July 2, 2010 9:34 AM
The truth about Marie Antoinette
A few weeks ago I used Marie Antoinette in the formulaic way Americans do. A reader cared enough to write me to correct the record by sharing some insights into the real Marie Antoinette.
I stand corrected and have to remind myself as a Catholic convert that all I know of history is open to re-examination (as when I read The Catholic Experience in America to see beyond the Protestant history I learned in school (because I'm that old) and while teaching my own children at home.
Hope you find this intriguing. I plan to check the books Kathy recommends out of the library soon.
Dear Barbara -First of all, I want to say a huge THANK YOU for your awesome blog. I am a busy mom (aren't all moms? LOL) and I don't have time to keep up with all of the political shenanigans in our country. Your political posts keep me informed in a quick and simple way - one stop shopping! :) I appreciate how you take the time to check your sources and correct or amend posts as necessary.
In a similar vein, I wanted to alert you to something as a fellow Catholic. In a post today, you said:
"both he and Michelle both consider themselves entitled to a rich aristocratic self-indulgent life style - a la France's Marie Antoinette or......"
I couldn't just let that sit. It seems to be commonly held that Marie Antoinette was a decadent, insensitive, ditzy snob who cared not one whit for the suffering populace of France. I know that is what I was always taught about her. Unfortunately, that is a very inaccurate picture of a complex person in a turbulent time. She was a devout Catholic woman, a devoted wife, loving mother and generous heart who had many lies spread about her by so called friends, jealous family and enemies for political and personal gains.
Barack Obama, on the other hand, well, I don't need to tell you what kind of person he is. Almost a polar opposite to the real Marie Antoinette.
I cannot articulate her defense as well as others - I am not an expert. But I have had my eyes opened over the past couple of years by reading the blog Tea at Trianon. It is the blog of Mary Eileen Russell, who writes under the pen name of Elena Maria Vidal (to honor her grandmother). Besides being a devoted Catholic, gracious and intelligent lady, she is an expert on Marie Antoinette and has written two novels pertaining to her biography - Trianon and Madame Royale. What I have learned about Marie Antoinette, the French Revolution, the Vendee, etc. has made me angry, actually. I have come to realize that my public school history education was nothing more than propaganda passed down from generation to generation. I guess it proves once again that people with agendas do write history books.
Knowing what I do now, it pains me to see people quoting Marie Antoinette as saying "Let them eat cake!" or other such lies. It is time for all of us to set the record straight and I sincerely hope that you will consider reading these books and perusing the Tea at Trianon blog. I know you will find it a very eye opening experience!
I almost forgot - Mary Eileen Russell gave an interview on the EWTN Bookmark show a couple of years ago They are posted on youtube and are fascinating. I think you will enjoy them.Part 1: Marie Antoinette Elena Maria Vidal Interview on EWTN
Part 2: Marie Antoinette Elena Maria Vidal Interview on EWTN
Part 3: Marie Antoinette Elena Maria Vidal Interview on EWTN
Barbara, thanks again for all you do. You are a gem!
Blessings,
Kathy
Posted in Catholicism, History | Permalink
Comments
WOW!! that is so interesting. I too had bought into the lie. And if Marie Antoinette was a devout Catholic it would make sense that she was slandered like that. I will definitely do my research on her and read on the books. I always stayed away from her images in my art because I believed she was an air head selfish woman who was oblivious to the things going on in her days.
WOW, definitely a wake up call... Prejudice and preconceived ideas are the worst shackles.
thanks again, Barbara for posting this and thanks to Kathy for taking the time to write to you. :)
tereza
Posted by: tereza crump AKA MyTreasuredCreations | July 2, 2010 11:24 AM
Happy Independence Day! Thank you, Barbara and thank you, Kathy. I am very grateful for the links. On my blog Tea at Trianon I am trying to collect accurate historical information about Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette, with some of the most popular articles kept on the right sidebar.
It was only after a great deal of research that I came to see how completely false is the common belief about the king and queen. But the demonization of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette in the popular mind is necessary in order to justify the excesses of the French Revolution. When people have a false and distorted view of history, then it is difficult for them to grasp the present, and almost impossible to meet the future with any kind of preparedness.
The French Revolution was not necessary, simply because it is never necessary to murder tens of thousands of people. Reform certainly was needed, but reform can happen without death. Louis XVI was an intrepid reformer. He was not afraid to break with the past and abolish outdated customs, while introducing new ways of doing things. Louis was not resistant to change, although that is how he is usually portrayed. The changes were slow but over time might have been effective, had the violent upheavals not swept everything away. Too often the violence is represented as a sad but unavoidable means of achieving freedom and democracy. For the French Revolution overturned not only the social order but it was ultimately an attack on the Church. Many Catholics were killed, especially those peasants who did not want their religion taken away.
I spoke about the King and Queen at the Eucharistic Convention in Auckland, New Zealand in April 2009, and will be speaking at the Catholic Writers Conference Live in Philadelphia this August. I am also looking forward to participating in a series on the History Channel. Please visit my website also at www.emvidal.com.
Posted by: elena maria vidal | July 2, 2010 1:19 PM
Thank you for posting this! I love hearing true stories and legacies corrected.
Posted by: Laura | July 4, 2010 10:23 AM
AMEN! GO GIRL!
So, I am one of those "devout protestants" but I tell you what... I love the queen and God bless you for setting the record straight for people who have not heard this perspective about her!
MERCI!
Posted by: angela Reed | July 13, 2010 11:57 PM
Elena-Maria is one of the most eminent authority's on the Queen-Martyr. Her writing about The Royal Family rings so true that it brought back memories of my own family life and is exactly the way the sisters taught me in school. With the knowledge of God, martyrdom is not a heavy burden.
This is a wonderful article. may I link to this article?
Richard
le Fleur de Lys too.
Posted by: Richard | July 15, 2010 9:40 AM
I'm really happy to see that not everyone believes the rumors about the Last Queen of France. I too was led to believe that the "evil Queen of France" did not care for her subjects, only for herself. To be honest I did not care much for her story, until I saw the recent movie which was made about her life. It blew me away how her subjects could behead her and cheer at her head being raised in the air for all to see. It make me grateful to live in a time where such a act is so gruesome it is unbearable. At least that's how I feel. So I too would like to speak up for my beloved Queen. I'm not an expert on her by all means, but I have read at least three books of her life and the good ole Wikipedia has provided me with the insight of how she really was. Caring, loyal, someone who would go without so others could have.I think it's time to re-write history and tell the real story of Marie Antoinette the last Queen of France.
Posted by: veroniva | September 14, 2010 3:55 PM
I was thinking about Marie Antoinette the other day. I was wondering.... Sometimes when situations are so terrible I must use humor to ease my own mind.
I was thinking, when they told her there was no bread for people to eat, could she have been joking because she couldn't fathom people were starving?
I guess we will never really know.
Posted by: Wendy | November 23, 2010 9:36 AM
