Louis XIV VS The Commons&

Enlightenment, the fuel for the fire revolution

Time Line of the Narrative1788:

Louis

XVI The Absolut

e Monarc

h

1789:

Third

Estate

forms the National Assembl

y

1791: Legislative Assembly

1792: Monarchy Abolished

1793:

Louis XVI executed

& Jacobins Dominan

t

1794:

Committee of

public

safety and the Reign of

Terror

1795:The

Directory

Copy into books

King Louis XIV Louis XIV was an absolute monarch, that ruled during the peak of Frances economic and military power and influence.A large part of this wealth was obtained via income taxes which came from the subjects of the king.The King lived in the Palace of Versailles. This place was removed from the poverty of Paris, and was in a sense a separate state. Louis acted as his own first minister, and assumed effective as well as ceremonial power.

The ANCIEN REGIME – The Old Order

Monarchy

Images of Louis XIV

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Images of the Palace of Versailles

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What is going on during this period?

Philosophical shiftsRegarding gender, political and class equality.

Enlightenment17th – 18th century

France is not a Nation at this stage!

The Three Estates The First Estate

•Consisted of office-bearers and the Roman Catholic Church

•The monarchy and the church shared a strong bond.

•The church legitimized the monarchs divine rule. In return, the monarchy granted the church exclusive full civil rights, as well as immense wealth.

•Low level priest would had received less of the spoils, which, would had made them more sympathetic to the conditions of the common people.

The Three Estates The Second Estate

•Aristocratic landowning nobility

•Owned approx. 20% of the land in France, but, only made up 1% of the total French population.

•Nobles had privilege and wealth, however, in the 17th century they had little effective power.

•Nobility could block royal decrees, but couldn’t initiate new policy. At best this only maintained the status quo.

The Three Estates The Third Estate

•This estate consisted of the remaining 99%.

•This estate can be broken down in to four groups: The bourgeoisie, the peasants, town artisans (skilled work) and the poverty stricken unemployed.

•The bourgeoisie consisted of the most potent force for change in French society. These people were the intellectuals and profit earners that embraced the age of the enlightenment.

•The bourgeoisie resented the current feudal system and taxation to the monarch. They wanted to build a new society that was not restricted by privilege, but instead rewarded it citizens based on merit.