Marie antoinette biography french revolution facts

Marie Antoinette (1755–93) is one of the most famous figures in French history.

Marie antoinette biography french revolution facts

Married to the future King Louis XVI while still a teenager, the Austrian-born queen is mainly remembered today for her expensive tastes and apparent disregard for the plight of her subjects, which only served to fuel the French Revolution.

But how much of what we think we know about Marie Antoinette is actually true?

Here are 10 key facts about the royal – from her childhood in Vienna, to the guillotine.

1. Marie Antoinette belonged to a large family

Maria Antonia Josepha Joanna (as she was originally known) was born on 2 November 1755 at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna.

The daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Francis I and his wife, Empress Maria Theresa, the archduchess was the 15th and penultimate child born to the couple.

Having such a large brood was politically useful, particularly for the Habsburg empress, who used her children’s marriages to forge Austria’s diplomatic ties with the other royal hou