Marie Madeleine-Sophie Blanchard (1778-1819,nee Armant),French balloonist,standing in the decorated basket of her balloon during her flight in Milan,Italy,in 1811,in the presence of the Emperor Napoleon. Sophie married the balloonist Jean-Pierre Blanchard in 1804. Together they made many ascents in balloon to entertain crowds and earn money. Her husband died in 1809 after he fell from his balloon following a heart attack. Sophie carried on with her ascents,making many pioneering trips including a crossing of the Alps. On 6 July 1819,while ascending over the Tivoli Gardens in Paris,France,her hydrogen balloon caught fire and she fell to her death in the streets below |