The Men in the Queen's Inner Circle

The intimate circle of Marie Antoinette was largely dominated by her two most famous friends - the Princesse de Lamballe and the Duchesse de Polignac. Whereas these two women have received the majority of focus, they were far from the only ones in the intimate social circle of Marie Antoinette. In fact, her circle were unisex in nature and included four prominent gentlemen:

Pierre Victor, Baron de Besenval

Like Marie Antoinette, the Baron was a foreigner who found himself in France due to the nature of his birth. A Swiss by birth, Pierre Victor had entered French military service where he had quickly come into contact with the Duc de Choiseul - the very man responsible for bringing Marie Antoinette to France.

What attracted the baron to the queen's company was a shared sense of humor. Marie Antoinette had a somewhat sharp sense of humor - according to some of her contemporaries - which Besenval was said to encourage. He amused her, he made her laugh - and he did not correct her when her humor bordered on mockery. 

He made a fatal faux pas, though, in assuming he could rise further by engaging the queen's romantic feelings. Feeling secure enough to declare his feelings (on his knees, no less), she icily rebuked him and reminded him of his place. At the end of the day, the whole episode appears to have been a misunderstanding which did not exclude Besenval from her company - although he never attempted such a maneuver again.

Amusing as he was, Besenval recognised the sensitive side to Marie Antoinette. It was he who mused on the heartfelt sympathy she felt for those in need; he himself had seen it on numerous occasions which were increasingly not broadcast to the public. Genuine recognition was something that Marie Antoinette sorely lacked. As queen, there was no end to the sycophants willing to proclaim her to be the most empathetic woman in the world. As a friend, he was actually honest. 

Furthermore, Besenval does not appear to be entirely blinded by the prospect of riches and favour. For one, he admitted that there were women who exceeded her in beauty but maintained that her bearing and dignity made her ideal for her position. 

It is easy to see why Marie Antoinette cherished his company. Besenval amused her endlessly - and he saw her in a realistic light. 

Besenval

Adrien-Louis, Duc de Guines

One word was said to encompass Guines: Vanity. He was a member of Polignac's social circle and had been implicated in a very unfortunate affair whilst serving as ambassador to England. This scandal had actually resulted in his dismissal from both his ambassador post and court - despite Marie Antoinette's pleas. He was later made Duc de Guines - a gesture of goodwill from Louis XVI to his dismayed wife.

Whereas Besenval's career in the army was largely out of her domain, Marie Antoinette went out of her way to promote Guines.

In the private sphere of Petit Trianon, the Duc de Guines had the important asset of being a remarkably good flutist. Considering that Marie Antoinette had a lifelong passion for music and often staged private performances, it is likely that they bonded over music.

He also had another character trait which was seemingly irresistible to the queen: he was funny. Despite his vanity - even to excess - he greatly amused the queen with whom he could freely share his passion for music. Nevertheless, there were those who were deeply concerned at the friendship. The Austrian ambassador, Comte de Mercy-d'Argenteau, attempted to sever their friendship and not without reason. Vain was one thing but the Duc de Guines had several, more dangerous characteristics which it would be wisest for the queen to steer clear of. For one, he had a taste for intrigue but without a capacity for discretion - a fatal combination. Added to that was his intelligence and obvious ambition.

The latter raises the question whether his friendship with the queen was based on mutual admiration or rather a stepping stone for greater things? After all, she had been the one to rescue him on numerous occasions when his ill-advised behaviour overtook his cleverness. It would be career suicide to sever ties with her now.

Finally, he had a tendency to simply not pay his bills. Having hired Mozart himself to compose a concerto, he refrained from ever paying for it. Such an attitude was hardly convenient when desperately trying to have the queen moderate her own expenses.

Marie Antoinette herself considered him a fixture of her social circle but perhaps not as close as the others. She refused to cut ties with him when approached by Mercy-d'Argenteau - she simply enjoyed his company too much.

Guines

François-Henri, Duc de Coigny

The Duc de Coigny was amongst those grey-haired gentlemen whom Marie Antoinette favoured. He had been a soldier in his youth, distinguishing himself in the Seven Years' War. His contemporaries agreed that he was an elegant man with flawless manners (to women) which was exactly what a queen ought to be surrounded by. Furthermore, he possessed a polished, suave manner - in other words, he was good company.

Upon her arrival in France, he was known as a rather moderate man - however a few years at the new court, he became more wasteful. Like Madame de Polignac, he had realised that the queen would do anything for those dear to her. Unfortunately, he took advantage of his favour with Marie Antoinette and rather shamelessly exploited the good terms he was on with her.

