The Most Hated Woman In French History? Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Although Marie Antoinette is most infamously known as the Queen of France, she was originally native to which country?

Answer: Austria

Marie-Antoinette's birth name was Maria Antonia. She was born to the Holy Roman Emperor Francis I and his wife Maria Theresa. When it was arranged that she was to marry Louis XVI, she had to cross a river into France. But first she had to go to a neutral island in the middle of the river, and rid herself of all her Austrian possessions before being received by French messengers.

2. Which King was Marie-Antoinette married to?

Answer: Louis XVI

Before he became king, Louis XVI was known as Dauphin Louis-Auguste. He was described as being shy and had no romantic relationships prior to that with Marie-Antoinette. Both of them had only a vague idea of what sex was, so it's no wonder that they remained childless for the first seven years of their marriage.

3. Before becoming queen, Marie-Antoinette spent her first years at Versailles as the dauphine. The reigning king was Louis XV. Louis XV had a mistress who went about making Marie-Antoinette's life as miserable as possible. Who was this woman?

Answer: Madame du Barry

Marie-Antoinette disliked Madame du Barry because she felt that Madame du Barry was beneath her. Madame du Barry, in response, began turning the king against Marie-Antoinette and even went so far as to tip a bucket of water over Marie-Antoinette's head as she passed under a window.

4. Marie-Antoinette was greatly disliked at Versailles and throughout France mainly because of her extravagant life style. Marie- Antoinette went about spending huge amounts of money, since she had no idea of its real value. Soon, illegal presses angry about Marie- Antoinette began printing pamphlets illustrating her in the act of adultery. What was the title of the first pamphlet printed?

Answer: Les Amours de Charlot et Antoinette

The title is named so because the rumour spreading was that Marie Antoinette was sleeping with her brother-in-law, Charles, the Comte d'Artois. Later pamphlets went on to say that the Queen was a lesbian and indulged in bestiality. Although the pamphlets were libel, they did weaken the Queen's popularity with the people.

5. To escape her responsibilities as Queen and life in the royal court, Marie-Antoinette began spending time at a small ch�teau on the palace grounds. What was the name of this ch�teau?

Answer: Petit Trianon

Everything at Le Petit Trianon was by order of the Queen. No one was even allowed on to the property without the Queen's invitation, not even Louis XVI. Only a select few of Marie-Antoinette's friends were allowed inside.

6. Another of Marie-Antoinette's favorite retreats was also on the grounds of Versailles. At this "small hamlet", Marie Antoinette could enjoy living the rustic life of a peasant, with the luxuries of being Queen. What was the name of Marie Antoinette's cottage dwelling?

Answer: Le Petit Hameau

The small village was simple and rustic, with a landscaped pond nearby. But inside, it featured the luxurious life of the Queen. It is said that the Queen would dress as a milkmaid and milk docile cows. Mock rusticity was quite popular among French aristocrats at the time.

7. Known for her expensive life style and carefree gambling, Marie- Antoinette was nicknamed this by the people of France: Madame _________?

Answer: D�ficit

France had aided the American Colonies in their Revolution, which had increased the deficit of France. During this time, the Queen commissioned portraits to be made of her to help increase her popularity. When people noticed the Queen's extravagant costume in the portrait, they began calling her "Madame D�ficit".

8. At the height of a bread shortage in Paris, Marie-Antoinette allegedly made a sarcastic remark at the expense of the French people. "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche!"----"Let them eat _______!"

Answer: cake

This quote was most likely misinterpreted. Cake at this time was actually a word for French bread with less flour. So the Queen was not joking at the people's expense. She is even quoted as saying in reference to the bread shortage "It is quite certain that in seeing the people who treat us so well despite their own misfortune, we are more obliged than ever to work hard for their happiness."

9. When a crowd of women, angry at the bread shortages, began to march on Versailles and remove the royal family, they demanded that Marie- Antoinette come out on the balcony. When she came out, she bowed her head to the crowd that was pointing muskets at her. What did some of the crowd begin yelling in response?

Answer: "Vive la Reine!" ("Long live the Queen!")

Some of the mob was so impressed with her bravery that they began to cheer "Long live the Queen". Even though they may have been impressed, the mob still forced the Royal Family to leave Versailles and go to Paris, where they were imprisoned.

10. This palace-turned-prison, located on the �le de la Cit�,is where Marie-Antoinette was imprisoned during the months before her execution.

Answer: La Conciergerie

The Conciergerie was built by King Philip IV. During the French Revolution, it was known as the "antechamber to the guillotine" and was the location of many of the prisoners-to-be-executed during the Reign of Terror. One of its other prisoners was Madame du Barry. Today, the Conciergerie is still used for judicial purposes.

11. Marie Antoinette's prison number was No. 280.

Answer: True

When she was imprisoned, she was referred to by many derogatory names including: "Prisoner No. 280", "The Widow Capet" (after Hugh Capet, founder of the Capetian Dynasty), or just "Antoinette Capet". During the reign of her husband, she was even called "The Austrian Whore".

12. Before the Revolution, a scandal occurred in which Marie-Antoinette was suspected of masterminding a plot that involved a devious Comtesse, a stolen necklace, a royal jeweller, and an ambitious Cardinal. This was called The Affair of the ___________, and was used by the jury to further condemn the Queen.

Answer: Necklace

The ambitious Cardinal de Rohan hoped to gain the favor of Marie- Antoinette. His mistress, the Comtesse de la Motte, created a plan which would gain her a small fortune. She persuaded the Cardinal that buying a diamond necklace for the Queen would win him favor.

When the Comtesse went to buy the necklace with the Cardinal's 2 million livres, she convinced the jeweller that the royal family would pay them back, thereby disappearing with both the necklace and the money. It was thought that Marie-Antoinette masterminded the whole plan, but was never confirmed. Even so, the Queen became even more unpopular with the people of France because of it.

13. Where was Marie Antoinette executed?

Answer: La Place de la Concorde

This famous square in Paris was also known as La Place de la R�volution. This was where the main guillotine was erected and many other notable people have been executed there besides Marie Antoinette, including her husband, Louis XVI and her enemy, Madame du Barry. It stands at the eastern end of the Champs-�lys�es. At the other end is the Arc de Triomphe.

14. Marie-Antoinette was executed before her husband, Louis XVI, was executed.

Answer: False

Louis XVI was condemned for treason and sentenced to death nearly nine months before Marie Antoinette. It is said that "When she heard the crowds cheer her husband's death, Marie-Antoinette collapsed to the ground, unable to speak." She never recovered after her husband's death.

15. On October 16, 1793 at 12:15, Marie Antoinette was carted through the streets of Paris to the guillotine. As she reached the guillotine, the priest with her said "This is the moment, Madame, to arm yourself with ___________."?

Answer: Courage

In response to the priest, Marie-Antoinette smiled and said "Courage? The moment when my troubles are going to end is not the moment when my courage is going to fail me." Her alleged last words were "Monsieur, I ask your pardon. I did not do it on purpose," which she said after stepping on the executioner's foot.

After the execution, her head was shown to the cheering crowd and her body was dumped in a mass grave. Later, royalists removed her body and properly lay it to rest in the Bourbon Dynasty crypt in Paris.

Source: Author club_soda

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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This quiz is about none other than Marie-Antoinette, the infamous Queen of France before and during the French Revolution.

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