6: The Attempts to Establish a Constitutional Monarchy
Why the The Church was associated with the privileges of the Ancien Regime. The Enlightenment
Church was had seen a rise in anti-clericism. People in Paris saw the celery as 'wasters' who
changed contributed little and just enjoyed privilege. Some of those in favour of church reforms
were clergymen themselves such as Abbe Sieyes, Abbe Gregory and Archbishop
Talleyrand who all believed that the temporal power of the Church should be removed,
allowing it to concentrate on its spiritual functions. At the end of 1789, the financial crisis
was gotten worse as people stopped paying taxes. The wealth of the church was a
tempting prospect. In the August Decrees the church had allowed the state to take over
the church funding so conditions were favourable to confiscate the churches
considerable riches. The Assembly wanted to create a church which was: free from
abuses such as plurality, independent from Rome, democratic, linked to the new system
of government and more closely to the state. The deputies were mainly not anti-religious
and had no intention of interfering with the Church's spiritual functions
General Pluralism was abolished. The payment of annates to the Pope was ended. The tithe and
Changes to the don gratuit were abolished. Separate Church assemblies were abolished. All Church
the Church property was nationalised. Full citizenship was granted to Protestants and Jews. All
religious orders who didn't contribute to society were dissolved. From February 1790, the
state began to sell monastic wealth and property and land from June, this became the
main means by which the new government was able to keep the economy afloat. The
secular power of the Church was weakened. Most Parish clergy supported the changes
which would lead to higher wages for them. April 1792 - all forms of religious dress were
banned to emphasise the fact that priests were no more than citizens
Civil 12 July 1790. It reorganised the administrative structure of the Church so it corresponded
Constitution of with the administrative division of the state. Every department had a bishop (reducing
the Clergy 125 to 83). There would be no recognition of any bishop appointed by the pope but not
approved by the state. Clergymen became paid state officials. Bishops and priests were
to be elected. It made the church subservient to the state. The Pope was in no position
to object because he did not want to jeopardise his chance of retaining his papal
enclave in Avignon. Louis was forced to accept it in December 1790
Clerical Oath Doubts over support for the CCotC led to the Assembly decreed that all clergy should
wear an oath to the nation, the law and the king. If clerics didn't swear this oath, they
were deprived of their offices and salaries. It showed who was loyal to the revolution.
7/160 bishops and 55% of Paris clergy took the oath. The Pope declared against the
CCotC in April 1791 and suspended those who took the oath, causing some to withdraw
their oaths. The Assembly responded by occupying Avignon and annexing it to France.
Further Anti- In November 1791, non-juring/refractory priests were 'counter-revolutionaries' and
Clerical enemies of the revolution. Their income was stopped and they were forbidden from
Developments using religious buildings. May 1792 - refractory priests could be deported. Often rural
areas opposed the changes because the priests were simple and poor just like the
peasants. Those living in central France around Paris and those on the border of the
Austrian and Italian states were more in favour of the changes
Impact of the Large numbers of clergy fled abroad. The more conservative peasantry in the strongly
Church catholic areas of France were alarmed. They feared that the Assembly was trying to
Reforms change their faith so it turned many against the revolution. Fear of eternal damnation
proved greater than commitment to the revolution. It destroyed the national unity and
led to counter-revolution and civil war. The church was dominant throughout Europe so
it was damaging to their foreign relations
Base for The Declaration of Rights. They wanted to base the constitution on the 'general will' of
political the people. It was based on enlightenment ideas especially Montesquieu. It was
reforms influenced by the British and American constitutions. It was clear they favoured a
constitutional monarchy
Main points of In July/August 1789 it was decided there would be a system of representative
the democracy in which: an elected governing body acted as the legislative, the king and
Constitution royal ministers made up the executive and the judiciary was made independent. In
September 1789, the king was given a suspensory veto to balance out the power and
prevent the deputies simply acting out of self-interest. The king retained the right to
select the appoint ministers to form a cabinet. Louis was called the 'king of the French' to
show that his power came from the people and the law rather than from divine right.
