On 2 November 1755, at half past eight in the evening, the future Queen of France, Marie Antoinette, was born. She was the 15th child of Maria Theresa, Holy Roman Empress and Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor. It was announced that “Her Majesty has been happily delivered of a small but completely healthy Archduchess.” As [read more]
Marie Antoinette’s unpopularity largely stemmed from her extravagance, and she had been largely popular when she arrived in France in 1770. Her so-called frivolity began when she was still in a precarious relationship with her husband. As their marriage remained unconsummated and Marie Antoinette endured the taunts of the court, she only saw one way [read more]
As the news of Marie Antoinette’s execution spread across Europe, reactions poured in. Her niece Archduchess Marianne, the daughter of Emperor Leopold II, who had been born the day Marie Antoinette left for France, wrote to the Bishop of Nancy, “Monseigneur, I heard of the unfortunate Queen’s death in some black-sealed letters I received from [read more]
On 15 October 1783, Marie Antoinette was taken to the Tribunal Hall shortly before 8 a.m. She wore the same dress as the day before. Once again, witnesses were called, but this time, Marie Antoinette was given a more comfortable chair. She tapped her fingers on the arm of the chair, which gave an “appearance [read more]
Marie Antoinette’s early life was centred around music, and the arrival of a musical prodigy would have been cause for much excitement. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was just six years old when he, his father and his sister, visited the imperial family at Schönbrunn. Marie Antoinette was just three months older than the prodigy. On 13 [read more]
Sisi & I (original title Sisi & Ich) is a German-language historical black comedy starring Susanne Wolff as Empress Elisabeth of Austria and Sandra Hüller as Countess Irma Sztáray. Although Irma really did serve as Elizabeth’s lady-in-waiting, the film is largely fiction. It begins as the 42-year-old spinster Irma is presented in a bright pink [read more]
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