Tag Archives: Royalty

Marie-Antoinette: The Maligned Queen

I wrote how impressed I was with how Philippa Langley headed the operation to find Richard III’s grave.

Richard III. A very complex man. Shakespeare brought us the image of a murderous hunchback with a withered arm which caused the king to be maligned.

Is there a “maligned queen” in history?

Hollywood and sensational biographers keep bringing an image of an irresponsible  Marie-Antoinette only caring about looks, the most expensive luxuries in life, and her dashing lovers. And we keep falling for it.

Even I resisted the idea to give her her own post. Everyone knows who Marie-Antoinette is, so why bother? But as I researched her sister-in-law and daughter I was led to a different side of the queen who NEVER said “Let them eat cake.” Very few actually know the real Marie-Antoinette.

One of my favorite websites about strong woman is Elena Maria Vidal’s website Tea at Trianon.  Anyone truly interested in Marie- Antoinette needs to go there. Good layout, pictures, and FACTS about Marie-Antoinette. Vidal backs up her articles with credible sources and gives references where we can learn more. I like how she discusses when certain myths appeared, who made them popular, and their motives. Her article  “Marie Antoinette: A Reputation in Shreds” is a must-read for every student who studies the French Revolution era and every history teacher—including college professors.

Arrest of Louis XVI and His Family Varennes, 1791

Arrest of Louis XVI and His Family Varennes, 1791

Before I post about the three wise women of Christmas, I knew I had to post about Marie-Antoinette. She kept coming to my mind because she was a person who understood the true meaning of Christmas. I thought how she encouraged her children to give away their Christmas presents. How she didn’t leave her husband, and how she strived to keep the family together to the point of her hair actually turning white in prison.

Marie-Antoinette is one of the women I respect most in history.

Marie-Antoinette in the Temple

Marie-Antoinette in the Temple

 

Paintings:
Marie-Antoinette with Her Children by Élisabeth Vigée-LebrunVarennes, 21st June 1791, XIX sec. painting
Marie Antoinette in The Temple, XIX sec. painting

Poet Profile: Princess Marie-Therese of France

Marie-Therese did not like to think of the time she spent in the cell and would not like to be remembered for being a prisoner in it for so long. Hopefully, she wouldn’t mind being regarded as an example on how to deal with loneliness and painful circumstances.

In an earlier article, I wrote about her aunt Elisabeth helping her find ways to cope and what to do when she was completely alone. Her aunt advised her to keep quiet around guards, When Marie-Therese was alone and needed to voice her frustrations, she turned to writing. Writing was a means of survival. She called herself “the most unhappy creature in the world.” No matter how depressing her writings, writing kept her from going totally insane.

Reading Treasures: A Retreat for Everything Marie Antoinette  included a translation of some of Marie-Therese’s poetry in their post called  “I was your king’s daughter:the poetry of Marie Therese Charlotte in captivity” Her poem “I Was Your King’s Daughter” was found in a book kept by  family of Madeleine Bocquet-Chanterenne. The translation in English reads:

I was your king’s daughter
separated from all my family.
I languish in this sad jail
Alas! I say with good reason
Even though I am alone and sad
My jail would appear happy to me
If I was in this place with my brother.
To my mother, to the Conciergerie
I asked to be reunited
But as an answer, my jailers
Say: this has nothing to do with us.
Spread your blessings on her,
God! Open promptly your jail.
A short time ago, at night
I was sleeping peacefully in my bed.
I got suddenly woken up
By the enraged noise of my locks.
They were coming to my door, they were knocking.
I replied immediately: who is there?
I was asked to open up, I replied:
I am getting up and leaving my bed.
I was hoping that I would get out,
I was expecting to leave the tower.
I go to the door, I finally open it!
They come in with my jailer
I look at them, hoping they would ask me
to follow them and come.
But alas! They stare at me
And suddenly without saying a word, they go out with my jailer.
This poem makes me want to go back in time and say to the teenager that she’ll make it out alive. It was a horrible ordeal but she kept fighting.
This poem also shows it’s important for schools to let their students write poetry. I taught a little English class after school. There was so much material that needed to be covered, I didn’t think about poetry that much. After the last day (when the students actually wrote a poem), I regretted that I hadn’t incorporated  more poetry into the lessons.  Writing poetry wasn’t an academic requirement but I think it would have helped the children more with problems outside of school.
Portrait of Marie Thérèse of France (1778-1851) by Heinrich Fuger 
The sole survivor.

