Marie Antoinette Part I

Marie Antoinette was the last queen of France under the old regime and was one of the victims of the French Revolution.   She was of Austrian birth, the daughter of the Empress Maria Theresa, and was christened Maria Antonia.  She was always intended for a diplomatic marriage… but her education did not prepare her very well for such a life.  Her education focussed on accomplishments but also on languages.. and she did not learn easily, though she was a talented musician.  When a small child, she met Mozart, then a child prodigy…
She was born in 1755 and at the age of 15 she was married to Louis, Duc de Berry, grandson and heir to Louis XV of France.  The French and Austrians had been habitual enemies but Maria Theresa wished to form an alliance against Prussia and Britain, which was becoming a great power.  France was in something of a decline, and the alliance was cemented with the marriage...
Maria Antonia was re named Marie Antoinette and went to France to marry him at Versailles.  Louis was a shy, awkward young man, not much older than his bride and sexually inexperienced.. Unlike most of the Bourbon males who usually tended to be rampant womanisers.
   He had been reared in a very religious manner and his father, the Dauphin had been a rather prudish and very religious man, reacting against the promiscuity and selfishness of his father Louis XV.  
The Duc of Berry was also in reaction against his grandfather, and preferred to spend his time at manual practical tasks, such as helping builders and craftsmen, and reading about practical skills… He was not a man of strong character, and knew little of politics.   He was prepared to love his young bride but he disapproved of the influence that royal mistresses had had on previous kings and he disapproved of frivolity and pleasure seeking.   So he had reservations about his new bride's light hearted rather silly nature.  In his diary, he made a brief record about the wedding night “Rien”… which signified that the marriage had not been consummated.
More to follow later....