PEOPLE YOU SHOULD KNOW
Joseph Bologne
Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, was an extraordinary fencer and an exceptional musician. He was born in the French colony of Guadeloupe to a wealthy French planter and an enslaved African woman. He showed his outstanding talent in fencing early during his schooling in Paris, where he defeated master fencer Alexandre Picard. Not surprisingly, he was named a king’s bodyguard and a knight (chevalier) at age 21.
Bologne’s musical talents were equally impressive. He became a renowned violinist and composer, working with a talented company of musicians called Le Concert des Amateurs. He often played for Marie Antoinette and even conducted the premiere of the famous Paris symphonies by composer Joseph Haydn.
During the French Revolution, Joseph led an all-Black regiment called Légion de Saint Georges, breaking stereotypes! Alas, he was dismissed from the military during the French Revolution by Maximilien Robespierre. Joseph was accused of conspiring with the French elite, arrested, and later released. He dedicated his final years solely to the violin, dying in 1799 at the age of 53.
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette, an Austrian archduchess who became the queen of France, was a symbol of both splendor and tragedy. Born in Vienna, Austria, she was the daughter of the powerful Habsburg Empress, Maria Theresa. At just 14, Marie Antoinette was betrothed to the future French king, Louis XVI. The marriage was designed to strengthen the ties between her home of Austria and France.
While queen of France, Marie Antoinette was known for her love of fashion and entertainment, which captivated and occasionally scandalized the French court. She would style her hair into intricate designs called poufs (sometimes reaching as high as three feet!).
As France teetered on the brink of revolution, Marie Antoinette faced growing public criticism. She soon became a symbol of the monarchy’s excesses. Accused of treason and other offenses, she was eventually imprisoned during the French Revolution. She was executed by guillotine at the age of 37 in 1793.