Throughout history one of the most sensational bedchambers which aroused so much curiosity that it became an inexhaustible source of gossip was beyond doubt the official bedchamber of the French Queen Marie Antoinette (1755-1793). At that time, the bedchamber was not yet so private as it is in our modern day understanding. On the contrary, in keeping with the etiquette of Versailles it was highly public and you had to live your life from the moment you wake up in front of a multitude of curious spectators which consisted of royal servants of many different ranks including charges, also members of the royal family and aristocracy.
Maria Antonia, the former the archduchess of Austria was married at the age of fifteen in 1770 to the Dauphin Louis Auguste, the grandson of the French King Louis XV. As her marriage was an arranged marriage to "cement the Franco-Austrian alliance", great things were expected from it and it was a great responsibility for a fifteenth year old girl. Her mother, the empress of Austria, Maria Theresa, had arranged marriages for all her children except her favorite daughter Maria Christina. (She had 16 children! and she said once that she was almost always pregnant throughout her life). Maria Christina was the only lucky child who could have a love marriage with her beloved mother's consent whereas all her brothers and sisters were forced into royal or dynastic alliances (sorry marriages :) ) The Austrian empress Maria Theresa was so authoritarian and controlling that she was expecting detailed letters from her daughters informing their 'indispositions' or periods which she nicknamed as 'Générale' ! Of course the arrival of the générale in a letter was not welcome by the empress since it was a sign that she was not pregnant. However, there was a much bigger problem than the arrival of the générale: The news of Marie Antoinette's unconsummated marriage!
Everything went as expected and according to the strict etiquette of Versailles until these two younglings who have met only days before were left alone. That is to say the Archbishop blessed the nuptial bed, Louis XV gave his grandson his nightgown and Marie Antoinette has received hers from Duchesse de Chartres when everyone who had the Rights of Entry was present in the bedchamber ( a very large number of spectators I must say!). They were handed into the bed again by the king and Duchesse de Chartres. Everyone bowed or curtsied and withdrew. On the next day, everyone was talking about the newly married couple and that they had not fulfill the expectations! Naturally, it was a huge disappointment for the empress who valued the marriage bed so much that all her life she has slept with her husband Emperor Francis Stephen. It was also quite a shock for the French king Louis XV who was always known to have a big appetite (for you know...)
Despite their warnings and encouragements(!) this situation continued like this for a long time. (I mean seriously a very long time-7 years!!!) Marie Antoinette had to cope with her mother's sharp tongue in her letters which was actually nothing compared to her audience she had to see everyday in Versailles. Her mother was saying her letters that it was her inability to 'inspire sexual passion in her husband' and 'everything depended on the wife'. As long as their marriage was not consummated their marriage could be annulled and the French king could favor instead dauphin's brother if his wive becomes pregnant before Marie Antoinette. She was quite aware of the seriousness of the situation and wanted to please her mother and the French king. For that end, she was trying to be tempting and to show interest in things her husband liked such as hunting. Marie Antoinette was indeed very patient towards her husband always loving and encouraging but never showing ill-humor.
There were different stories about their bedchamber. Stories that were claiming that Young Louis was impotent or physically disabled to 'perform the great accomplishment' and that the 'Autrichienne' was a frigid. The most widely known rumors that claimed she had lesbian tendencies or had affairs with other men (or women) were actually erotic fantasies which were made up stories in which you could not find a grain of truth. Cartoons and pornographic engravings that showed her alleged lesbian or heterosexual promiscuity were widely distributed in Paris. Actually these cartoons and pamphlets grew in number and became more aggressively accusing after the serious financial crisis in France on the eve of the revolution.
Actually Louis was paying visits to her wife's bedchamber and he was even attempting 'penetration' but somehow these attempts were not successful. So, imagine a young attractive girl aroused every-time with his husband's attempts but never reaches a happy ending. (lol) Neither court physician Dr. Lassonne's visits nor Empress Maria Theresa's warnings could bring victory. Meanwhile, Louis XV has died and the young dauphin became the new French king but the Queen was 'not deflowered yet'. The great work! was accomplished after Emperor Joseph (Antoinette's elder brother) paid a visit to Versailles and shared some advice with his brother-in-law Louis XVI. Since sources differ on what was Louis' problem I cannot say precisely what has changed in his situation. (Some say he was refusing to have an operation to get rid of his physical inability).
Their first child was a baby-girl Marie-Thérèse Charlotte. She was born in the famous bedchamber of the Queen which was very crowded at the time and had little oxygen for the queen herself. Marie-Thérèse was named after her grandmother the Austrian empress and given the honorific title at birth of 'Madame Royale'.
With the arrival of their first child, Louis XVI had presented her wife a new gift which meant 'freedom' for her: The Petit Trianon. She has redecorated this chateau which was actually built with the order of Louis XV for his mistress Madame de Pompadour and then occupied by his later mistress Madame du Barry (I'll write new entries for each of them). Although it was on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles, it was still far enough from the formalities of the court. She ran away to her beloved Petit Trianon at every turn. Later she also had ordered the construction of the Hameau, a rustic retreat in the park of Versailles which was a recreation of model village with its farmhouse, dairy, mill etc. These places served as a meeting place for the Queen and her friends such as Princesse Lamballe and Duchesse de Polignac. As you may expect, this has caused an increase in rumors and pornographic pamphlets known as libelles. Louis XVI's own brother, Princesse Lamballe and Duchesse de Polignac were among her supposed lovers but none of them actually was. But, Was she really completely innocent and devoted to her husband? I guess not :) It was widely known that she had an affair with handsome Count Axel Fersen from the Swedish Army. They first had met when she was still the dauphine of France and we know from his letters sent to his father that he was really attracted to the beautiful dauphine. Later when he has returned to France and she has become the new Queen they probably had an affair. There is no evidence of the consummation of this love. Yet especially the fact that the Queen has delivered her second son nine months after his visit is highly suspicious.
