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The Estates-General was divided into three bodies representing the clergy, nobility, and commoners. The clergy and nobility could outvote the commoners despite representing a small portion of the population. Taxes and feudal payments were among the top grievances of the commoners. The Third Estate declared itself the National Assembly and more members of the clergy joined, challenging the king's authority.

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22 views

Untitled 2

The Estates-General was divided into three bodies representing the clergy, nobility, and commoners. The clergy and nobility could outvote the commoners despite representing a small portion of the population. Taxes and feudal payments were among the top grievances of the commoners. The Third Estate declared itself the National Assembly and more members of the clergy joined, challenging the king's authority.

Uploaded by

monkey.luffy.ken
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Estates-General of 1789

Main article: Estates General of 1789 in France

The Estates-General contained three separate bodies, the First Estate representing 100,000 clergy,
the Second the nobility, and the Third the "commons".[34] Since each met separately, and any proposals
had to be approved by at least two, the First and Second Estates could outvote the Third despite
representing less than 5% of the population.[29]
Although the Catholic Church in France owned nearly 10% of all land, as well as receiving
annual tithes paid by peasants,[35] three-quarters of the 303 clergy elected were parish priests, many of
whom earned less than unskilled labourers and had more in common with their poor parishioners than
with the Bishops of the first estate.[36][37]
The Second Estate elected 322 deputies, representing about 400,000 men and women, who owned
about 25% of the land and collected seigneurial dues and rents from their tenants. Most delegates were
town-dwelling members of the noblesse d'épée, or traditional aristocracy. Courtiers and representatives
of the noblesse de robe (those who derived rank from judicial or administrative posts) were
underrepresented.[38]
Of the 610 deputies of the Third Estate, about two-thirds held legal qualifications and almost half were
venal office holders. Less than 100 were in trade or industry and none were peasants or artisans. [39] To
assist delegates, each region completed a list of grievances, known as Cahiers de doléances.[40] Tax
inequality and seigneurial dues (feudal payments owed to landowners) headed the grievances in
the cahiers de doleances for the estate.[41]
On 5 May 1789, the Estates-General convened at Versailles. Necker outlined the state budget and
reiterated the king's decision that each estate should decide on which matters it would agree to meet
and vote in common with the other estates. On the following day, each estate was to separately verify
the credentials of their representatives. The Third Estate, however, voted to invite the other estates to
join them in verifying all the representatives of the Estates-General in common and to agree that votes
should be counted by head. Fruitless negotiations lasted to 12 June when the Third Estate began
verifying its own members. On 17 June, the Third Estate declared itself to be the National Assembly of
France and that all existing taxes were illegal.[42] Within two days, more than 100 members of the
clergy had joined them.[43]

Le Serment du Jeu de paume by Jacques-Louis David ( 1791),


depicting the Tennis Court Oath
Shaken by this challenge to his authority, the king agreed to a reform package that he would announce
at a Royal Session of the Estates-General. The Salle des États was closed to prepare for the joint
session, but the members of the Estates-General were not informed in advance. On 20 June, when the
members of the Third Estate found their meeting place closed, they moved to a nearby tennis court
and swore not to disperse until a new constitution had been agreed.[44]
At the Royal Session the king announced a series of tax and other reforms and stated that no new
taxes or loans would be implemented without the consent of the Estates-General. However, he stated
that the three estates were sacrosanct and it was up to each estate to agree to end their privileges and
decide on which matters they would vote in common with the other estates. At the end of the session
the Third Estate refused to leave the hall and reiterated their oath not to disperse until a constitution
had been agreed. Over the next days more members of the clergy joined the National Assembly. On 27
June, faced with popular demonstrations and mutinies in his French Guards, Louis XVI capitulated. He
commanded the members of the first and second estates to join the third in the National Assembly. [45]

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