To what extent were king Louis XVI and his court responsible for the onset of revolution?

Question 1

Louis’s character

Answer 1

Not originally destined to be king - did not recieve specific training for kingship (elder brother died in 1761) = weak, indecisive easily led, lacking in court and political experience

Question 2

1770

Answer 2

Year Louis married Marie Antoinette (Austrian)

Question 3

Madame Déficit

Answer 3

Marie Antionette’s nickname (criticised for frivolous spending at court)

Question 4

What was the Affair of the Diamond Necklace and when was it ?1785

Answer 4

Louis wanted to make jewels for Antoinette, which ended up costing as much as the entire country’s income for a year. However, the jeweler was a fake and they were never actually made.1784-85

accused of trying to purchase diamond necklace worth 1,600,000 livres with state finances so low

Question 5

What was Marie Antoinette’s nickname?

Answer 5

’ madame deficit ‘ - meaning debt as she was known for her lavish lifestyle

Question 6

what did Marie and Louis marrige look like and when did they finally produce an heir?

Answer 6

Distant and weird, they failed to produce (man said produce plsssss sounding a like a fcking factory) an heir until 1781

Question 7

Unpopularity of Marie Antionette

Answer 7

Initially failed to produce an heir - obscene pamphlets mocking infertility (first daughter born in 1778, Dauphin born 1781), dislike of complex Versailles etiquette, rumours she manipulated Louis for personal and Austrian gain - target for propaganda and open criticism

Question 8

1774-1776

Answer 8

Turgot

Question 9

1776-1781

Answer 9

Necker

Question 10

1783-1787

Answer 10

Calonne

Question 11

1787-1788

Answer 11

Brienne

Question 12

Turgot

Answer 12

Introduced free grain trade in 1774 and tried to remove controls on prices - unpopular unrest and aristocratic opposition - 1774-75 had bad harvests and made the grain prices rise, poor couldnt afford bread so hated him

Question 13

Why the privilaged pissed at Turgot reforms but how did Turgot Reforms backfire

Answer 13

free trade, w duties and barriers and controls on prices removed = this costed ppl who benefited from such privileges = caused opposition .
In theory = free trade would be the benefit of majority .

In reality = bad weather spring 1774-75= bad harvest= grain prices increase = violence

Question 14

Flour Wars

Answer 14

1775 = series of uprising occured within Parisian basin, rural areas surrounding Paris.

17days of violence in 180 towns and villages

Question 15

what sparked the flour wars?

Answer 15

riots about the prices of bread/grain

Question 16

how did Turgot’s reforms go too far?

Answer 16

proclaimed to abolish privilege and introduce a property tax payable by all three estates

the first, second and parlements refused to sanction these reforms

Question 17

when was Necker appointed

Answer 17

• 1777

Question 18

what did Necker publish in 1781 and what did this claim?

Answer 18

• ’ compete rendu auroi’ - report to the king

- claimed a surplus of 10 million when there was a 46 million defecit

Question 19

how did Necker win public support?

Necker convinced financers to do what?

Answer 19

releasing the “Report to the king.” seen as increasing transparency of the court

further finance the state

Question 19

how did Necker win public support?

Necker convinced financers to do what?

Answer 19

releasing the “Report to the king.” seen as increasing transparency of the court

further finance the state

Question 20

France was at war in the American revolution: what did Necker refused to do?

why was Necker refusing to ……….. an issue?

Answer 20

did not want to increase taxation

Necker accumulated debt

Question 21

Calonne

Answer 21

Tried to save the economy by advocating for free trade and reeducation in government spending (controversial), sale of church land and universal land tax (Assembly of Notables refused = dismissed 1787) they were like hell nahhh

Question 22

Brienne

Answer 22

Got Paris parlement to allow internal free trade yet faced opposition in attempt to pass universal land tax - Louis defended him and exiled parlement in 1787

Question 23

what did Brienne propose and what happened as a result of this ?

Answer 23

Proposed universal land tax - opposition
Parlement refused to sanction it, claiming EG consent necessary
Louis decisively exiled Pto Troyes as a result
Revolt of the aristocracy as a result
Louis made to seem tyrannical

Question 24

Revolt of the Aristocracy

Answer 24

Series of revolts after Louis exiled parlement in 1787 - seen as a tyrant

Question 25

Revolt of Grenoble

Answer 25

June 1788 - parlement of Grenoble refused to be dismissed - soldiers were sent resulting in violence - ‘Day of Tiles’

Question 26

August 1788

Answer 26

Necker re-appointed after ‘revolt of aristocracy’ which seriously damaged Louis’s reputation = agreed to meeting of Estates-General 1789

Question 27

In attempt to appeaase the nobles and to secure finances,(1789) Louis agreed to convene who?

Answer 27

convene a meeting of the estates general to discuss economy of state= but when they did all hell went loose (PEOPLE RISE)

Question 28

List the controller generals and the years they where the minister for ?

Answer 28

Turgot - 1774-1776
Necker - 1777-1781
Fleury - 1781- 1783. Calonne - 1783-1787
Brienne - 1787-1788