National Constituent Assembly

Despite common perceptions, the nobility in France was never an entirely closed class and many opportunities were available for wealthy individuals to eventually gain titles of nobility for themselves or their descendants. From 1275 to 1578, non-nobles could acquire titles of nobility after three generations by buying lands or castles that had noble privileges attached to them (that is to say that these fiefs had formerly belonged to a noble lord or the king and had been given in feudal homage; non-nobles could not possess noble fiefs ...

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French nobility, French nobility - Forms of French Nobility, French nobility - Aristocratic codes, French nobility - Power and Protest, French nobility - The Abolition of Privileges at the French Revolution, French nobility - Nobility since the Revolution

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In 1773 he made his first appearance as an author with a Philosophical Essay on Man. The book shows a wonderful knowledge of English, French, German, Italian and Spanish philosophers, and directly attacks Helvetius, who had in his De l'esprit declared a knowledge of science unnecessary for a philosopher. Marat declares that physiology alone can solve the problems of the connection between soul and body, and proposes the existence of a nervous fluid as the true solution. In 1774 he published The Chains of Slavery [1], whi ...

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Jean-Paul Marat, Jean-Paul Marat - Life, Jean-Paul Marat - Childhood and education, Jean-Paul Marat - Scientist and physician, Jean-Paul Marat - Marat enters politics, Jean-Paul Marat - The People's Friend, Jean-Paul Marat - The National Convention, Jean-Paul Marat - Views of Marat, Jean-Paul Marat - Artistic and theatrical representations, Jean-Paul Marat - Marat's works

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Versailles was the unofficial capital city of the kingdom of France from May 1682 (King Louis XIV moves the court and government permanently to Versailles) until September 1715 (death of Louis XIV and regency, with the regent Philippe d'Orléans returning to Paris), and then again from June 1722 (King Louis XV returns to Versailles permanently) to October 1789 (King Louis XVI forced to move back to Paris by the people of Paris). During the entire period, Paris remained the official capital city of France, and the official royal palace was th ...

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Versailles, Versailles - A seat of power, Versailles - Geography, Versailles - History

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In 1776, he transferred ammunition from France to the United States of America. In May 1777, he was promoted to lieutenant de vaisseau and was granted the command of the corvette the Rossignol, which was used to escort convoys. He captured two English privateers and three merchantmen. In January 1780, a commanding officer of the frigate Hermione at the beginning of the American Revolutionary War, he ferried General La Fayette. He took part to the American campaign under command of Des Touches, winning several fights, notably against the I ...

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Louis-René Levassor de Latouche Tréville, Louis-René Levassor de Latouche Tréville - Early Life, Louis-René Levassor de Latouche Tréville - American Revolution, Louis-René Levassor de Latouche Tréville - French Revolution, Louis-René Levassor de Latouche Tréville - Napoleonic Era, Louis-René Levassor de Latouche Tréville - Trivia

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Cambacérès was born at Montpellier in southern France, into a family of the legal nobility (noblesse de robe). In 1774 he graduated in law and succeeded his father as councillor in the Montpellier court of accounts and finances. He was a supporter of the French Revolution of 1789, and was elected to represent Montpellier at the meeting of the Estates-General at Versailles, although he was unable to take his seat. In 1792 he represented the département of Herault in the Convention which a ...

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Jean Jacques Régis de Cambacérès, Jean Jacques Régis de Cambacérès - Early career, Jean Jacques Régis de Cambacérès - The Code Napoléon, Jean Jacques Régis de Cambacérès - Cambacérès and homosexuality, Jean Jacques Régis de Cambacérès - Later career

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In 1773 he made his first appearance as an author with a Philosophical Essay on Man. The book shows a wonderful knowledge of English, French, German, Italian and Spanish philosophers, and directly attacks Helvetius, who had in his De l'esprit declared a knowledge of science unnecessary for a philosopher. Marat declares that physiology alone can solve the problems of the connection between soul and body, and prop ...

