Financial Crisis and Royal Responses

By the mid-1780s, France faced a financial crisis that threatened the entire ancien régime. The costs of supporting American independence, combined with systemic problems in taxation and spending, had created an unsustainable situation. While Marie Antoinette's personal spending was a tiny fraction of the problem, she became the symbol of royal extravagance.

Controller-General Charles Alexandre de Calonne attempted reforms that would have taxed noble and church lands. Marie Antoinette, surprisingly, supported these measures, understanding that sacrifice was necessary. She reduced her household expenses, canceled building projects at the Petit Trianon, and even sold some of her jewelry. But these gestures were too little, too late in public perception.

The Assembly of Notables in 1787 rejected Calonne's reforms, setting in motion the events that would lead to revolution. Marie Antoinette found herself caught between multiple factions. Some saw her as a reformist influence on the king; others as the primary obstacle to necessary changes. In reality, her political influence remained limited, though she increasingly tried to assert herself as the crisis deepened.

The queen's correspondence from this period reveals growing awareness of danger. Her letters to her brother Joseph II mix personal news with urgent requests for advice and support. She sensed that the monarchy faced an existential threat but felt powerless to address it effectively. Her suggestions—mostly focused on maintaining royal authority while making modest concessions—showed neither the reactionary stupidity nor the Machiavellian cunning attributed to her by various critics.

Within the palace, servants noticed changes in the royal couple's behavior. Louis XVI became more withdrawn, spending hours on his locksmithing. Marie Antoinette alternated between frantic activity and deep depression. The grand ceremonies continued, but with a hollow quality that fooled no one.