At that time the country of France was broke and the ordinary people resented the wealth of the royal family as they themselves were poor and hungry. The royal family lived an extravagant lifestyle, feasting, hunting etc.
Marie Antoinette was especially unpopular with the French people as she herself had a reputation of extravagance and she spent huge sums of money on expensive clothes, jewellery and food. She was also from Austria, France's traditional enemy.
Her youngest child was a daughter called Sophie Beatrix Hélène (born on July 9th 1786 and died on June 19th 1787). From the beginning of her life on, it was clear that the baby was of very weak health and would probably not live very long. Therefore, one of the doctors told Marie Antoinette not to grow to attached to the baby, for it would not live long. Her only reaction to that cold comment was "Don't forget that she would have been my friend". Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI were both devastated by the death of their baby girl.
Louis XVI was a weak and indecisive man. He tried to do some reforms but it was too little and too late. He failed to control his wife's spending.
King Louis XVI was weak and Queen Marie Antoinette spent money like it was nothing. Neither was a good ruler when the people were starving. They were like Tsar Nicholas when the Revolution occurred in Russia in 1917. They were proof that appointing rulers based on bloodline, hereditary, did not work.
She was a patient wife to an uninterested king, a devoted mother, and a courageous queen. Marie Antoinette's major achievement: the amazing redecoration of her apartments in the various royal palaces, and her enlightened patronage of some of the greatest artisans and cabinetmakers who ever lived.
his brother ruled
Her youngest child was a daughter called Sophie Beatrix Hélène (born on July 9th 1786 and died on June 19th 1787). From the beginning of her life on, it was clear that the baby was of very weak health and would probably not live very long. Therefore, one of the doctors told Marie Antoinette not to grow to attached to the baby, for it would not live long. Her only reaction to that cold comment was "Don't forget that she would have been my friend". Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI were both devastated by the death of their baby girl.
Louis XVI was a weak and indecisive man. He tried to do some reforms but it was too little and too late. He failed to control his wife's spending.
Like Charles Dickens wrote about the French Revolution in his A Tale of Two Cities: "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.." After the rule of King Louis XV, France was left in bad condition - bad economy, food shortages, famines -- he was one of the most hated Royals in European history. Things got worse when the throne was left to his son, King Louis XVI and his Queen Marie Antoinette. Louis XVI passed reforms but they failed and things got worse. After this, the King basically "checked out" from the day-to-day rule. Besides that, King Louis XVI was an indecisive leader and weak. The king and Marie Antoinette were teenagers and Marie was a partygirl. France was starving while Marie was throwing lavish parties and living in frivolity. This is where we get the infamous quote (although often misquoted to Marie Antoinette who didn't say it) "the peasants have no bread. Let them eat cake. Qu'ils mangent de la brioche." And in the Age of the Enlightenment, the people had enough. And it wasn't just the king of France, it was the whole House of Bourbon. Everybody was dying to the guillotine.
King Louis XVI was weak and Queen Marie Antoinette spent money like it was nothing. Neither was a good ruler when the people were starving. They were like Tsar Nicholas when the Revolution occurred in Russia in 1917. They were proof that appointing rulers based on bloodline, hereditary, did not work.
Heueueheh
She was a patient wife to an uninterested king, a devoted mother, and a courageous queen. Marie Antoinette's major achievement: the amazing redecoration of her apartments in the various royal palaces, and her enlightened patronage of some of the greatest artisans and cabinetmakers who ever lived.
Leaders with a lack of self-confidence appear weak in front of their team. Weak leaders are hard to follow and hard to respect.
For the same reason most citizens rebel against an autocratic ruler. However, in France, things were considerably dreadful. Like Charles Dickens wrote about the French Revolution in his A Tale of Two Cities: "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.." After the rule of King Louis XV, France was left in bad condition - bad economy, food shortages, famines -- he was one of the most hated Royals in European history. Things got worse when the throne was left to his son, King Louis XVI and his Queen Marie Antoinette. Louis XVI passed reforms but they failed and things got worse. After this, the King basically "checked out" from the day-to-day rule. Besides that, King Louis XVI was an indecisive leader and weak. The king and Marie Antoinette were teenagers and Marie was a partygirl. France was starving while Marie was throwing lavish parties and living in frivolity. This is where we get the infamous quote (although often misquoted to Marie Antoinette who didn't say it) "the peasants have no bread. Let them eat cake. Qu'ils mangent de la brioche." And in the Age of the Enlightenment, the people had enough. And it wasn't just the king of France, it was the whole House of Bourbon. Everybody was dying to the guillotine.
The federal government was too weak...
no leaders
* He strengthened the monarchy after a series of weak leaders.
no leaders