The Last Letter of Marie Antoinette

[livviebway.livejournal.com]

One of bizarre stories I've heard floating around about the French Revolution is that Marie Antoinette's last letter to Mme Elisabeth was found under Robespierre's bed after his execution. Funny how no biography I've read of his has ever mentioned this, you'd think it would be important. Anyway, does anyone know where this story came from?

Comments

[victoriavandal.livejournal.com]

I'd never heard this one before: I've just googled it and found it mentioned on a Marie Antoinette fan site, so maybe it turns up a lot in Marie Antoinette books (I've never read a book on the lovely lady), to make out that Robespierre was kinky for her in some way...another site just says it was kept by the Public Prosecutor.

[livviebway.livejournal.com]

It would make sense if it was turned over to Fouquier-Tinville, who just filed it away. But yes, the Marie Antoinette folks seem to be completely convinced that Robespierre was perving over her last letter or something.

[victoriavandal.livejournal.com]

What a shame they didn't put that in the film (I'm assuming they didn't - though I've never seen it! Maybe he turns up, twitching imaginary moustaches and saying, yield, my pretty, or I'll chop your head off and do unspeakable things to your personal effects, heh heh heh...)

[disownmereturns.livejournal.com]

Ah...I care more for her offspring, especially the youngest. But that find is indeed interesting! I've never heard of it before, either.

[livviebway.livejournal.com]

That's the thing, I wouldn't take that story very seriously because I've never heard it mentioned in a biography of Robespierre, you'd think the Thermidorians would have been all over it had it happened, and seriously, why would Robespierre have that letter?

[livviebway.livejournal.com]

You wouldn't happen to have any biographies of Marie Antoinette around would you where you could check and see if this is mentioned? You seem more likely than any of the other folks on this board to possibly have a book about her around ;-).

[disownmereturns.livejournal.com]

Hang on...is that last letter the one with a message for her children, telling them to always love each other and never blame the French people for what happened to their parents and a message for Mme Elizabeth telling her to never lose faith?

Or was that Louis XVI's? He never wrote a letter, right? Just left behind momentoes that never reached his family.

Gaah...I need to review my history.

In any case, if that was the letter then...under Robbie's bed? Oooh...curious indeed! :D

[livviebway.livejournal.com]

Apparently the letter to Elisabeth. But that's the thing, it's just a story. I have never seen it mentioned in a biography of Robespierre and you'd think that would be a fairly important thing to note. Also, as if the Thermidorians wouldn't have had a field day if it'd been found there.

[citoyennemiyuki.livejournal.com]

I have never heard this also. But I read once somewhere (I think on Elisabeth's wikipedia page) Robespierre visited her in the prison. I asked to myself instantly what did he looked for there? it is interesting, isn't it?

If this story is true.....I would be curious why the letter was under his bed and what was it in that letter.....

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

The story about Robespierre visiting the Temple comes from the memoirs of "Madame Royale", in which she says that a Revolutionary, whom she *thinks* was Robespierre came to see them. Of course, since she had never met Robespierre, she couldn't have any idea what he looked like, and thus probably just said it was him because he was the first famous Revolutionary that came to mind.

[citoyennemiyuki.livejournal.com]

It seems so my revolutionary knowledge isn't so correct. I haven't heard this story either. I found his visiting as strange, now I have already known the truth. Thanks for the information!

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Sure. Of course, a lot of that is guesswork, but it's not just my personal theory--I've seen several historians come to the same conclusion.

[citoyennemiyuki.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I don't know historians theories about revolution (except about Maximilien)Later I will know them, I hope....

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

It's worth learning about, definitely.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

I don't think there's any basis for that; that's definitely something Courtois would have taken advantage of in his report on Robespierre's papers, and I don't remember it's being mentioned.

[livviebway.livejournal.com]

Ah ha. I was just informed that I "should read a biography of Marie Antoinette, but just so I know it was cited by Stanley Loomis in 'A Fatal Friendship.'" Stanley Loomis??

[livviebway.livejournal.com]

From what a google book search finds me, I am seeing references to it in G. Lenotre's "The Last Days of Marie Antoinette" from 1907, Hilaire Beloc's "Marie Antoinette" from 1909, John Richard Hall's "The Bourbon Restoration" from 1909, the aforementioned Loomis book. Deborah Cadbury's "The Lost King of France" (2003) says not only was the letter found under his mattress, but as were assorted locks of hair and other mementos.

Stefan Zweig's "Marie Antoinette: The Portrait of an Average Woman" from 2002 says it came from Fouquier-Tinville's papers that were searched by Courtois as well.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

It seems far more likely that Fouquier would have it than Robespierre. No doubt it's another "legend".

[livviebway.livejournal.com]

Ok, sorry, last reply! I've been searching through biographies of Robespierre looking for it and I haven't seen any mention of it in any biography of him.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Someone would have mentioned it in at least one biography of him if it were true, it seems to me.

[missweirdness.livejournal.com]

you know something..i actually read something about it..

that's odd that you haven't. but i'm english speaking so thus i get the crappy historians..god.-_- i forgot which book i read it from..

[hanriotfran.livejournal.com]

I think I've read it at Courtois book about "Papers found at Robespierre's , Saint-Just, Couthon, Payan, and so on". It's plenty of scrap. I think you may consult it (and other good books on French Revolution at www.archive.org .

HanriotFran