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This quotation is popularly attributed to Marie Antoinette, the wife of King Louis XVI and the last Queen of France. In response to the news that the French peasants had no bread and were starving, she allegedly said, "let them eat cake." However, she never actually said that. Even though the quotation is attributed to her, it was actually spoken a century before by Marie-Therese, wife of Louis XIV. It was a callous and ignorant statement and she, Marie Antoinette, was neither. See the Related Links below.
The quote was: 'Let them eat brioche' but its unlikely that she ever said this. (A brioche is a very enriched bread, more like a cake.)
The expression first appeared in The Confessions of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, completed in 1769 when Marie Antoinette was 13, where he wrote:
"Enfin je me rappelai le pis-aller d'une grande princesse à qui l'on disait que les paysans n'avaient pas de pain, et qui répondit : Qu'ils mangent de la brioche."
Translation:
"Finally I recalled the last resort of a great princess who was told that the peasants had no bread, and who responded: "Let them eat brioche."
This is the only recorded use of the expression. The 'great princess' was clearly someone else.
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EzraApparently, she never did say it. During the famine, when the French people were complaining about the food shortage, especially that of bread, she is said to have said it. (It is said she stated that after hearing of the complains.) However, there is no solid proof that she ever said it. According to a documentary, Antoinette wouldn't have even paid attention to the people and/or their sufferings. Her luxuries were more important for her.
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What did peasants eat during the French Revolution?
Hey, I am doing an assessment on the French Revolution as we speak and as I remember they actually ate near to nothing. As Louis' wife said when royals said 'the commons have no bread' she said 'let them have cake.' Sorry but I know that wasn't alot of help.
This royal personages suggestion for survival was to let them eat cake?
It's uncertain who said it, or if it was even said at all... it is commonly attributed to Mary Antionette, although there is no actual record of her having actually said this, and it was actually "brioche", not "cake". Another biographer claimed that Marie-Therese was the one who had said it, although this claim was equally unsupported.
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