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What role did Maria Theresa’s marriage to Louis XIV play in the history of chocolate in France?
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cocoa
Cocoa beans.
The marriage of the Spanish princess Maria Theresa to King Louis XIV in 1660 played a pivotal role in the history of chocolate in France by helping to popularize the beverage there.1
While Spain had guarded the secret of its chocolate drink—originally known as xocoatl—for nearly a century, the consumption of chocolate gained significant traction in the French court following the royal union. This cultural exchange facilitated the spread of the beverage, which had been adapted for European palates by adding sugar to the traditional bitter mixture.1