Additional info: The famous phrase " Let them eat cake" was never uttered by the Queen Marie Antoinette. The original French phrase "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche" was taken from Rousseau's Confessions claiming that it was uttered by 'a great princess'. Later it was attributed falsely to Marie Antoinette. Thus, do not believe everything you read or hear about Marie Antoinette ! She may not be an angel or an example of great virtue but she was not that bad. She was 'an average woman' as Stefan Zweig portrayed her in his biography. She had no clue what was happening outside of Versailles...
Marie Antoinette's bedchamber in Versailles
Everything went as expected and according to the strict etiquette of Versailles until these two younglings who have met only days before were left alone. That is to say the Archbishop blessed the nuptial bed, Louis XV gave his grandson his nightgown and Marie Antoinette has received hers from Duchesse de Chartres when everyone who had the Rights of Entry was present in the bedchamber ( a very large number of spectators I must say!). They were handed into the bed again by the king and Duchesse de Chartres. Everyone bowed or curtsied and withdrew. On the next day, everyone was talking about the newly married couple and that they had not fulfill the expectations! Naturally, it was a huge disappointment for the empress who valued the marriage bed so much that all her life she has slept with her husband Emperor Francis Stephen. It was also quite a shock for the French king Louis XV who was always known to have a big appetite (for you know...)
Despite their warnings and encouragements(!) this situation continued like this for a long time. (I mean seriously a very long time-7 years!!!) Marie Antoinette had to cope with her mother's sharp tongue in her letters which was actually nothing compared to her audience she had to see everyday in Versailles. Her mother was saying her letters that it was her inability to 'inspire sexual passion in her husband' and 'everything depended on the wife'. As long as their marriage was not consummated their marriage could be annulled and the French king could favor instead dauphin's brother if his wive becomes pregnant before Marie Antoinette. She was quite aware of the seriousness of the situation and wanted to please her mother and the French king. For that end, she was trying to be tempting and to show interest in things her husband liked such as hunting. Marie Antoinette was indeed very patient towards her husband always loving and encouraging but never showing ill-humor.
There were different stories about their bedchamber. Stories that were claiming that Young Louis was impotent or physically disabled to 'perform the great accomplishment' and that the 'Autrichienne' was a frigid. The most widely known rumors that claimed she had lesbian tendencies or had affairs with other men (or women) were actually erotic fantasies which were made up stories in which you could not find a grain of truth. Cartoons and pornographic engravings that showed her alleged lesbian or heterosexual promiscuity were widely distributed in Paris. Actually these cartoons and pamphlets grew in number and became more aggressively accusing after the serious financial crisis in France on the eve of the revolution.
Actually Louis was paying visits to her wife's bedchamber and he was even attempting 'penetration' but somehow these attempts were not successful. So, imagine a young attractive girl aroused every-time with his husband's attempts but never reaches a happy ending. (lol) Neither court physician Dr. Lassonne's visits nor Empress Maria Theresa's warnings could bring victory. Meanwhile, Louis XV has died and the young dauphin became the new French king but the Queen was 'not deflowered yet'. The great work! was accomplished after Emperor Joseph (Antoinette's elder brother) paid a visit to Versailles and shared some advice with his brother-in-law Louis XVI. Since sources differ on what was Louis' problem I cannot say precisely what has changed in his situation. (Some say he was refusing to have an operation to get rid of his physical inability).
Their first child was a baby-girl Marie-Thérèse Charlotte. She was born in the famous bedchamber of the Queen which was very crowded at the time and had little oxygen for the queen herself. Marie-Thérèse was named after her grandmother the Austrian empress and given the honorific title at birth of 'Madame Royale'.
With the arrival of their first child, Louis XVI had presented her wife a new gift which meant 'freedom' for her: The Petit Trianon. She has redecorated this chateau which was actually built with the order of Louis XV for his mistress Madame de Pompadour and then occupied by his later mistress Madame du Barry (I'll write new entries for each of them). Although it was on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles, it was still far enough from the formalities of the court. She ran away to her beloved Petit Trianon at every turn. Later she also had ordered the construction of the Hameau, a rustic retreat in the park of Versailles which was a recreation of model village with its farmhouse, dairy, mill etc. These places served as a meeting place for the Queen and her friends such as Princesse Lamballe and Duchesse de Polignac. As you may expect, this has caused an increase in rumors and pornographic pamphlets known as libelles. Louis XVI's own brother, Princesse Lamballe and Duchesse de Polignac were among her supposed lovers but none of them actually was. But, Was she really completely innocent and devoted to her husband? I guess not :) It was widely known that she had an affair with handsome Count Axel Fersen from the Swedish Army. They first had met when she was still the dauphine of France and we know from his letters sent to his father that he was really attracted to the beautiful dauphine. Later when he has returned to France and she has become the new Queen they probably had an affair. There is no evidence of the consummation of this love. Yet especially the fact that the Queen has delivered her second son nine months after his visit is highly suspicious.
Additional info: The famous phrase " Let them eat cake" was never uttered by the Queen Marie Antoinette. The original French phrase "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche" was taken from Rousseau's Confessions claiming that it was uttered by 'a great princess'. Later it was attributed falsely to Marie Antoinette. Thus, do not believe everything you read or hear about Marie Antoinette ! She may not be an angel or an example of great virtue but she was not that bad. She was 'an average woman' as Stefan Zweig portrayed her in his biography. She had no clue what was happening outside of Versailles...
Marie Antoinette's bedchamber in Versailles
Marie Antoinette's bedchamber in Petit Trianon
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