Category Archives: 18th Century
Marie Antoinette and her Children: The shocking accusations at Marie Antoinette’s Trial
The most striking thing about reading the record of Marie Antoinette’s trial before the Revolutionary Tribunal in October 1793 is realising what an astonishing mess the whole thing really was. In most other accounts, revolutionary justice always seems so swift, so merciless, so ruthlessly efficient. Many of those who stood trial before the Tribunal had [...]
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Marie Antoinette and her Children: The mystery and the history of Louis Charles in the tower. Part 1
On the morning of 11th August 1792, an exhausted and increasingly sweaty royal family sat in the reporters’ box of the National Assembly, a stone’s throw from the Seine in Paris. The night before, the Tuileries (the 16th-century royal palace near the Louvre which had been their residence since they were removed from Versailles in [...]
Also posted in Biography, French History, History, Royal History Tagged French History, french revolution, louis charles, marie antoinette, marie antoinette and her children Leave a comment
A King of Beasts in Revolutionary Paris
I’ve just started reading the eclectic and lively Georgian London blog, and came across this piece about the menagerie at the Tower of London, which existed in various forms from 1252 until its closure in 1835, at which point its collection of animal inhabitants formed the basis for London Zoo.
The story of the menagerie (once [...]
Also posted in Animals, British History, French History, History, London, Paris, Royal History Tagged 18th century, french revolution, History, London, Paris Leave a comment
Frederick, The Hated Prince
Over Christmas I visited Hampton Court Palace, in the middle of their annual Christmas festivities. Jesters strolled the courtyards, and re-enactors scuttled around the cavernous kitchen, distilling rose water as if by magic and turning spits, perched next to roaring fires. In a corner of the kitchen, one man was making elaborate sweets and [...]
Also posted in Biography, British History, History, Royal History Tagged 18th century, Biography, britain, Royal History 1 Comment
Marie Antoinette and her Children: The mystery and the history of Louis Charles in the tower. Part 2