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Estates General assembles at Versailles
3 Orders: Clergy, 300 reps.; Nobility, 300 reps.; "Third Estate," 600 reps. No decision on voting rights and the third estate believe they should have more of a say. -
Third Estate are not separate
The Third Estate refuses to meet or verify their election as a separate chamber. -
Common verification
The Third Estate, now frequently called the Commons, gives an ultimatum to the other estates: join in a common verification or the Commons would go on alone. Common verification was that the credentials of all those who claimed to have been elected being verified in a session with deputies from all three estates. Appears trivial but sets a precedent for meeting as one body and voting by head. -
Priests and clergy join the third estate
A few members of the First Estate (priests and clergy) join the Third. -
Adoption of the title 'National Assembly' by the Third Estate
The National Assembly is proclaimed by the former Third Estate, voted by the Third Estate deputies 490 to 90. The Third Estate claimed now that as it represented most of the nation it had the right to manage its affairs and decide taxation. -
Clergy voted to join the Third Estate
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Tennis Court Oath
The Tennis Court Oath taken; with the National Assembly's meeting place closed in preparation for a Royal Session, the deputies meet at a tennis court and swear not to disband until a constitution is established. -
Troops move to palace
Louis orders troops to be moved to Paris and Versailles. By late June there were nearly 4000 troops stationed around Paris. -
Seance Royale
The Royal Session opens; the King initially tells the estates to meet separately as he would not allow the privileges of the 1st and 2nd estate to be discussed in common. He introduces reforms - no taxes without consent of the representatives of the nation, no lettres de cachet, no internal customs barriers and yes freedom of the press. The deputies of the National Assembly ignore him. -
151 clergy join the Third Estate
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47 nobles join the third estate + Paris demonstrations
47 nobles, including one of Louis' leading opponents, the Duc d'Orleans, joined the third estate. There were popular demonsrations in Paris -
King gives in
Louis reverses his decision on 23rd June and orders the clergy and nobles to join the Third Estate and vote by head.
