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Position:Home>History> Queen Marie Antoinette?Question: Queen Marie Antoinette!? I know that people didn't like her during her time!.!.!. and that she wasn't really a good queen!. But was there anything she did, even just one thing!.!.!. that hinted that she could have been an effective queen!? Aside from the fact that she kept spending her money everywhere and that she lived such a luxurious life!.!. and spent the people's money (was that even true)!.!.
Please put references!. I really need them!.!.!. thank you!.^^Www@QuestionHome@Com Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Following the traditions of French Royal consorts, Marie Antoinette had little political influence at court!. Combined with the fact that there was was still a large anti-Austrian sentiment in France at the time of her marriage to the Dauphin, and the fact that she rarely had an interest in politics, Marie Antoinette would exercise little political influence and have few say in the formation of government policies during her reign!. Her successes were mostly in the fashion and artistic areas!. She was a great trendsetter at the time when France was considered the centre of high fashion in Europe!. When Marie Antoinette came out with a new dress or hairstyle, it was quickly copied by other women at the French court, and by wealthy women and women of the aristocracy all over Europe!. She was a great patron of the arts as well, funding many academies and patronizing many artists and architects!. She also made it a goal to dedicate a large portion of her annual budget to various charities!. Her greatest success was probably galvanizing the French people against the monarchy!. Although it can be argued whether she was responsible for the many excesses she was accused of committing, she nonetheless managed to sway public opinion towards hatred of the monarchy, which was one of the leading causes of the French Revolution!. Hope this helps, Peace!Www@QuestionHome@Com Marie Antoinette was one of those unfortunate individuals who was put into a position for which she was wretchedly unqualified!. As a person, she was quite ordinary and would have been much better suited for the life of a private gentlewoman!. She was fond of children, sentimental, and loyal to her friends!. It was her bad luck to be used, as were most princesses, as a dynastic pawn!. She probably wouldn't have gotten such a bad reputation if it weren't for the sexual difficulties she and her husbannd experienced during the early years of their marriage!. For medical reasons, Prince Louis (later Louis XVI) wasn't able to fully complete the marital act until some time after their marriage, at least five years!. In fact; he had already ascended the throne before this was accomplished!. Had they been able to start a family shortly following their wedding, Marie Antoinette would probably have been so concerned with her children that she wouldn't have indulged in the frivolous and extravagant behavior that led to her gaining such a bad reputation!. Most people nowadays dismiss the wild stories of her having multiple lovers, both male and female (although there is strong evidence for her having had an affair with a Swedish count, Axel de Fersen) as just that, stories!. And she never said "Let them eat cake!." The true irony lies in the fact that, as the monarchy was teetering, she finally showed some aptitude for statecraft, but ny then it was a classic case of too little, too late!. I'd highly recommend the excellent biography of Marie Antoinette by Antonia Fraser entitled Marie Antoinette: The Journey!. Www@QuestionHome@Com |