#7 The Deepest Thoughtlessness Vol.2
The crossover was about to come for Marie Antoinette. This edition will analyze how history can rapidly and drastically change from the finest castles to the vilest.
Marie Antoinette was fully settled at Trianon. She barely visited Versailles, only during the late nights after having enjoyed a proper gala either at Trianon or somewhere in a nobility palace in Paris, with the main purpose to come back to her playground at Trianon as soon as possible. Preferably before Louis awoke, indeed. Yet, the few times she visited Paris were for the fun. Nevertheless, in her last days on earth will notice what a parisian street looked like.
The downfall of The Queen started with a stolen necklace whose acquisition was performed under scam practices in which Marie took an active role throughout the purchase process. The necklace episode becomes the first flame that would lead to the beginning of Marie Antoinette's public life setback.
In the meantime, Marie Antoinette started bringing kids to life. Plus, it started an adventure with the unforgettable and most beloved Axel von Fersen, a Swedish earl that stayed in Marie Antoinette's memory to the last end.
With Marie Antoinette being fully focused on her hectic private life with uncountable parties and lovers, and with a husband strictly dedicated to hunting and food, the people who did not own large amounts of either lands or wealth started struggling.
Something I learned after having read this book, or at least, contrary to what secondary school teachers teach in their vague history classes, is the main role of the Nobility and certain royal relatives had in starting the movement that would trigger the death of both: Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. The French Revolution cannot be comprehended without the eagerness of power that The Earl of Provence and The Duke of Orleans aimed to amass. The first one will be Louis XVII someday.
The eagerness of power of such relatives, plus economic crisis, debt balance for the country, the increase of prices, deep starves for the people and the worst absolutism where our main characters did not figure out the disgraces and starvation of people would unchain the movement: The Revolution.
While in my view I attribute The Revolution to the hardships of people, there is a fake belief stating that the birth of the Revolution is found in the illustrated ideas developed by Voltaire, Rosseau or Montesquieu. Do not get me wrong, those intellectuals brought cutting–edge ideas that still rule in the world we live in, and its developments and contributions were primary notorious in the aftermath of The Revolution, but, at that time, people´s main priority was to take a piece of bread to their mouth.
The germ was sown, The Revolution was about to come and 1789 would bring historical developments: the opening of State Generals and people's representation in the power, the arrival of the freedom of the press, and most notably the so–called Prise de la Bastille.
Likewise, it is particularly highlighted the role of eight thousand women who attempted the taking over of Versailles. The walking started from Paris and when it reached Versailles, the horde claimed for the turning back of the Royal Family to Paris. The mob made it and Marie Antoinette would be living its last moments in Versailles. The journey to Paris seemed a hearse, of course, captained by the nailed head of the murdered guardians over a lance. A destiny that would not be drastically different from just how she will end.
To be continued.
The next episode will cover the last days of Marie Antoinette with a special emphasis on her trial.