Queen Marie Leczinska

I am busy reading a biography on Marie Leczinska, wife of Louis XV.  It is really an eye-opener.  
Did you all know that whilst she (as a young woman)was in exile with her father in Wissembourg, before her marriage to Louis XV, it was predicted to her by a woman that she will be Queen of France?  It was a poor peasant woman with her child, and Marie taking pity on them, gave the woman the only golden coin she possessed as they were very poor themselves.  The woman in thanking her, then said to her that she will be Queen of France.  At the time it was quite absurd as it was well known that Louis XV was engaged to be married to the Infanta from Spain.  Talking about a premonition  

Very interesting dear Pers!!
I like queen Mary she was a devout spouse and a very educated woman from what I have read, which unfortunately is not much!

Her mariage was pretty much a shock for everybody including herself! I was surprised to read that Louis Xv had loved her at the beginning of the mariage, I think it was for seven years if I am not wrong!
 
  Interesting premonition do you know that madame de Maintenon was giving a premonition to that "she would be queen, a queen qithout a crown".

Was she known as Queen Marie or Queen Maria in France?

The french version will be Marie instead of Maria.  In polish, german, russian it will be Maria, but not in french as far as I know.  Where are all our french members?

Also Marie was fluent in 6 languages: polish, german, french, italian, swedish and latin.  Quite something, don't you think?  Not for the faint hearted!

being French myself ! it would be Marie!

Thanks. All those languages - certainly an achievement! Was there a political treaty included in her marriage?

That was the whole thing.  Her marriage was one where no political treaty was involved as France at that time was caught in a situation where they did not want to lean over one way or another, so the neutral choice of the daughter of the deposed Polish monarch was a "safe" choice.

Mind you the Leczinski family can trace their family line back to the X'th century!  One of the noblest Polish families.

She was an etiquette lover!!!!

and this one painted by Louis Tocque currently at the Louvres.

Thanks for the pictures Sissi.  Please post some more, as well as busts if you can find!  

Although she was not pretty by conventional standards she had an excellent upbringing, carried herself very well and was very good at dancing.  All good traits for a queen.  Her husband certainly kept her very busy with having babies the first ten or so years of their marriage, and yes, he was really in love with her from first sight.  Can anyone find the painting that was initially sent to the French Court when one of the other ducs were interested in marrying her?  It was either the Duc de Bourbon or the Duc de Bourgogne.  Then of course the King got first pick at the cherry.  

Here is anothe on dear Pers

I know you said bust but I found this plate from the manufacture de Sevres with a portrait of the queen!!

She looks atractive in this one!!! !

She was well educated, philanthropic and pious, but also dowdy, extremely dull company and rather greedy.  At least one recent biography has tried to make out that she was less dreary than her contemporaries found her, but even the members of her little inner circle such as President Henault found it hard to demonstrate that there was much of interest in her daily life.   She was able to play several musical instruments rather badly (one at a time, not all at once), and had the dreadful habit, when she made a mistake when performing - which was often - of giving a merry laugh.  It must have been excruciating.  She also painted, very amateurishly, but at least her little court only had to look at them and show some interest, not suffer through a performance.