The Conciergie and Trial

On August 2, 1793, Marie Antoinette was suddenly transferred to the Conciergerie, the antechamber to the guillotine. Her daughter's screams as they were separated haunted guards. At the Conciergerie, she was placed in a damp cell, watched constantly by guards who sat in her room. Privacy was non-existent; even basic bodily functions were performed under observation.

The conditions were deliberately harsh. She had two dresses, minimal linen, and straw to sleep on. Food was basic: soup, bread, occasional meat. Yet witnesses noted her unfailing politeness to guards and her maintenance of personal cleanliness despite lacking proper facilities. She spent hours in prayer, using a prayer book that sympathetic guards allowed.

The trial, beginning October 14, 1793, was a foregone conclusion. The charges ranged from plausible (corresponding with enemies) to absurd (sexual abuse of her son). This last accusation, based on forced testimony from the manipulated dauphin, finally broke her composure. Her response—"I appeal to all mothers present"—momentarily turned the crowd's sympathy toward her.

Marie Antoinette defended herself with unexpected skill. Despite exhaustion and illness, she parried questions, exposed contradictions, and maintained innocence of intending harm to France. When asked about passing military secrets, she replied that as queen she had duties to support the king's policies. When accused of depleting the treasury, she noted that her expenses were a fraction of previous queens'.

The verdict was predetermined. Found guilty of treason, she was sentenced to death. She heard it without visible emotion, thanking her lawyers (who wept) for their efforts. Back in her cell, she wrote her final letter to Madame Élisabeth, a testament of faith, maternal love, and forgiveness for her enemies. The letter was never delivered, suppressed by authorities who feared its emotional power.