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Marie Antoinette Facts & Worksheets

Maria Josepha Johanna, popularly known as Marie Antoinette, born on November 2, 1755 and died on October 16, 1793, was the last Queen of France before the French Revolution.

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Maria Josepha Johanna, popularly known as Marie Antoinette, born on November 2, 1755 and died on October 16, 1793, was the last Queen of France before the French Revolution. She was known to provoke the French populace that led to the Revolution that overthrew the monarchy in August 1792.

See the fact file below for more information on the Marie Antoinette, or alternatively, you can download our 21-page Marie Antoinette worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

GENERAL FACTS

  • Marie Antoinette became the symbol of the excess wealth of the monarchy.
  • She was famous for the quote ”Let them eat cake,” however, there is no evidence she actually said it.
  • Marie Antoinette was beheaded at the age of 37 for being the consort or wife of King Louis XVI. She was executed 9 months after the king.
  • Marie Antoinette was frequently insulted and lampooned on pamphlets during the 1780’s.
  • She was often accused of ignorance, extravagance, and adultery.
  • She was dubbed as “Madame Deficit” in some cartoons.
  • There is no evidence proving that Marie Antoinette actually said the famous quote “Let them eat cake.” However, the story goes like this: when the people had no bread to eat around the start of the French Revolution in 1789, she commented “qu’ils mangent de la brioche.”
  • The brioche she was allegedly referring to, was not actually cake, but a fancy type of French bread.

FAMILY AND EARLY LIFE

  • Marie Antoinette’s birthplace was at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria.
  • Being born on November 2, 1755 meant being born on All Souls Day, where everything was black.
  • Therefore, Marie Antoinette celebrated her birthday on the eve, which was All Saints Day.
  • She was the 15th and last child of Maria Theresa, empress of Austria, and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I.
  • Born with a silver spoon in her mouth, she lived, of course, a carefree childhood.
  • Marie Antoinette was educated like any other 18th-century aristocratic girl, with a type of education that mostly focused on religious and moral principles.
  • Marie Antoinette’s brothers, however, studied on more academic matters.
  • She spent her formative years between the Hofburg Palace and Schönbrunn Palace, in Hietzing, Vienna.

MARIE ANTOINETTE & LOUIS XVI

  • In order to maintain or preserve the fragile ties of Austria and France after the end of the Seven Years’ War, which was Empress Maria Theresa’s priority in 1763, a marriage was established between the royal families of the two nations. Hence, the marriage of Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI.
  • Louis was dauphin de France, also known as Louis Ferdinand, son of King Louis XV, who died in 1765.
  • Louis Auguste, the king’s grandson, became the future King Louis XVI; the heir to the French throne and pledged to marry Marie Antoinette.
    Mary Antoinette set out for France in May 1770.
  • She was escorted by 57 carriages, 117 footmen, and 376 horsed.
  • Marie Antoinette and Louis-Auguste were officially married on May 16, 1770. Marie Antoinette was only 14 years old.
  • Marie Antoinette was often homesick and did not adjust well to the married life.
  • She was only 19 years old when she reigned as the Queen of France, as King Louis XV died in 1774 and Louis-Auguste succeeded his throne.
  • The relationship Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette had was not that complementary.
  • Louis XVI was an introverted person while Marie Antoinette loved partying at night, a vivacious and extravagant person.
  • Marie Antoinette owned a private castle named Petit Trianon, in which she spent more time in 1780, without the company of the king.
  • This was the time when rumors started about her relationship with a Swedish diplomat, Count Axel von Fersen.

THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

  • The French Revolution broke out on July 14, 1789.
  • 900 French workers and peasants barricaded the Bastille prison, taking arms and ammunition.
  • Later, on October 6, a crowd of 10,000 gathered outside the Palace of Versailles and demanded that the king and queen be brought to Paris.
  • King Louis XVI was shocked due to the peasants’ plight, which caused Marie Antoinette to take his place.
  • The Queen met with advisers and ambassadors and dispatched urgent letters to other European rulers asking to help France’s monarchy.
  • In June 1791, Marie Antoinette and her lover, Count Axel Von Fersen, attempted to escape France.
  • However, they were captured and returned to Paris.
  • King Louis XVI drafted a new constitution that would at least keep his symbolic power.
  • However Maximilien de Robespierre, the powerful Jacobin leader, called for the king’s removal.
  • The monarchy was abolished in September 1792 and the French Republic was established. The king and queen were arrested.

DEATH

  • King Louis XVI was sent to the guillotine in January 1793, after he was convicted for treason and condemned to death.
  • Marie Antoinette’s execution followed nine months after the king’s execution. She was also sent to the guillotine, on October 16, 1793.

Marie Antoinette Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Marie Antoinette across 21 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Marie Antoinette worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Marie Antoinette, born on November 2, 1755 and died on October 16, 1793, who was the last Queen of France before the French Revolution. She was known to provoke the French populace that led to the Revolution that overthrew the monarchy in August 1792.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Marie Antoinette Facts
  • Marie Antoinette’s Memoir
  • Sequencing Events
  • True or False
  • Who is King Louis XVI?
  • The French Revolution
  • According to Antoinette
  • Fashion Icon
  • Madame Deficit Cartoon
  • Picture Narrative
  • France: Before and After

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