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Events preceding but pertinent to the French Revolution The Enlightenment, which led to many European writers criticising the Monarchy and espousing democratic, liberalist, nationalist and socialist ideas. 1756 Start of the Seven Years' War, which compounded the debt situation. 1774 Coronation of Louis XVI at Reims. 1775 Start of the American War of Independence (1775–1783) 1778 France declares war against Great Britain in support of the American colonies. The subsequent war worsens the debt situation further. 1781 February: Jacques Necker releases his Compte rendu, leading ordinary French to believe that the economic situation is stable. The Ségur Ordinance prevents those without a patrilineal century of nobility from entering the army officer corps. 1783 Laki eruption in Iceland and colder climate of the Little Ice Age combined with France's failure to adopt the potato as a staple crop contributes to widespread famine and malnutrition. Treaty of Paris ends the war. The success of the American colonists against a European power increases the ambitions of those wishing for reform in France. 1785 The Diamond Necklace Affair results in the vilification of Marie Antoinette. Financial crisis and Assembly of Notables 1786 May 31: The Diamond Necklace Affair concludes with the acquittal of Cardinal Rohan and the discrediting of Marie Antoinette. August 20: Finance minister Calonne informs Louis that the royal finances are insolvent December 29: The Assembly of Notables is convoked 1787 February 22: First Assembly of Notables meets against a background of state financial instability and general resistance by the nobility to the imposition of taxes and fiscal reforms. March: Calonne's publication of his proposals and the intransigence of the Notables leads to a public clash and impasse April 8: Louis dismisses both Calonne and the keeper of the seals, or minister of justice, Miromesnil, in an attempt to break the impasse. April 13: Louis appoints Lamoignon keeper of the seals April 30: The Archbishop of Toulouse and vocal leader of the higher clergy, Loménie de Brienne is appointed chief minister of state May 25: The first Assembly of Notables is dissolved June: Brienne sends edicts for tax reform legislation to the parlements for registration July 2: Parlement of Paris overwhelmingly rejects the royal legislation August 6: Legislation passed at a lit de justice. Subsequently the parlement declares the registration was illegal. Supported by public opinion, it initiates criminal proceedings against the disgraced Calonne August 15: Louis dismisses the Parisian parlement and orders the parlementaires to remove themselves to Troyes August 19: Louis orders the closure of all political clubs in Paris September: Civil unrest in the Dutch republic leads to its invasion by the Prussian army, and increases tensions in Paris. Brienne backs down with his legislative demands, settling for an extension of the vingtième tax, and the parlementaires are allowed to return to Paris. November 19: A royal session of the Paris parlements for registration of new loans turns into an informal lit de justice when Louis doesn't allow a vote to be taken November 20: The vocal opposition of the duc d'Orléans leads to his temporary exile by lettres de cachet, and the arrest and imprisonment of two magistrates 1788 May 6: Orders for the arrest of two Parisian parlementaires, d'Eprémesnil and Goislard, who are most implacably opposed to the government reforms, are issued; the parlement declares its solidarity with the two magistrates May 7: d'Eprémesnil and Goislard are imprisoned May 8: Judicial reforms partly abolishing the power of parlements to review legislation are forced through the parlements by Lamoignon in a lit de justice timed to coincide with military sessions June 7: Day of the Tiles in Grenoble - a meeting called to assemble a parlement in defiance of government order put down by soldiers. June: Outcry over the enforced reforms ensues, and courts across France refuse to sit July 5: Brienne begins to consider calling an Estates-General July 20: Meeting of the Estates of Dauphiné, known as the Assembly of Vizille and led by Jean Joseph Mounier, to elect deputies to the Estates-General, adopts measures to increase the influence of the Third Estate. August 8: After being informed that the royal treasury is empty, Brienne sets May 1, 1789 as the date for the Estates-General in an attempt to restore confidence with his creditors August 16: Repayments on government loans stop, and the French government effectively declares bankruptcy August 25: Brienne resigns as Minister of Finance, and is replaced by the favored choice among the Third Estate, Jacques Necker September: Necker releases those arrested for criticising Brienne's ministry, leading to a proliferation of political pamphlets September 14: Malesherbes resigns November 6: Necker convenes a second Assembly of Notables to discuss the Estates-General December 12: The second Assembly of Notables is dismissed, having firmly refused to consider doubling the representation of the Third Estate December 27: Prompted by public controversy, Necker announces that the representation of the Third Estate will be doubled, and that nobles and clergymen will be able to stand for the same cause. 1789 January - Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès publishes What is the Third Estate? (Qu'est-ce que le tiers-état ?). April 28 - The Réveillon Riots in Paris, caused by low wages and food shortages, lead to about 25 deaths by troops. May 5: The Estates-General meets for the first time since 1614 June 20: Tennis Court Oath of dismissed Estates-General members who refuse to adjourn July 12: Camille Desmoulins gives a speech in the gardens of the Palais Royale, urging the citizens of Paris to take up arms. July 14: Storming of the Bastille |
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