1.7. Political Developments 1787-May 1789

Question 1

When did Calonne summon a meeting of the notables?

Answer 1

In 1787

Question 2

Why did did Calonne summon a meeting of the notables in 1787?

Answer 2

To push through fiscal and economic reforms which were blocked by parlements

Question 3

When did the parlements block the reforms set out by Calonne?

Answer 3

22nd February 1787 in Versailles

Question 4

How many members were in the Assembly of Notables?

Answer 4

144 members of the first and second estates

Question 5

Who did the members of the assembly of notables include?

Answer 5

7 princes of the blood, 7 archbishops,
7 hereditary dukes, higher nobility, and the presidents of the 13 parlements

Question 6

What did Calonne hope the assembly of notables would do?

Answer 6

If they supported the proposed reforms, they would apply pressure on parlement to register them

Question 7

How were the crowns finances?

Answer 7

In terrible order, with a deficit estimated at 112 million livres and debt repayments due in 1788

Question 8

What did Calonne propose?

Answer 8

-a single land value tax (ending tax privileges)
-the conversion of the corvée into a money tax
-the abolition of internal tariffs to boost trade in France
-the creation of elected provincial assemblies to assess and administer tax

Question 9

What was the corvée?

Answer 9

a day’s unpaid labour owed by a vassal to his feudal lord

Question 10

What two arcs of debate were the assembly unable to come to an agreement on?

Answer 10

-many of the notables were radical and influenced by enlightenment ideas so thought the changes weren’t going far enough
-there were many notables who were concerned about their privileges being taken away

Question 11

What did Lafayette describe the assembly as to Thomas Jefferson?

Answer 11

An assembly of ‘not ables’

Question 12

What did Louis XVI think about the lack of progress in the assembly?

Answer 12

It frustrated him so he put pressure on Calonne to deliver the changes to save France from bankruptcy

Question 13

What happened as the debates dragged on?

Answer 13

There were calls for Calonne to be removed as minister

Question 14

When was Calonne relived of his duty?

Answer 14

8th April 1787

Question 15

Who took Calonne’s place as finance minister and president of the assembly of notables?

Answer 15

Étienne Loménie de Brienne, cardinal and archbishop of Toulouse

Question 16

Who was de Brienne a close ally with?

Answer 16

The queen

Question 17

What changes to Calonne’s plan did de Brienne make?

Answer 17

redefined the land tax as a specific amount of money determined by the revenue needs of the state each year

Question 18

What suggestion by the assembly did Louis veto?

Answer 18

The suggestion to have a permanent commission of auditors put in place to monitor the crowns finances

Question 19

What did the people call for to be formed?

Answer 19

An estates general

Question 20

What did Lafayette urge the crown to convene?

Answer 20

A National Assembly

Question 21

What two options did Brienne and Louis XVI have by the end of May 1787?

Answer 21

1. Reply on royal authority to force through the reforms
2. Call the estate-general

Question 22

When did Brienne dissolve the assembly?

Answer 22

25th May 1787

Question 23

What happened in June 1787?

Answer 23

Brienne began passing these reforms as edicts

Question 24

What did the parlement refuse to endorse?

Answer 24

Refused to endorse any new tax or support radical changes to taxation exemptions

Question 25

What did the parlement do about the edicts?

Answer 25

They refused to register them as they argued that it increased royal power, and said changes like that could only be affirmed by an estates general

Question 26

What happened on the 6th August 1787?

Answer 26

Louis XVI, acting on Briennes advice, convened a lit de justice where he dissolved the Paris and Bordeaux parlements. Lettres de cachet were issued against these magistrates, sending them into exile at Troyes

Question 27

Where was Troyes?

Answer 27

110 miles east of Paris

Question 28

What did Brienne believe about sending the magistrates to Troyes?

Answer 28

If the magistrates were well away from the public pressures of Paris, they would eventually back down

Question 29

What did the exiles do in response to their exile?

Answer 29

They send letters to France’s other parlements, urging them to refuse registration to any tax edicts

Question 30

When were the magistrates allowed to return to Paris?

Answer 30

24th September

Question 31

Why were the magistrates allowed to go back to Paris?

Answer 31

There were riotous assemblies and protests through August

Question 32

How were the exiles greeted when they returned to Paris?

Answer 32

They were met with public fanfare and celebration

Question 33

What happened in November 1787?

Answer 33

Louis called a meeting called Séance Royale with the Paris Parlement and declared the reforms registered

Question 34

What happened on the 8th May 1788?

Answer 34

Louis XVI tried to neuter the parliaments altogether. He said all future edicts would be registered by an appointed ‘plenary court’

Question 35

Who was Duc d’Orléans?

Answer 35

A cousin of Louis XVI who tried to defend the Paris parlement but was arrested

Question 36

What did Duc d’Orléans arrest result in?

Answer 36

Riot in Paris where Grenoble locals pelted government soldiers with tiles, called the Day of Tiles

Question 37

When did protests end?

Answer 37

When the estates general was called

Question 38

When was the estates general called?

Answer 38

8th August 1788