Ancien R

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Ancien Régime France

• 1661-1789

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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

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Louis XIV
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Louis XV
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Louis XV and Marie
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Madame du Pompadour
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Madame du Berry
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Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette
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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

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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

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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

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Bourgeois Family
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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

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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

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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

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Versailles
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Kings Bedroom
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Queens Bedroom
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Royal Chapel
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Royal Opera
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Marie Antoinettes Hameau
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BeaumarchaisPierre-Augustin Caron

• Born 1732, son of a master clock maker
• Only surviving son in a family of six
• Educated to follow his fathers profession
• 1753 Invents a new escapement for watches
• Invention presented by Kings official watchmaker
  as his own Caron sues and wins

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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

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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

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• 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

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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