“History’s Biggest Scapegoat”
Marie Antoinette, France’s last queen before the Revolution, is often remembered more for the scandals and accusations surrounding her than for her true character.
From her arrival in France as a young Austrian archduchess to her tragic death at the guillotine, she became the embodiment of all that was wrong with the monarchy. However, much of the hatred directed at her was based on rumors, propaganda, and outright lies.
Here’s how the media and public opinion turned Marie Antoinette into one of history’s biggest scapegoats — and how the tactics used against her in the 18th century are surprisingly similar to those used in modern times…
Sexual Promiscuity
When Marie Antoinette became queen in 1774, she quickly became the target of vicious rumors. Pamphlets and caricatures depicted her as sexually promiscuous, a tactic employed by her political enemies to undermine both her influence and the monarchy itself. This portrayal was not just about discrediting her personally, but was also aimed at eroding the respect and authority of the institution she represented.
Spending & Extravagance
Over time, the French media carefully crafted Marie Antoinette’s reputation as a spendthrift, even giving her the nickname “Madame Déficit”. As France’s financial situation worsened, she was unfairly blamed for the country’s economic troubles.
While she did enjoy a certain degree of luxury, the financial crisis in France was far more complex, and rooted in issues far beyond her spending. The portrayal of Marie Antoinette as the one responsible for France’s financial woes was a convenient narrative, but a grossly inaccurate one. Though somewhat lavish, her personal spending was but a small fraction of the total royal budget — and insignificant in the face of ballooning national debt (already out of control before her time).
The Diamond Necklace Affair
In 1785, she was implicated in the infamous Diamond Necklace Affair, a scandal involving the fraudulent purchase of an expensive necklace. Despite having no involvement in the affair whatsoever (much less even knowing about it), she was vilified by the media, and her reputation was irreparably damaged.
Even back then, one’s reputation could easily be destroyed by false accusations — especially when the media chose to play along.
Treason & Espionage
Marie Antoinette was Austrian by birth, and this fact was never forgotten. Since Austria was a historical enemy of France, Marie Antoinette was regularly accused of treason and conspiring with foreign powers. As political tensions between France and Austria escalated during the revolution, French revolutionaries exploited her foreign origins to paint her as a traitor and an enemy of the state — thus further solidifying her role as a scapegoat for France’s problems.
“Let Them Eat Cake”
One of the most enduring myths about Marie Antoinette is the infamous quote “Let them eat cake,” which she supposedly said upon hearing that the peasants had no bread.
Yet this claim is easily debunked, since it originates as a story in Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s 1782 Confessions (when Marie Antoinette was nine years old and never yet stepped foot in France) — and many historians believe that even Rousseau was referring to a legend already in circulation.
Nonetheless, this myth still became a powerful piece of revolutionary propaganda, symbolizing Marie Antoinette’s alleged indifference to the suffering of the poor — and it’s a misconception that endures to this day.
Symbol of Tyranny
As the Revolution gained momentum, Marie Antoinette was increasingly depicted as the embodiment of the corrupt Ancien Régime. Revolutionary propaganda in the form of cartoons and illustrations portrayed her as a tyrant, erasing any sympathy the public might have had for her. The dehumanization of Marie Antoinette was a deliberate strategy to ensure she was seen not as a person, but as the face of an oppressive system that must be overthrown.
But these would all come to look tame next to what was about to be thrown at her…
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