Portrait of Marie Thérèse of France by Heinrich Furger.

Michal: The “Loved and Despised” Princess

I first heard about the woman “who loved” David when I was seventeen. I was in seminary and  when my teacher mentioned how David married Saul’s daughter, the girls were like, “Really? That is so cute!” My teacher grinned and continued to glow as she told about Michal saving David from Saul by sneaking him out of a window.
Michal’s story came to light again when I was 24 and suffered from a heartbreak—though nothing near the magnitude of Michal’s. I felt her pain when it said she “despised David.”  I wanted learn more so read some biblical fiction about her (like that would tell me the truth) and could feel Michal saying, “That is not me at all!”
So I started doing research—and discovered that the opinions of her are quite diverse! Scholars, artists, and writers differ their views. So who is the real Michal?

"Penelope and Her Suitors" (from The Odyssey)

Penelope and the Suitors by John William Waterhouse (1912).

I was shocked to find that writers have used Michal as their muse. There are traces of her story in fairytales and myths—and even primetime TV!

Rapunzel by Johnny Gruelle

Rapunzel by Johnny Gruelle

I believe the stuff in the Bible isn’t made up though.  I made discoveries that support my already belief that she was a real person. So many royal brides would come to the same trials of Michal. This book points out parallels between Michal and other controversial princesses such as Diana and Fergie. I wonder if in her Bible study, Catherine of Aragon connected herself with Michal.

Catherine and Henry VIII by Henry Nelson O'Neil

Catherine and Henry VIII by Henry Nelson O’Neil

Featured Image of Michal helping David by Gustave Dore

 

Edward, Mary, and Elizabeth: Sibling Rivalry Gone Wrong

In honor of Siblings Day (which was on April 10, I know), I made sure I posted a pic of me with my bros and sis on Facebook. I believe in eternal families, and I feel blessed with a wonderful family—even if we disagree at times. No family’s perfect, but at the end of the day we still are bounded by blood and there’s love there.

But I’ve decided to focus this article about certain siblings in a family that no one would like to join. This is a true tale of two sisters and their little brother whose tale has been examined and analyzed endlessly.  They each became powerful rulers but at painful prices. They even denied at times that they were blood related, but there’s no question they were. The real question is did they still love each other in the end?

Presenting from eldest to youngest:

Mary, Elizabeth, and Edward.

All children of King Henry VIII’s. But with such a father figure, could the kids build lasting relationships?

Tough Tudor Love

Seventeen-year-old Mary, daughter of Katherine of Aragon, was ordered to recognize her baby sister, Elizabeth, as a princess. But Mary still recognized herself as a princess. But had a hatred been born? Not necessarily.

Mary did hold a grudge against Elizabeth’s mother, Anne Boleyn. Yet some sources say that Mary actually liked Elizabeth and gave her attention and gifts that Elizabeth lacked when their father became interested in a new woman called Jane Seymour.

Shortly after Anne’s beheading, Henry married Jane. She was able to unite Mary and Elizabeth with Henry. She was also able to give Henry a male heir named Edward. Edward’s big sisters played important roles in his life and his christening. Mary (now age 21) was named godmother and Elizabeth (at age 4) carried the chrisom. Sadly, Jane died soon after her son’s birth. Her stepdaughters probably did sympathize with Edward. Their mothers had been taken away from them too.

