Ancien Régime France

1661-1789

Ancien Régime Monarchs

• Louis XIV ruled 1642-1715– Marie Therese of Spain

• Louis XV ruled 1715-1774– Marie of Poland

• Louis XVI ruled 1774-1792 (ex. 1793)

– Marie Antoinette of Austria

Louis XIV

Louis XV

Louis XV and Marie

Madame du Pompadour

Madame du Berry

Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Society of Orders(or ‘Estates’)

• First Estate: Clergy: about 100,000 people– Parish priests– Monks and nuns– About 0.5% of population– Paid no taxes; gave ‘donation’ to monarchy

Second Estate: Nobility

• About 350,000 people; about 1.5% of population

• Two Groups:– Nobility of Sword: old, inherited titles– Nobility of Robe: newer, purchased titles

• Owned 25% of land

• Exempt from most taxes

Third Estate: Everyone Else• 98% of population:• Bourgeoisie:

– merchants, bankers, professionals– some wealthier than most nobles

• Lesser Bourgeoisie (‘petit’):– small shopkeepers, artisans, craftsmen

• Urban poor:– junk dealers, washerwomen, water carriers, unemployed

• Peasants (farmers): – 85% of population– about half owned some land

Bourgeois Family

Privilege, not Equality

• All had privileges, no one had ‘rights’• First & Second estates:

– Exemption from most taxes– Legal privileges– Access to King

• Third Estate: depended on status– Poor: gleaning, berries on roadside, candle

drippings in church

‘Absolutism of Façade’

• Vast, confusing Bureaucracy• Parlements vs. Intendants: overlapping

responsibilities• Many offices sold to the highest bidder• King isolated at Versailles, surrounded by

sycophants and court intrigue• Ministers served at pleasure of King• King intervened at highest levels, but not to

reconstruct the system

Finances

• Royal Finances• Government spent more than revenues• Borrowed heavily to meet expenses• Sold offices/titles to raise cash• No budget or public accounting until 1780s

• French Economy• Richest in Europe but:• Enormous tax burden on 3rd Estate

Versailles

King’s Bedroom

Queen’s Bedroom

Royal Chapel

Royal Opera

Marie Antoinette’s Hameau

BeaumarchaisPierre-Augustin Caron

• Born 1732, son of a master clock maker• Only surviving son in a family of six• Educated to follow his father’s profession• 1753: Invents a new escapement for

watches • Invention presented by King’s official

watchmaker as his own; Caron sues and wins

Career at Court

• 1754: Caron presented at court• 1755: Meets Franquet, an officer at court• 1756: Franquet dies, leaving office to Caron• 1756: Caron marries Widow Franquet• Caron adds name of a farm to his: Caron de

Beaumarchais• 1757: Wife dies unexpectedly; Caron

embroiled in a lawsuit with her family

Career at Court

• 1757: Enters Business arrangement with a prominent banker (and husband to Madame de Pompadour)

• 1759: Teaches Music to Royal daughters• 1761: Buys office of Secretary to the King

for 55,000 livres; office confers nobility• 1760s: Business prospers; he becomes

wealthy

• 1768: Marries again; wife dies a few years later leaving substantial annuity

• 1771: Business partner dies; heir sues for alleged debts

• 1770s: Beaumarchais in dispute with a duke over Mlle. Menard, an actress; both men imprisoned

• Various lawsuits and court actions

• Makes reputation as a writer and dramatist

Marriage of Figaro

• Sequel to 1775 Barber of Seville

• Written by 1778 but not performed until 1784

• Gave private readings and performances at homes of nobility, even at court

• 1784 Debut was a smashing success