Marie Antoinette was born in 1755 as an Austrian archduchess, the youngest daughter of Empress Maria Theresa. She married Louis XVI of France at a young age as part of a political alliance meant to strengthen ties between Austria and France. Initially, she was popular with the French people, but her lavish lifestyle and perceived indifference to their struggles contributed to her growing unpopularity. Her reign coincided with significant social and economic unrest in...