Chapter 5: Developments In Versailles Flashcards
Summary: why was the Estates-General called?
Was this an aristocratic revolution?
King attempted to solve finances by removing some noble tax exemptions
Parliament (nobles) refuse
Louis forced to call an Estates-General
(May 1789)
Not a revolution as protests against new laws was within the constitution
What brought about the voting by order or head debate?
Last met in 1614:
300 of each estate
1st and 2nd estate could, and often did out vote 3rd estate
Unsatisfactory not for 3rd estate and some liberal minded nobles (especially after enlightenment)
3rd estate leaders suggest voting by head with 600 3rd estate representatives
Who was against voting by head?
Why?
Parliament;
Paris parliament upper class and weary of power of 3rd estate
3rd estate started a pamphlet war (propaganda)
Brought structure of ancien regime into question
What does Abbe Sieyes suggest on the matter of voting by head?
Can’t keep ignoring 3rd estate
Not royal despotism that needed to be destroyed but first two estates
How did Louis handle voting by order or by head?
Not well
Agrees to doubling of 3rd estate (to seem sympathetic)
Doesn’t change to vote by head (so no change in practice)
=> issue unresolved in May when Estates-General starts
Just before the meeting of the Estates-General, how is France politicised?
Cahiers de doleances - lists of grievances and suggestions for reform (what’s wrong, how to solve it)
Reveillon bread riots of April 1789 in Paris - emphasised hope of E-G providing cheap, plentiful bread (creates hopes never fulfilled)
When the E-G meets, how many representatives are there?
Who are the representatives of the 3rd estate?
562 deputies from 1st and 2nd estate
578 from 3rd estate
400 lawyers
150 bankers, merchants, small scale industrialists
30 intellectuals, writers
What did many of the clergy and nobility support?
What did the 3rd estate support?
Reform: regular meetings of E-G, no taxation without consent, freedom for press, abolition of lettres de cachet
Push demands further: abolition of feudal rights, financial equality
Why do the estates meet in a common session rather than separately?
3rd estate refused to do anything without a common session
Gradually joined by some nobility and more and more of parish priests
When was the National Assembly voted into existence?
Why?
What was it?
17 June
3rd estate voted
3rd estate took over managing taxes as represented most of the population
What happened on June 20, 1789?
3rd estate locked out of usual meeting place (to try to disband them)
Went to tennis court instead
Voted to not disperse until France given a constitution
Became known as the tennis court oath
How does Louis try to regain control after the tennis court oath?
On the 23rd of June:
Declared null and void on declarations made by 3rd estate on 17th (couldn’t call themselves the NA)
Privileges of 1st and 2nd estate to be discussed separately by each estate not discussed in common session
How did Louis try to appease the 3rd after the tennis court oath?
Suggested some reforms:
No tax without consent
Lettres de cachet abolished
Gabelle (salt tax) and corvée (5 day labour for gov.) abolished
What part of Louis’ moderations after the tennis court oath did the 3rd estate refuse?
To meet separately:
24th June- 151 clergy join 3rd estate
25th June- 47 nobles join
27 June- king gave in- ordered 1st and 2nd estate to join 3rd to vote by head
What are the long term reasons for the tennis court oath to be taken on June 20, 1789?
Enlightenment
Tax exemptions
Inequality under the ancien regime
Collapse of credibility of the monarchy (Louis 15 and 16)