Katherine Parr, Henry’s sixth and final wife, is credited for bringing the family closer together. But after Henry’s death, the feelings between the Tudor siblings became increasingly shakier. Extreme sibling rivalry took swing.

Conflict of Interest

As a staunch Protestant, the young King Edward pushed to reform England to his faith. It was an especially perilous time for Catholics. Mary, a devoted and famous Catholic considered hiding outside the country. She feared for her life. The two once had been tight.  Now they found themselves in tough spots. Just because she was his sister didn’t provide her life insurance. Edward did sign the death warrant for his scheming uncle, so it was uncertain if Mary would be an exception. Understandably, she avoided court. Running out of excuses to avoid family gatherings, she made an appearance at Edward’s court in Christmas of 1550.

Edward humiliated his sister for beliefs and made her cry; in turn, he also cried. The two kissed and made up, but peace in the Tudor family lasts for only so long.

Not long after, Edward wrote to that she was breaking the law. Her known devotion to her religion was now considered treason. Edward wrote: “I have natural affection for you. Do not seek to diminish it.”

Neither changed their ways.

Toward the end of his life (age 15), Edward crossed out Mary from the line of succession and put Protestant cousin Jane Grey before his sisters.

Pardon Me

Mary rallied troops and Jane Grey was dethroned. Though her cousin was a pawn in others’ agendas, Mary was counselled to behead Jane because of her associations with conspirators.

If Mary could put her cousin to death, could she do the same to her sister?

Elizabeth quickly recognized her sister as queen.  Doubts emerged with rumors of Elizabeth being involved in a plot to dethrone her sister, and Elizabeth was sent to the Tower of London. She feared for her life. (I think this happened before.) The night before her arrest, Elizabeth pleaded her innocence in a letter to Mary and signed it, “You Highness’s most faithful subject that hath been from the beginning and will be to my end.”

That didn’t stop Mary.

Permissions to stop arrest denied, but Elizabeth was granted the finest rooms in the tower by protocol and was proclaimed free to roam in the gardens. Three months later with no proof, Mary was persuaded to let her sister go free. The damage was done, but would Mary have executed her sister?

Edward could have executed Mary but didn’t.  Mary could have executed Elizabeth but didn’t. But nothing was above the Tudors.

Revenge

When Elizabeth took the throne, she undid her sister’s Catholic reform but actually did continue Mary’s plans for fiscal reform and exploration. Sadly though, Elizabeth seemed to have encouraged propaganda that darkened her sister’s name.

But hey, Elizabeth’s reign has been described as “glorious.” Yet, it was still just as dangerous as the reigns before her. No one was safe—especially family members. Elizabeth took a page out of her siblings’ book and beheaded her Catholic cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, for possibly trying to take her” throne.

When naming her heir, though, Elizabeth named the Scots Queen’s son, James, to rule.

When Elizabeth died, the kingdom was ready for fresh faces and was delighted with a cute family to look at. The head of the family was no other than James, I of England and VI of Scotland.

Giving It a Rest

James made it a point give his mother a proper tomb at Westminster Abbey. Mary, Queen of Scots, would be proud. James made other changes in Westminster that possibly would have embarrassed others.

The Tudor sibs were already suited in Westminster Abbey, but sisters Mary and Elizabeth got shuffled into the same tomb. Maybe James was ensuring that Elizabeth kept her side of the bargain to Mary and really was faithful to her end. The tomb carries a message in Latin. The English translation is:  “Partners both in throne and grave, here rest we two sisters, Elizabeth and Mary, in the hope of one resurrection.”

I wonder how awkward the family reunion after this life really was for the Tudors. Was it as bad as Christmas of 1550? One can hope the siblings cry tears of joy now. Perhaps they still attend family counseling sessions.

Best wishes to Edward, Mary, and Elizabeth. May there be a reconciliation. It would take a miracle, but it’s a miracle that three siblings each ruled England separately—and miraculously didn’t kill each other!