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Jean-Paul Marat, Jean-Paul Marat - Life, Jean-Paul Marat - Childhood and education, Jean-Paul Marat - Scientist and physician, Jean-Paul Marat - Marat enters politics, Jean-Paul Marat - The People's Friend, Jean-Paul Marat - The National Convention, Jean-Paul Marat - Views of Marat, Jean-Paul Marat - Artistic and theatrical representations, Jean-Paul Marat - Marat's works

Read more here: » Jean-Paul Marat: Encyclopedia II - Jean-Paul Marat - Scientist and physician

France in the nineteenth century - The Period of the French Revolution. Main article: French Revolution Louis XVI of France's reign saw a temporary revival of French fortunes, but the over-ambitious projects and military campaigns of the 18th century had produced chronic financial problems. Deteriorating economic conditions, popular resentment against the complicated system of privileges granted the nobility and clerics, and a lack of alternate avenues for change were among the principa ...

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France in the nineteenth century, France in the nineteenth century - France and the French in the 19th century, France in the nineteenth century - Geography, France in the nineteenth century - Demographics, France in the nineteenth century - Language, France in the nineteenth century - Historical Overview, France in the nineteenth century - The Period of the French Revolution, France in the nineteenth century - Napoleon and the French Empire, France in the nineteenth century - The Restoration, France in the nineteenth century - July Monarchy, France in the nineteenth century - Second Republic, France in the nineteenth century - Second Empire, France in the nineteenth century - The Third Republic, France in the nineteenth century - French Colonialism, France in the nineteenth century - Literature, France in the nineteenth century - Art

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The name of Versailles appears for the first time in a medieval document dated 1038. In the end of the 11th century the village curled around a medieval castle and the Saint Julien church. Its farming activity and its location on the road from Paris to Dreux and Normandy brought prosperity to the village, culminating in the end of the 13th century, the so-called "century of Saint Louis", famous for the prosperity of northern France and the building of gothic cathedrals. The 14th century brought the Black Plague and the Hundred Years' War, an ...

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Versailles, Versailles - A seat of power, Versailles - Geography, Versailles - History, Versailles - Transportation

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France under the Ancien Régime (before the French Revolution) divided society into three estates: the First Estate or clergy; the Second Estate or nobility; and the Third Estate or commoners. Estates of the realm - First Estate. The First Estate (Fr. premier état) was the clergy. In principle, the responsibilities of the First Estate included "the registration of births, marriages and deaths; they collected the tithe (usually 10%); they censored books; served as ...

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Estates of the realm, Estates of the realm - In France, Estates of the realm - First Estate, Estates of the realm - Second Estate, Estates of the realm - Third Estate, Estates of the realm - The French Estates-General, Estates of the realm - End of Nobility in France, Estates of the realm - Outside France, Estates of the realm - United Kingdom, Estates of the realm - Sweden and Finland, Estates of the realm - External link

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History of France - Gaul. Main articles: Gaul and Roman Gaul Settled mainly by Celtic peoples (that the Romans referred to as the "Gauls"), and apart from a shrinking area of Basque population in the southwest and Ligurian population on the southern coast, the area of modern France comprised the bulk of the region of Gaul (Latin: Gallia) under the rule of the Roman Empire from the 1st century BC to the 5th century AD. History of France - France in the Early Middle Ages. See also:

History of France, History of France - Historical Overview, History of France - Gaul, History of France - France in the Early Middle Ages, History of France - France in the Middle Ages, History of France - Early Modern France, History of France - France in the Nineteenth Century, History of France - France In Modern Times

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He was born at La Roche Guyon, the son of François Armand de La Rochefoucauld, duc d'Estissac, grand master of the royal wardrobe. The duc de Liancourt became an officer of carbineers, and married at seventeen. A visit to England seems to have suggested the establishment of a model farm at Liancourt, where he reared cattle imported from England and Switzerland. He also set up spinning machines on his estate, and founded a school of arts and crafts for the sons of so ...

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François Alexandre Frédéric duc de la Rochefoucauld-Liancourt, François Alexandre Frédéric duc de la Rochefoucauld-Liancourt - Early life, François Alexandre Frédéric duc de la Rochefoucauld-Liancourt - French Revolution, François Alexandre Frédéric duc de la Rochefoucauld-Liancourt - Exile, François Alexandre Frédéric duc de la Rochefoucauld-Liancourt - Return to France, François Alexandre Frédéric duc de la Rochefoucauld-Liancourt - Works, François Alexandre Frédéric duc de la Rochefoucauld-Liancourt - Family

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The armed bodies of émigrés on the territory of the Holy Roman Empire afforded matter of complaint to France. The persistence of the French in offering only money as compensation to the German princes who had claims in Alsace afforded matter of complaint to the Empire. Foreign statesmen noticed with alarm the effect of the French Revolution upon opinion in their own countries, and they resented the endeavours of French revolutionaries to make converts there. Of these statesmen, the emperor Leopold II was the most intelligent. ...

