What were the Estates General?

The group that would later become known as the Estates General was first convened in 1302 during the reign of the French king Philip IV.

Philip needed financial support for his conflict with Pope Boniface VIII and sought the support of the French people.

Specifically, he wanted to know that his subjects from all social classes, either rich or poor, were behind him. So, he specifically asked for representatives from across the social spectrum, including priests and bishops from the church, members of the French nobility, and even commoners.

The final assembly was intended to provide a broad spectrum of opinions and advice. During the first meeting, the representatives pledged their support for the king's policies. 

Once the king saw how effective this new gathering could be, he began to organize his people into three distinct groups that could be called upon to regather the Estates General.

These three groups were called 'estates’. The ‘Frist Estate’ was made up of people who represented the Church and who wielded significant influence due to its spiritual authority and wealth.

The Second Estate was drawn from the nobility, who were privileged landowners and military leaders. Finally, the Third Estate were the commoners.

This included everyone from wealthy merchants to poor peasants.  

The three estates were often eager to be part of the Estates General gatherings, as it presented a rare opportunity to share their thoughts, concerns, and frustrations with the king himself.

However, each estate had its own unique interests and priorities, which led to frequent disagreements. As a result, they rarely worked together to find solutions for the good of the country.

Unfortunately, the representation in the Estates General was heavily skewed in favor of the rich classes. Whenever they were asked to vote on something each of the three estates only had one vote each.

This often resulted in the clergy and nobility outvoting the commoners. To the frustration of the Third Estate, this system perpetuated their political marginalization. 

Over the centuries, the Estates General met sporadically, summoned by monarchs in times of crisis or need. The next major assembly of the Estates General occurred in 1356, in the middle of the Hundred Years' War between France and England.

At this time, the three estates played a crucial role in advising the monarchy on taxation to fund the war effort. As a result, the assembly's influence with the throne grew. 

Next, in 1484, after the death of Louis XI, Charles VIII called the Estates General to address the nation's political turmoil.

At this assembly, discussions focused on issues such as economic reforms and the fair administration of justice throughout the kingdom.

But Charles VIII’s main concern was to encourage the Estates General to legitimize his claim to power. Much to his frustration, however, the assembly also exposed the deep divisions between the estates, particularly over taxation.

This meeting became an early sign of the growing distance between the king and his people. 

The next major assembly of the Estates General took place in 1614. This time it was convened by Louis XIII, who wanted to address pressing financial issues and administrative reforms in his lands.

France had struggled with political turmoil and the king needed broad support for his position. In addition, the regency of Marie de' Medici, who had acted on behalf of her young son Louis XIII, caused growing concern at the time.

Ultimately, the king and his advisors hoped the Estates General would provide solutions to the kingdom's financial woes and help him regain political power. 

However, the representatives from the clergy, nobility, and commoners gathered with vastly differing agendas. The clergy and nobility aimed to protect their privileges and resist any new taxes, while the Third Estate demanded fairer taxation.

Consequently, the different debates quickly became heated. For example, the First and Second Estates refused to give up their tax exemptions to help the kingdom.

Eventually, the failure to reconcile these differences led to an impasse. 

What is more, Marie de' Medici's regency faced public criticism for its inability to resolve the complex political problems surrounding the monarchy.

Her constant dependance on certain advisors, such as Concino Concini, simply alienated many of the nobles. As a result, even though the Estates General of 1614 was intended to strengthen the monarchy, it highlighted its critical vulnerabilities.  

The Estates General of 1614 ended without achieving its primary objectives, which deepened the rift between the estates and the monarchy.

At its conclusion the crown believed that the Estates General had become an inefficient tool for helping run the kingdom. As a consequence, the king would not call upon them again for more than 150 years.

It was not until a crippling financial crisis threatened to destroy the kingdom altogether that the monarchy would risk calling the representatives together one last time. 

At the end of the 18th century, France was at risk of collapse. Facing a massive debt of approximately 4 billion livres, the monarchy found itself unable to manage the fiscal burden.

To address this, Louis XVI finally agreed to call on the Estates General once more. In May 1789, the representatives from the clergy, nobility, and commoners gathered at Versailles with high expectations. 

However, rather than helping the king with his national economic problem, the estates once more wanted to use the meetings to seek solutions to their particular struggles.

The Third Estate, which represented 97% of the population at that point, demanded more equitable representation and voting reforms.

With over 600 deputies, it wanted to challenge the traditional voting system that favored the privileged estates. For many commoners, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to address long-standing grievances.

Consequently, debates over voting by head versus voting by estate became a central issue. 

In June 1789, frustration among the Third Estate had reached a turning point. King Louis XVI’s reluctance to implement substantial reforms brought all progress to a halt.

For many members of the Third Estate, this was a clear sign of the monarchy's unwillingness to share power. So, the deputies declared themselves to be an entirely new entity, called the National Assembly, which was an alternative government to the king himself.

Additionally, the National Assembly's formation led to the famous Tennis Court Oath on June 20. There, members vowed not to disband until a new constitution was established. 

King Louis XVI was outraged at this turn of events and called for a royal session with the deputies in which he hoped to reassert his authority and find a compromise.

However, the momentum had shifted irrevocably. His efforts proved futile as the assembly continued to assert its authority.  

The Estates General of 1789's failure to resolve the financial crisis highlighted the deep-seated tensions among the estates.

With the creation of the National Assembly, the revolutionary movement gained momentum. Additionally, this event signaled the end of the Estates General as a functional institution.

For many, it marked the beginning of a new political era.  

In July 1789, the storming of the Bastille became a powerful symbol of popular resistance. This violent act reflected the widespread anger and disillusionment with the monarchy.

Moreover, it underscored the growing power of the revolutionary movement. The National Assembly's subsequent reforms dismantled the old regime.

Abolishing feudal privileges and enacting the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, the assembly laid the groundwork for a new society.

These reforms addressed many of the inequities that the Estates General had failed to resolve.