structure, and many of its most famous lines, from Lady Antonia Fraser’s magisterial 2001 biography of the tragic Queen.

I’ve just discovered your channel—oh, happy day! Thank you from the United States. 🇫🇷🇦🇹🇺🇸

[excellentcomment]

Re hairstyles, Madame de Sevigne would send a doll with the hair in the latest style like the hurlu-burlu to her beloved daughter in the hinterlands of Provence (where her son-in-law served Louis XIV? as governor.)
To help her daughter stay au courrant.

I heard there used to be French scholars called sevignistes, Who were dedicated to the study of Madame de S's letters.

Could you do a series on Madame de Sevigne? So smart, virtuous, rich, industrious and funny. I always thought that she could be plopped down in our midst and prove how timeless human nature is. In her case, it's largely the good & refined side.

[terremototerry]

Stefan Zweig wrote a brilliant and scholarly historical novel about Marie Antionette that I highly recommend.

[stephenp]

I’m loving every second of this conversation. It’s so fulfilling. Thank you gentlemen.

[simonhodgett]

Given Marie Antoinette’s appearance at the long-running saga that was the Olympic Opening Ceremony, I think we can consider your proposition that she stands (in the popular mind) for the Revolution well and truly proved! Ps read Citizens when doing a historiography on the Terror at A-Level, such a good book!

[johnhealy]

Your podcast on the French revolution was an absolute tour de force ! It is amazing how Marie Antoinette has been so unfairly vilified particularly with an incorrect quotation having been attributed to her. I look forward to the next series in autumn. PS - when are you returning for a live show to Ireland ?

[gbickell]

Yes!
As always, pure gold.
Thank you

[frankieamsden]

During 10th grade world history class I was chosen to play Marie Antoinette during a staged trial. My teacher told me before I took the stand that there was no evidence Marie Antoinette actually said "let them eat cake". When the question came up I forgot this. I used as my defense that as queen I didn't even know where the palace kitchens were much less that the same ingredients that made bread made cake and that my comment wasn't out of malice but out of ignorance. I then asked the person questioning me if they knew how to make bread.

[chrisoj]

I love how Dominics got all his books facing forward😂

[dhj]

YT algorithm recommended you, listened 10 minutes, subscribed. Excellent show, looking forward to exploring your catalog!

[hardingtoplis]

I've just stumbled upon this channel and have already watched five videos. Very impressed and hope this channel gains the much wider audience that it deserves.