History's Biggest Scapegoat

The Marie Antoinette Conspiracy...

Portrait of Marie-Antoinette, Jean-Baptiste André Gautier-Dagoty (1775)

Marie Antoinette, France’s last queen before the Revolution, is often remembered more for the scandals and accusations surrounding her than for her true character.

From her arrival in France as a young Austrian archduchess to her tragic death at the guillotine, she became the embodiment of all that was wrong with the monarchy. However, much of the hatred directed at her was based on rumors, propaganda, and outright lies.

Here’s how the media and public opinion turned Marie Antoinette into one of history’s biggest scapegoats — and how the tactics used against her in the 18th century are surprisingly similar to those used in modern times…