Coigny

Comte Valentin Esterhazy

Another foreigner (Hungarian by birth) on French soil, the Comte Esterhazy had also entered French military service. He had first met Marie Antoinette when she was still in Austria; it was he who had been commissioned with bringing her portrait to the court of Versailles. Thus, when Empress Maria Theresia redirected him to France, the now-queen Marie Antoinette fondly embraced him as an arbiter of her marriage. 

The queen made little attempt to hide her favoritism towards him, calling him such pet names as her "brother" and showered him with attention. They shared a private correspondence - much disapproved of by her mother due to the relaxed and thus intimate nature - when he was away from court. She did her utmost to secure his comfort whether financially or by appointments. 

Madame Campan relate a rather touching moment following the dramatic first delivery of the queen. Esterhazy was - due to his limited rank - relegated to awaiting both the sex of the baby and other news with the others in the Salon des Nobles. Having lost consciousness, it was feared that the queen would not survive the labour; however, when she did regain her senses, Madame Campan went to inform those awaiting news, the first of whom was Esterhazy. He was apparently so relieved that he promptly embraced Campan.

He never left her circle, not even when she found herself imprisoned in the Tuileries. It was he whom she entrusted with smuggling out personal belongings and letters.

Esterhazy

Charles-Joseph, Prince de Ligne

This lesser-known gentleman only entered the queen's circle towards the end of the reign. He was considered to be the most intelligent of the bunch. Yet another foreigner, this time from a Belgian family although residing elsewhere, he was also known to Marie Antoinette's mother, Empress Maria Theresia. The Empress described him as frivolous but full of wit and good qualities. In a letter to her mother, Marie Antoinette admitted that she recognised his frivolity but also conceded that he was very well-liked in France. 

There was a very clear reason why the two might have connected. Marie Antoinette famously suffered for being an Austrian in France; Ligne himself could relate to that. He was said to be considered to be French in Austria but Austrian in France. It would be very unlikely if the two did not bond over being considered an outsider. However, unlike Marie Antoinette he absolutely adored Versailles.

Interestingly, he is said to have been the most disinterested amongst her party. Unlike particularly the Polignac-set, he did not attempt to use their friendship for further advancement. Instead, he genuinely respected the queen for herself. He defended her against her detractors - even after her execution. It is worthwhile reiterating his perception of the impossible predicament which constantly surrounded the queen:

"As for the queen, the radiance of her presence harmed her. The jealousy of the women whom she crushed by the beauty of her complexion and the carriage of her head, ever seeking to harm her as a woman, harmed her also as a queen. Frédégonde and Brunehaut, Catherine and Marie de Medici, Anne and Theresa of Austria never laughed; Marie Antoinette when she was fifteen laughed much; therefore she was declared "satirical."

She defended herself against the intrigues of two parties, each of whom wanted to give her a lover; on which they declared her "inimical to Frenchmen"; and all the more because she was friendly with foreigners, from whom she had neither traps nor importunity to fear.

An unfortunate dispute about a visit between her brother the Elector of Cologne and the princes of the blood, of which she was wholly ignorant, offended the etiquette of the Court, which then called her "proud."

She dines with one friend, and sometimes goes to see another friend, after supper, and they say she is "familiar." That is not what the few persons who lived in her familiarity would say. Her delicate, sure sense of the becoming awed them as much as her majesty. It was as impossible to for get it as it was to forget one's self. 

She is sensible of the friendship of certain persons who are the most devoted to her; then she is declared to be "amorous" of them. Sometimes she requires too much for their families; then she is “unreasonable.” 

She gives little fêtes, and works herself at her Trianon: that is called “bourgeoise.” She buys Saint-Cloud for the health of her children and to take them from the malaria of Versailles: they pronounce her “extravagant." 

Her promenades in the evening on the terrace, or on horseback in the Bois de Boulogne, or sometimes on foot round the music in the Orangery "seem suspicious." Her most innocent pleasures are thought criminal; her general loving kindness is “coquettish.” She fears to win at cards, at which she is compelled to play, and they say she “wastes the money of the State."

She laughed and sang and danced until she was twenty five years old: they declared her “frivolous." The affairs of the kingdom became embroiled, the spirit of party arose and divided society; she would take no side, and they called her “ungrateful.”

She no longer amused herself; she foresaw misfortunes: they declared her “intriguing.” She dropped certain little requests or recommendations she had made to the king or the ministers as soon as she feared they were troublesome, and then she was “fickle."

With so many crimes to her charge, and all so well-proved, did she not deserve her misfortunes? But I see I have forgotten the greatest [crime]. 

The queen, who was almost a prisoner of State in her château of Versailles, took the liberty sometimes to go on foot, followed by a servant, through one of the galleries, to the apartments of Mme. de Lamballe or Mme . de Polignac. How shocking a scandal! "

Prince de Ligne

These men were frequent guests at the Petit Trianon; they were even amongst the very few permitted to join the queen during her recovery from measles. Naturally, this led her detractors to immediately speculate whether the king would be supplied with four ladies of the court if he should find himself ill?

