Estates-General

A gathering of representatives from the three estates of France.

The Estates-General was an assembly that represented France's three traditional estates: the First Estate (clergy), the Second Estate (nobility), and the Third Estate (commoners). Convened by King Louis XVI on 5 May 1789 to address the country's financial crisis, this meeting aimed to provide solutions to the economic difficulties facing the nation. The conflict over voting procedures (individual votes by estates versus a collective vote) and the lack of representation for the Third Estate led to significant tensions. Ultimately, the disagreements among the estates contributed to the formation of the National Assembly by the Third Estate on 17 June 1789, marking a key moment in the buildup to the French Revolution.

The Estates-General was a legislative and consultative assembly of the different classes (or estates) of French subjects. It was comprised of three estates: the clergy (First Estate), the nobility (Second Estate), and the commoners (Third Estate). This assembly had not been convened since 1614 but was summoned by King Louis XVI in 1789 due to France's severe financial crisis.

Each estate had one vote, a system which benefited the First and Second estates since they often voted in alignment, marginalizing the Third Estate despite it representing the majority of the population. The Third Estate sought a voting system based on headcount, which would better reflect the will of the people. Disagreements over this voting mechanism led to heightened tensions.

On 5 May 1789, the Estates-General convened at Versailles, with representatives bringing grievances and proposals for reform (called 'cahiers de doléances'). While the clergy and nobility were concerned with preserving privileges, the commoners demanded fiscal and administrative changes, fairer tax distribution, and more political representation.

The impasse over voting procedures and the perceived reluctance of the king to address the Third Estate's concerns led to the latter breaking away and declaring itself the National Assembly on 17 June 1789. This self-proclamation marked the beginning of a shift in power and signaled the erosion of monarchical authority.

Subsequent actions, such as the Tennis Court Oath on 20 June 1789 (when members of the Third Estate vowed not to disband until a new constitution was established), culminated in significant revolutionary events, including the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789. The initial assembly of the Estates-General thus set in motion a series of events that led to the formation of the National Constituent Assembly and the eventual transformation of French governance.

Did you know?

The Estates-General was convened for the first time since 1614 on 5 May 1789; the long absence left many citizens unprepared for the parliamentary debates that would ensue.
Each of the three estates (the clergy, the nobility, and the common people) had one vote, leading to systemic inequalities; the Third Estate (commoners) often found themselves outvoted despite representing 97% of the population.
The convening of the Estates-General catalyzed the formation of the National Assembly on 17 June 1789, when the representatives of the Third Estate declared themselves the true representatives of the French people.
The Third Estate's dissatisfaction with their treatment during the Estates-General meetings led to the Tennis Court Oath on 20 June 1789, where they vowed not to disband until a new constitution was established.
Significantly, the Estates-General's discussions and grievances brought forward issues such as taxation, feudal rights, and the demands for more democratic representation, illustrating the revolutionary sentiments brewing in France.