Marie Antoinette (2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last queen of France before the French Revolution.

 

She was born an archduchess of Austria and was the penultimate child and youngest daughter of Empress Maria Theresa and Emperor Francis I. She became dauphine of France in May 1770 at age 14 upon her marriage to Louis-Auguste, heir to the French throne.

 

On 10 May 1774, her husband ascended the throne as Louis XVI and she became queen.

 

She became increasingly unpopular - unfairly accused of being profligate, promiscuous and harbouring sympathies for her native Austria—and that her children were illegitimate.

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On 10 August 1792, the attack on the Tuileries forced the royal family to take refuge at the Assembly, and they were imprisoned in the Temple Prison.

 

After the monarchy was abolished, Louis XVI was executed by guillotine on 21 January 1793. Marie Antoinette was then put on trial and convicted of high treason and executed, also by guillotine, on the Place de la Révolution.