The risk to her reputation (romantically, at least) was a great concern to Marie Antoinette. Nothing in her behavior suggests that she was naturally flirtatious and she fully understood the utter necessity of not appearing to be so as queen. Consequently, it has been speculated that one of the reasons she embraced men who were often much older than her was to avoid just that type of speculation. The Comte Esterhazy, for one, was 15 years older than the queen while the Duc de Coigny was almost twenty years her senior - Besenval was in his fifties! If her entourage included respectable, elder men, surely people would be less eager to accuse her of improper conduct? 

Alas, that was sadly not the case. As her unpopularity grew, her enemies attacked the very essential characteristic of a proper, French queen: her chastity. First, they accused her of engaging in lesbian relationships with Lamballe and/or Polignac, then with taking one or several of the gentlemen above as her lover. Realistically, there was nothing to suggest this to be the case - on the contrary, she publicly refuted the few misguided advances made to her by enthusiastic followers.

It is easy to see why the likes of Mercy-d'Argenteau would frown at some of the characters in Marie Antoinette's circle. While clearly devoted to her, for instance, Madame de Polignac was also shamelessly grasping whatever the queen could throw her way, often using her influence to advance both herself, her family, and her friends. Likewise, characters such as Coigny or Guines were also boosted by their relationship with the queen.

The problem was that a queen of France traditionally had no political influence with the exception of when she acted as regent for an underage son. Louis XVI was very wary of involving her in the major decisions - and truthfully, she does not appear to have sought that kind of influence. However, Marie Antoinette did exert her influence when it came to appointments within the court machinery. Considering that this might have direct influence on the policies enacted, even that little influence was seen as highly improper. This further supported her opposers' arguments that she was meddling in affairs that were none of her concern.

So, Mercy-d'Argenteau recognised these risks and even dared to approach the queen. Unfortunately, Marie Antoinette often brushed his concerns on such matters aside - surely she should be allowed to chose her own friends? Any other person would be given that privilege but Marie Antoinette was doomed by having alert enemies who were willing - and able - to spin anything into something sinister.

Even if her public detractors were not considered worthwhile paying attention to, it should be admitted that it was not a particularly good look for the queen. She had already turned the majority of the court against her by secluding herself at her private estates (thus depriving them of the traditional focal point of the court) but further excluding anyone else from her company was unfortunate. It gave the impression that the queen cared little for the opinions of her courtiers, not even bothering to pay them the slightest attention. It made her inaccessible, unapproachable - and her very role required her to be the opposite.

Furthermore, the spendthrift habits of some of her companions did little to either curb her own expenditure nor her reputation in that regard. 

Yet, the queen's inner circle was not merely made up of money grasping sycophants. Interestingly, most of the people who exploited her position happened to be associates of Madame de Polignac. It would seem that that particular lady had a tendency to attract some rather unscrupulous types. Yet, while there is little doubt that Madame de Polignac used her favour with the queen to her utmost advantage, it would be inaccurate to assume that there was no real friendship between them.

Likewise, men such as the Prince de Ligne or the Comte de Besenval appears to have genuinely appreciated Marie Antoinette for her good qualities. Their friendships were undoubtedly necessary for the queen's happiness, particularly when her unpopularity seemed to grow daily, no matter what she did. Having true friends around her must have been a true comfort.

Behind the Myths: Louis XIV

Considering his record-breaking reign, it is little wonder that Louis XIV has become a person surrounded by numerous tales and stories - some more shocking than others. The following examines a total of five myths surrounding the legendary Sun King - four untrue but one quite accurate.

Myth #1: The Baths

One of the more pervasive rumours surrounding Louis XIV concerns his personal hygiene. The rumour states that the Sun King only bathed thrice in his life. It must be understood that the concept of hygiene was vastly different in the 17th century. Usually, submerging the body fully in water was associated with either a medical cure or recreational pleasure. For instance, both Louis XIV and Marie Adélaide of Savoy were frequent swimmers in their youths. 

The medical faculties of the times strongly discouraged their patients from bathing frequently because water was seen as a carrier of disease. This was not quite untrue, either. Most villages and towns used water sources to discard their refuse in which left most bodies of water (particularly stagnant ones) utterly filthy. In that regard the doctors were probably right in warning of the dangers of bathing.

Most hygienic practices consisted of a dry wash - rubbing the body with either a dry towel or moist with scented water / alcohol. The frequent changes of linen and inner clothing also attributed to keeping odours at bay. The reasoning behind this was that doctors believed sitting in hot water would dilate the pores (true) which let in dangerous miasmas into the bloodstream (false). The latter was then thought to bring disease.

