The Government of the Ancien-Regime, including central government, intendants and local government Flashcards
What was the role of the ‘King in Council’ in the central government?
The government was dispensed by the ‘King in Council’, essentially by the decision of the monarch after taking advice from chosen assistants.
What were the main royal councils in the central government?
The main royal councils included:
- The Council of State: dealt with major issues of state and foreign affairs.
- Conseil des Despeches: received dispatches from the King’s officials in the provinces and dealt with church affairs.
- Conseil Royal des Finances: handled state finances and household costs, and from 1787, economic policy.
Who held power in the central government despite the councils?
Power tended to fall into the hands of a restricted number of influential individuals, including the king’s chief ministers and the Controller-General.
What were the responsibilities of the intendants?
Intendants were royal agents responsible for maintaining rule in the provinces, finance, policing, and justice, ensuring taxes were paid and the King’s edicts were carried out.
What challenges did intendants face in their roles?
Intendants were over-worked and allocated too few staff to support them.
What was the role of provincial governors in local government?
Provincial governors, drawn from the nobility, were responsible for maintaining order in their regions and could call provincial parliaments or preside over municipal bodies.
What were the pays d’etats?
The pays d’etats were 6 areas that allowed the privilege of negotiating directly with the Crown on taxation, having powerful assemblies with which intendants had to share power.
How did venality affect municipal administration?
In some cities, officers in municipal administration bought their positions under the system of venality and were defensive of their rights.
What influence did seigneurs have in rural areas?
In rural areas, seigneurs exercised considerable influence, even running their own courts, and viewed themselves as superior to the intendants.
What was the role of the Paris Parlements?
The Paris Parlements were sovereign courts responsible for hearing civil and criminal cases that local courts couldn’t solve and controlled guilds, corporations, and markets.
What power did the Parlements have regarding the king’s edicts?
Parlements registered the king’s edicts for conformity with legislation, could remonstrate, question, and criticize decrees, and the king could overrule them through the lit de justice.
Who were the magistrates in the Parlements?
The Parlements had 12 magistrates, all of whom had bought their titles and became noblesse de robe.
