ARISTOCRATRIC REVOLT - FRENCH REVOLUTION

U3 AOS 1

assembly of notables (22nd feb-25th may 1787)

144 handpicked (by louis) notable members of the kingdom

why was the assembly of notables formed?

callone wanted to get the backing of the clergy and nobles so his reforms wouldn’t be met with resistance

• reforms failed to pass

what did the assembly of notables want?

• limits on louis’ power > lead to callone’s replacement april

• assembly of notables was dissolved in may

aristocratic revolt

• most of callone’s proposals had some approval from the notables, subject to some changes

• louis accepted the idea of local assemblies

aristocratic revolt 2

widespread disproval on nobles giving up their taxation privileges

• bishops argued that they could not the church’s right to self-asses their taxes

biggest hurdle aristocratic revolt

the notables were in favour of tax reform, but refused to approve the new tax unless they were fully informed about the nations finances

brienne submitting reforms

• brienne submitted the reforms to the parlements on july 2nd 1787

• magistrates rejected them saying ‘taxes should be consented to by whose who had bear them’ and that an estates general should be called to approve any tax reforms (seen as champions of people)

king - submitting reforms

on 6th august: louis attempted to use on lit de justice to register the reforms (king forcing the parlement to register decrees)

parlement - submitting reforms

the parlement saw what louis was doing as invalid and were exiled (seen as champions of people)

• a compromise was made between the two groups but louis claimed that ‘it is legal because i will it’ lead to parlement to refuse registration

what were the magistrates viewed as?

• magistrates were viewed as defenders of the people

10th june 1788 actual day of tiles

• royal troops came to banish the magistrates from parlement for their opposition of louis

• troops met with urban violence, tiles from surrounding houses being thrown at them

aftermath of day of tiles

• riots in paris fueled due to high food prices

• over 500 hostile pamphlets published

• clergy refused to pay don gratuit

• 5th july 1788: louis would welcome submissions on the composition of an estates general

what did the aftermath of the revolution mean?

it meant that revolution had succeeded and the french knew violence got them what they wanted - almost positive reinforcement

bankruptcy

• only 400,000 livres in the national treasury

• tax given by peasants would be lower this year due to natural disasters destroying crops

• 8th august 1788: louis called for estates general to restore public confidence

historians interp of bankruptcy

‘enough money for the country to function for one afternoon’ simon schama