French vocab

Question 1

Parlement

Answer 1

High court of law
Registered royal decrees, thus establishing them as law

Question 2

Legislative power

Answer 2

The right to make laws
Resides in the person of the sovereign

Question 3

Despot

Answer 3

A ruler who ignores or abuses the law, behaving in an arbitrary fashion

Question 4

Lettres de cachet

Answer 4

Letter bearing the royal seal by which the king could order imprisonment
Abandoned in the revolution

Question 5

Intendants

Answer 5

Royal agents to establish central control
Ensured taxes were paid
Ensured king’s edicts were carried out
Raised troops

Question 6

Pays d’etats

Answer 6

Regions where assemblies had the right to negotiate on the raising of royal taxes with the intendants
Kept taxes raised for public funding

Question 7

Lit de justice

Answer 7

Royal session of the Paris Parlementfor the registration of royal edicts

Question 8

Don gratuit

Answer 8

‘Voluntary gift’ paid by the church every 5 years
Church won the right to offer this instead of direct taxation

Question 9

Taille

Answer 9

Direct tax
Tax on property & income of the 3rd estate

Question 10

Capitation

Answer 10

Direct tax
Poll tax
Theoretically payable by everyone but clergy paid the don gratuit & 2nd estate payments varied

Question 11

Vingtieme

Answer 11

Direct tax
5% income tax on land, property etc
Clergy won exemption
Pays d’etats won reduced rates
Parlements resisted new assessments of income

Question 12

Gabelle

Answer 12

Indirect tax on salt

Question 13

Tobac

Answer 13

Indirect tax on tobacco

Question 14

Aides

Answer 14

Indirect tax
Consumption tac on consumer goods

Question 15

Domaine

Answer 15

Indirect tax
Taxes on crown lands, ‘royal domain’

Question 16

Traite

Answer 16

Indirect tax
Customs duty