The fact that the king had an entire bathing suite on the ground floor of Versailles is another testimony to a sense of hygiene. Albeit, that suite was often used for more romantic pursuits but the massive marble tub there was supplied with both hot and cold water. Even before the bathing suite was built, Louis XIV had a cabinet des Bains installed in the early 1670's. That chamber contained two bath tubs; one for rinsing and one for scrubbing.

While Louis XIV was probably hardly a paragon of hygiene, the idea that he only had three baths in his long life-time simply does not correspond to reality.

Louis XIV

Myth #2: The Child Births

One disturbing myth that has recently sprung up - and been spread on some social media platforms - is that it was Louis XIV who invented the method of childbirth in which the labouring mother lies on her back.

That particular birthing method has (rightly) come into scrutiny lately, as many women are questioning why a woman already enduring immense stress and pain must also fight against gravity. Child birth at Versailles was a public spectacle which did indeed take place with the mother on her back. However, Louis XIV can hardly be given the dubious "honour" of imposing that position on the women of his time. For royal women, the presence of spectators was a matter of legitimacy. If the birth took place in front of witnesses it would be nearly impossible to later claim that one child had been switched with another. That could be the case if the child was stillborn, deformed - or a girl. So, to ensure that no doubts as to the child's legitimacy was raised, royal women had to undergo that demeaning practice.

The very practice itself of a lying-back childbirth was not for the convenience of the mothers - but for their doctors. Midwifery was typically a woman-dominated field for the majority of the population but doctors took over when it came to the high-born ladies. Sadly, this meant that the doctors relied entirely on  often non-sensical medical practice and their own convenience. After all, it is far easier (for the doctor) to see what is happening if the woman is in that position.

So, this practice was in place long before Louis was born - he can hardly be blamed for that.

 

Myth #3: The Gods

Some sources have questioned whether Louis XIV thought himself to be divine - or perhaps even the personification of the god Apollo.

The answer to that is yes and no. The entire world order of the baroque age was based on the so-called "divine order" which the catholic church had imposed for centuries. This order stated that each person's state in life was divinely chosen - and the king himself was divinely chosen by god to rule as his representative. Throughout his life, Louis XIV was a devout catholic and had been brought up with this belief. But did he actually believe that he was touched by the divine?

It is hard to say - he certainly believed in the divine right to rule for a king but he never made any allusion personally to considering himself as being divine himself.

As for Apollo, this one is easier to tackle. Baroque art heavily relies on allegories - particularly linking reigning royalty to Roman or Greek gods. Having chosen the Sun as his emblem, it was an easy offshoot to go with Apollo who also had a solar emblem. Throughout Versailles itself many of the mesmerizing paintings portrays either the king as Apollo or references to that deity. Likewise, the King himself appeared as Apollo in a ballet in his younger years. Yet, it is almost certain that he did not see himself as being Apollo.

Myth #4: The Biological Weapons

Biological weapons are not a product of the modern age - although they have become far more advanced over the years. Throughout the centuries, warring countries have adapted various types of biological warfare; these techniques included poisoning wells and throwing disease-ridden corpses into the enemy camp.

Unlike the other entries in this post, this myth is factual - however paradoxical that statement might seem. The Italian Martin Poli had been granted permission to establish his own laboratory. Exactly what he developed there is not quite certain although it would seem to have been either incendiary or bacteriological in nature; nevertheless, it was described as utterly terrifying. 

If the weapon was indeed bacteriological it would explain why a thorough description has not survived. After all, the early 18th century was still far off the discovery of bacteria. Any bacteriological effect would have seemed almost supernatural albeit very much real.

In 1702, Poli went to France and obtained an audience with the king. Upon this meeting, Louis XIV was offered the weapon which would have come in very handy in the on-going War of the Spanish Succession.  Yet, the king refused. Legend (unconfirmed) has it that he responded by saying that he already had numerous means of destroying life. Louis might have sent Poli on his way but instead he offered him a lifelong pension and appointed him to the Academy of Sciences. The condition was that Poli could never sell his invention to anyone.

Myth #5: The Paternity

The marriage between Louis XIII and Anne of Austria was notoriously sterile for a staggering 23 years when the queen announced her pregnancy. By this point, most people had assumed that their marriage would remain childless - but then along came Louis.

Rumours began circulating that maybe the queen had become desperate to deliver an heir and had turned from her husband to another - particularly Cardinal Mazarin?

This rumour is luckily easy to dispel. Louis was born 5 September 1638; by January that year the royal doctors estimated the queen to be six weeks along. This would place the time of conception to late November 1637. The romantic legend has it that the child was conceived when the queen was staying at Saint-Maur; the king was forced to spend the night there due to a sudden storm - and the rest is history. Whether that is how it happened will naturally never be known.

What is known, however, is that Cardinal Mazarin cannot have been Louis XIV's father - he was not even in France when Louis was conceived.