HIS109Y1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: Charles Alexandre De Calonne, Tennis Court
Document Summary
12/02/2015: a. r. turgot, c. de calonne, noblesse de l"epee, noblesse de la robe, holdereaux, cahiers, bastille. 1789 there were 100,000 150,000 clerics in the kingdom. Clerics owned 10% of land (some were still served by surfs) Lower clergy (parish priests) came from the society they served. Greater clergy (bishops) given to church when they were young. They had no desire to practice, essentially were aristocrats, were rude, and lived at versailles. Many of the 3rd estate saw this as a problem. In order for the clergy to avoid being taxed, the gave the king a gift (money). More money would be made if they were taxed. Church paid no tax on their land. 400,000 people made up the noble class. They owned or 1/3 of the land (he said both so?) You did not have to be a noble to be an artillery officer.
