Your answers are interesting.
Hilaire Belloc the Historian states " the imposing posture which the French demand of their symbols had been dropped by the old King; the new one could not restore it. choose at random any man or woman of your acquaintance in history, put them upon the throne after the death of Louis XV., and though the succeeding quarter of a century would have varied somewhat with various individuals in power, the doom of the Monarchy would by none have been averted." notes: p. 57 Marie Antoinette
He attributes this to the Regency, the public theory of floating criticism,the foreign policy,the Seven Years War,the careless lethargy of Louis XV, and then the last Mistress Du Barry who was considered a Prostitute!
I am sure like all Mothers Maria Theresa scolded ,advised and worried about her Children.. However according to Belloc Maria Theresa first sent a series of critical letters to Marie Antoinette over her treatment of Du Barry. The scandal was great enough that the King of France would seek to introduce a low bred Mistress to his new Daughter-in-law that three of the Women of the Court resigned. However MT needed France's support because Russia and Prussia were in the midst of dividing Poland and Vienna needed a French Alliance. So in this instance the letters were a little prejudiced towards Austria's needs.
On offending the Nobles he mentions that when Leopold came for a visit he was so obese and lacked polish that there was fun made of him and in an effort to put a stop to it Marie Antoinette refused to allow him to call and any further "Princes of the Blood" to meet him. It is at this date that the future Duc d' Orleans became offended. Part of the Problem between the German Court thinking and the French Belloc states was her German disregard for inherited tradition, to the French these were all important indications of authority but to her were "meaningless extravagances of Parade." p.123 of Marie Antoinette
He is not easy on Marie Antoinette; he gives a lot of information on how the Ministers of Finance tried to float loans and how difficult the finances were even though Louis XVI was trying. During all this the financial Minister Turgot actually increased her pin money as it was called without being asked and She was ignorant of financial affairs and took it. Contrary to not interfering with the Cabinet he claims she was trying to without the knowledge necessary and that is why Joseph told her to quit meddling. notes are from count Mercy's correspondence and letters from MT and Marie Antoinette to MT!
my notes have Necker as being recalled by Louis XVI and here is a source bottom link
I have not read all Maria Theresa's letters nor Mercy's etc. but I will be looking for those in particular that have formed your views of Marie Antoinette. My views were formed long ago due to the eco-political climate of the French Government of that time. And I have read so much that disproves many of the slanders about her character. I have to agree with Belloc I don't think anything could have saved them unless the escape could have been better organized or if Louis XVI had not stuck his head out of the Carriage.
Belloc admits Marie Antoinette's love for outings and balls and her gambling when She was young he states that her debt was way out of proportion in the French eyes as to what actually existed.. he states " that after two years her debt was less than 20,000 her difficulties were never so bad he states that the sale of a farm wouldn't have met them. These are he states roughly from eighteen to twenty and her mother promptly sent Joseph over to report on everything. Bassette and other forms of gambling had been a part of the Nobility for generations. Even Louis XIV wife had debts at about the same or even higher rate so I don't think that M Antoinette could have set the pace on that. Would it have alienated her even further from the Court if she had not joined in those evenings? It seems to me the only scoldings were coming from the Austrian side who had little tolerance with the Court entertainment of the French! I have run into the Bourgeois family environment of the Vienna Court description used several times in Historical documents. I think the family environment and the entertainments of the Children are what Marie Antoinette tried to later recreate as a Woman in her late twenties.
To comment on one of the remarks no it doesn't sound empathetic "if Marie Antoinette had dealt with the peasants but almost none of the nobility did." Except in charities as I mentioned previously perhaps others on their Estates. It was part of the left over from Louis XIV when he isolated them from Paris to Versailles. She did take a sleigh into Paris by herself, as she did the day She had a list of pensioners to take care of and here is the quote "the sleigh was daringly, impudently alone. There was no guard, no decent covering for Royalty, no dignity of pace or even of ornament, etc. and then the streets were all aghast at such a sight, Sevres and the villages around Versailles had stared bewildered to see a Queen go by in such a fashion; but Paris was too great to be merely bewildered, and Paris grew angry, as might an Individual at a personal insult offered."
p. 130
I do use smileys so you can judge my intent.. now where can I look at the letters from MT to Maria Amalia? I have gone into the French Archives but not the Italian! Are they published by any chance?
http://www.bookrags.com/biography/jacques-necker/
