Dana Meachen Rau - Who Was Marie Antoinette?

Emperor Francis and Empress Maria Theresa of Austria ruled over a large area of central Europe. Maria Theresa, who had inherited the throne from her father, was a strong and determined woman. On the night of November 2, 1755, she took a break from her reports and other government paperwork when her labor pains grew too strong. In the evening, she gave birth to Maria Antonia Josepha Joanna. Emperor Francis announced the arrival of his daughter to the members of his royal court gathered at their palace in Vienna.

Maria Antonia joined a household already full of archdukes and archduchessesfour brothers and seven sisters. Another brother would be born the following year! It was royal tradition to give all the archduchesses the first name Maria. The girls were called by their second names, so Maria Antonias parents called her Antonia.

The family spent winters at their palace in the heart of the city. In the spring and summer, however, they moved to another enormous palace about five miles away. Decorated with mirrors, painted ceilings, and tapestries on the walls, this palace had many rooms for each child. It was surrounded by the gardens and woods of a five-hundred-acre park. There was even a zoo with a camel, puma, and rhinoceros.

Even though Austria had an emperor and an empress, Maria Theresa was the ruler. Her husband, Francis, simply assisted her. Empress Maria Theresa was much too busy to watch her children. So she hired governesses to take care of them and tutors to teach them. As royalty, the archdukes and archduchesses lived a glamorous life. For fun, they spent hours riding horses and hunting. During the cold Austrian winters, they rode swan-shaped sleds through the snow.

Antonia spent more time playing on the palace grounds than paying attention to her lessons. She had a beautiful voice and performed in family concerts, singing while her brothers and sisters played the music.

In 1762, when Antonia was six years old, a special musician visited the royal family in Vienna. His name was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Mozart was the same age as Antonia. Stories say that the little musician slipped on the well-polished floor of the palace. When Antonia helped him up, Mozart declared that he wanted to marry her.

MOZART (17561791)

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART WAS BORN IN SALZBURG, AUSTRIA. HE SHOWED MUSICAL SKILL ON THE VIOLIN AND KEYBOARD FROM THE TIME HE WAS THREE YEARS OLD. HE STARTED WRITING HIS OWN MUSIC WHEN HE WAS ONLY FIVE.

MOZART IS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS CLASSICAL COMPOSERS OF ALL TIME. HE IS KNOWN FOR HIS MANY SYMPHONIES, HIS CHAMBER MUSIC, AND HIS OPERAS, SUCH AS