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The Legislative Assembly and the fall of the French monarchy, The Legislative Assembly and the fall of the French monarchy - The composition of the Legislative Assembly, The Legislative Assembly and the fall of the French monarchy - The king's ministers, The Legislative Assembly and the fall of the French monarchy - The politics of the Left, The Legislative Assembly and the fall of the French monarchy - The king exercises his veto, The Legislative Assembly and the fall of the French monarchy - A new administration in Paris, The Legislative Assembly and the fall of the French monarchy - War approaches, The Legislative Assembly and the fall of the French monarchy - The Girondin ministry, The Legislative Assembly and the fall of the French monarchy - The initial disasters of war, The Legislative Assembly and the fall of the French monarchy - The 10th of August, The Legislative Assembly and the fall of the French monarchy - Insurrection and constitutional crisis

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After the death of Henry II of France in 1559, his widow Catherine de' Medici (1519-1589) planned a new palace. She began the building of the palace of Tuileries in 1564, using architect Philibert de l'Orme. The name derives from the tile kilns or tuileries which previously occupied the site. The palace was formed by a range of long, narrow buildings with high roofs that enclosed one major and two minor courtyards. The building was greatly enlarged in the 1600s, so ...

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Tuileries Palace, Tuileries Palace - History of the Tuileries, Tuileries Palace - End of the Tuileries, Tuileries Palace - Tuileries Gardens and the Axe Historique, Tuileries Palace - Rebuilding the Tuileries?, Tuileries Palace - External link

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The insurgents invaded the Hôtel des Invalides to gather arms, and then attacked the Bastille. At this point, the jail was nearly empty, housing only seven inmates: four forgers, two "lunatics" and one "deviant" aristocrat, the Comte de Solages. The attackers were mainly seeking to acquire the large quantities of arms and ammunition stored there - on the 14th there were over 13,600 kg (30,000 lb) of gunpowder stored at the Bastille. The garrison, reinforced on the 7th, consisted of just 32 men of the Salis-Samade regiment together with 82 o ...

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Storming of the Bastille, Storming of the Bastille - Background, Storming of the Bastille - Necker's dismissal, Storming of the Bastille - Armed conflict, Storming of the Bastille - The Bastille is stormed, Storming of the Bastille - Aftermath, Storming of the Bastille - Fiction

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See main article Estates-General of 1789. In May 1789, Louis XVI convened the Estates-General in order to address the financial crisis of the kingdom, which was effectively bankrupt. By this point, however, the French aristocracy has declined in power and influence, while the bourgeoisie had become much more important and conscious of itself as a class. The Third Estate, containing representatives of the bourgeois, asked for greater share of representation than it had possessed in earlier centuries; they were given twice as man ...

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Second Estate, Second Estate - Use of this term outside of France, Second Estate - The Estates General, Second Estate - 1789: End of The Estates General, Second Estate - End of Nobility in France, Second Estate - External link

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The Constitutional Assembly itself drafted the new 1999 Venezuelan Constitution. With 350 articles, the document was, as drafted, one of the world's lengthiest constitutions. Constitution of Venezuela - Venezuela's official name: the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. It first changed the country's official name from “Venezuela” to the "Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela", in honour of Simón Bolívar. The change was made largely at Chávez's personal insistence and despite of the initial reluctance of th ...

