Marie Leszczynska

A Polish Queen for France

By Eloise and Claire


Marie Leszczynska was born at Breslau on the 23rd of June 1703 She was the daughter of
Stanislas Leszczynski (who in 1704 became king of Poland) and of Catherine Opalinska.
Stanilas had to leave Poland and go into exile. He had time to see to the education of his
daughter. She was engaged to Louis XV, king of France. They married at Fontainebleau on
the 5th of September 1725. Marie gave birth to seven children. The king was not a paragon of
virtue and soon they became estranged. The queen saw her father Stanislas who has settled in
Lorraine and remained very close to him. Marie stayed with her own friends until her death at
Versailles on the 24th of June 1768.