The Secrets of Marie Antoinette

Rating:
Summary: An interesting correspondence
Review: This book was published in the UK under the title of "imperial Mother, Royal Daugher". It is actually the correspondence between Marie Antoinette of France and her mother Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.

This book is interesting for a number of reasons. It somwhat suprising how well these women expressed themselves to each other in the mail. It also brings to light some of the contraditions of Marie Antoinette's position in France. She was exhorted by her mother to be a good frenchwoman, but in her heart to never forget that her first loyalty should always be to Austria and her.

Royal marriages in centuries past were made for political alliances and this always put the partner who went to a new country in a difficult position as far as loyalty went. Marie Antoinette's solution was to start lying or not telling her mother things. Unfortuntley for her, her mother had a household spy by the name of Mercey (who went to france with marie) to report back everything she omitted. These letters are also included.

You end up with a well rounded picture of a young lady in deep over her head. It's a world of pomp, pain and deception. This book is worth getting if only to see a completly different view of these people than you would get out of a formal biography....their life in their own words.

Rating:
Summary: An interesting correspondence
Review: This book was published in the UK under the title of "imperial Mother, Royal Daugher". It is actually the correspondence between Marie Antoinette of France and her mother Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.

This book is interesting for a number of reasons. It somwhat suprising how well these women expressed themselves to each other in the mail. It also brings to light some of the contraditions of Marie Antoinette's position in France. She was exhorted by her mother to be a good frenchwoman, but in her heart to never forget that her first loyalty should always be to Austria and her.

Royal marriages in centuries past were made for political alliances and this always put the partner who went to a new country in a difficult position as far as loyalty went. Marie Antoinette's solution was to start lying or not telling her mother things. Unfortuntley for her, her mother had a household spy by the name of Mercey (who went to france with marie) to report back everything she omitted. These letters are also included.

You end up with a well rounded picture of a young lady in deep over her head. It's a world of pomp, pain and deception. This book is worth getting if only to see a completly different view of these people than you would get out of a formal biography....their life in their own words.