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Constitution of Venezuela, Constitution of Venezuela - Origins, Constitution of Venezuela - Conceptualization, Constitution of Venezuela - Election of the Constitutional Assembly, Constitution of Venezuela - The judicial emergency committee, Constitution of Venezuela - Framing of the new 1999 Constitution, Constitution of Venezuela - Ratification by popular referendum, Constitution of Venezuela - Text and guiding doctrines, Constitution of Venezuela - Reforms introduced by the 1999 constitution, Constitution of Venezuela - Venezuela's official name: the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Constitution of Venezuela - Five branches in the Venezuelan government, Constitution of Venezuela - A strengthened and recallable presidency, Constitution of Venezuela - A unicameral and marginalized legislature, Constitution of Venezuela - The Public Defender, Constitution of Venezuela - Public examination for judicial candidates, Constitution of Venezuela - Health care as a human right, Constitution of Venezuela - Notes

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France in the nineteenth century - The Period of the French Revolution. Louis XVI of France's reign saw a temporary revival of French fortunes, but the over-ambitious projects and military campaigns of the 18th century had produced chronic financial problems. Deteriorating economic conditions, popular resentment against the complicated system of privileges granted the nobility and clerics, and a lack of alternate avenues for change were among the principal causes for convoking the Estates-General which convened i ...

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France in the nineteenth century, France in the nineteenth century - France and the French in the 19th century, France in the nineteenth century - Geography, France in the nineteenth century - Demographics, France in the nineteenth century - Language, France in the nineteenth century - Historical Overview, France in the nineteenth century - The Period of the French Revolution, France in the nineteenth century - Napoleon and the French Empire, France in the nineteenth century - The Restoration, France in the nineteenth century - July Monarchy, France in the nineteenth century - Second Republic, France in the nineteenth century - Second Empire, France in the nineteenth century - The Third Republic, France in the nineteenth century - French Colonialism, France in the nineteenth century - Literature, France in the nineteenth century - Art

Read more here: » France in the nineteenth century: Encyclopedia II - France in the nineteenth century - Historical Overview

History of France - Gaul. Settled mainly by Celtic peoples (that the Romans referred to as the "Gauls"), and apart from a shrinking area of Basque population in the southwest and Ligurian population on the southern coast, the area of modern France comprised the bulk of the region of Gaul (Latin: Gallia) under the rule of the Roman Empire from the 1st century BC to the 5th century AD. Hi ...

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History of France, History of France - Historical Overview, History of France - Gaul, History of France - France in the Early Middle Ages, History of France - France in the Middle Ages, History of France - Early Modern France, History of France - France in the Nineteenth Century, History of France - France In Modern Times

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This statement of principles contained the kernel of a much more radical re-ordering of society than had yet taken place. A mere six weeks after the storming of the Bastille and barely three weeks after the abolition of feudalism, the Declaration put forward a doctrine of popular sovereignty and equal opportunity: "Article III – The principle of any sovereignty resides essentially in the ...

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Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen - Adoption of the Declaration, Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen - Substance of the Declaration, Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen - Women's rights, Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen - Effect today, Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen - Compare to other countries' bills of rights

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Even before the Revolution and the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, the Catholic Church in France (the Gallican Church) had a status that tended to subordinate the Church to the State. Under the Declaration of the Clergy of France (1682) privileges of the French monarch included the right to assemble church councils in their dominions and to make laws and regulations touching ecclesiastical matters; furthermore, papal authority within France was severely limited by requirements of royal consent, and it was lawful to appeal from the Pope to ...

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Civil Constitution of the Clergy, Civil Constitution of the Clergy - Status of the Church in France before the Civil Constitution, Civil Constitution of the Clergy - Motivation of the Civil Constitution, Civil Constitution of the Clergy - Debate over the Civil Constitution, Civil Constitution of the Clergy - Legal status of the Church in France under the Civil Constitution, Civil Constitution of the Clergy - Delay in implementation, Civil Constitution of the Clergy - Jurors and non-jurors, Civil Constitution of the Clergy - Repeal of the Civil Constitution

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The prospect of an Estates-General highlighted the conflict of interest between the Second and Third Estates. The First Estate and the Second Estate together represented only two percent of France's national population. The Third Estate, theoretically representing the other 98% of the French population, in practice represented an increasing proportion of the country's wealth. But the other two Estates, which historically had often voted with each other, could still outvote it. Many of this rising class nonetheless saw the ca ...

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Estates-General of 1789, Estates-General of 1789 - Background, Estates-General of 1789 - Preparation, Estates-General of 1789 - The Estates-General convenes, Estates-General of 1789 - Proceedings and dissolution

Read more here: » Estates-General of 1789: Encyclopedia II - Estates-General of 1789 - Preparation