Louis retained a private income that was a little over half of his income in the Ancien
Regime. The Assembly would have the power to make laws, collect taxes and decide
Why the The Church was associated with the privileges of the Ancien Regime. The Enlightenment
Church was had seen a rise in anti-clericism. People in Paris saw the celery as 'wasters' who
changed contributed little and just enjoyed privilege. Some of those in favour of church reforms
were clergymen themselves such as Abbe Sieyes, Abbe Gregory and Archbishop
Talleyrand who all believed that the temporal power of the Church should be removed,
allowing it to concentrate on its spiritual functions. At the end of 1789, the financial crisis
was gotten worse as people stopped paying taxes. The wealth of the church was a
tempting prospect. In the August Decrees the church had allowed the state to take over
the church funding so conditions were favourable to confiscate the churches
considerable riches. The Assembly wanted to create a church which was: free from
abuses such as plurality, independent from Rome, democratic, linked to the new system
of government and more closely to the state. The deputies were mainly not anti-religious
and had no intention of interfering with the Church's spiritual functions
General Pluralism was abolished. The payment of annates to the Pope was ended. The tithe and
Changes to the don gratuit were abolished. Separate Church assemblies were abolished. All Church
the Church property was nationalised. Full citizenship was granted to Protestants and Jews. All
religious orders who didn't contribute to society were dissolved. From February 1790, the
state began to sell monastic wealth and property and land from June, this became the
main means by which the new government was able to keep the economy afloat. The
secular power of the Church was weakened. Most Parish clergy supported the changes
which would lead to higher wages for them. April 1792 - all forms of religious dress were
banned to emphasise the fact that priests were no more than citizens
Civil 12 July 1790. It reorganised the administrative structure of the Church so it corresponded
Constitution of with the administrative division of the state. Every department had a bishop (reducing
the Clergy 125 to 83). There would be no recognition of any bishop appointed by the pope but not
approved by the state. Clergymen became paid state officials. Bishops and priests were
to be elected. It made the church subservient to the state. The Pope was in no position
to object because he did not want to jeopardise his chance of retaining his papal
enclave in Avignon. Louis was forced to accept it in December 1790
Clerical Oath Doubts over support for the CCotC led to the Assembly decreed that all clergy should
wear an oath to the nation, the law and the king. If clerics didn't swear this oath, they
were deprived of their offices and salaries. It showed who was loyal to the revolution.
7/160 bishops and 55% of Paris clergy took the oath. The Pope declared against the
CCotC in April 1791 and suspended those who took the oath, causing some to withdraw
their oaths. The Assembly responded by occupying Avignon and annexing it to France.
Further Anti- In November 1791, non-juring/refractory priests were 'counter-revolutionaries' and
Clerical enemies of the revolution. Their income was stopped and they were forbidden from
Developments using religious buildings. May 1792 - refractory priests could be deported. Often rural
areas opposed the changes because the priests were simple and poor just like the
peasants. Those living in central France around Paris and those on the border of the
Austrian and Italian states were more in favour of the changes
Impact of the Large numbers of clergy fled abroad. The more conservative peasantry in the strongly
Church catholic areas of France were alarmed. They feared that the Assembly was trying to
Reforms change their faith so it turned many against the revolution. Fear of eternal damnation
proved greater than commitment to the revolution. It destroyed the national unity and
led to counter-revolution and civil war. The church was dominant throughout Europe so
it was damaging to their foreign relations
Base for The Declaration of Rights. They wanted to base the constitution on the 'general will' of
political the people. It was based on enlightenment ideas especially Montesquieu. It was
reforms influenced by the British and American constitutions. It was clear they favoured a
constitutional monarchy
Main points of In July/August 1789 it was decided there would be a system of representative
the democracy in which: an elected governing body acted as the legislative, the king and
Constitution royal ministers made up the executive and the judiciary was made independent. In
September 1789, the king was given a suspensory veto to balance out the power and
prevent the deputies simply acting out of self-interest. The king retained the right to
select the appoint ministers to form a cabinet. Louis was called the 'king of the French' to
show that his power came from the people and the law rather than from divine right.
Louis retained a private income that was a little over half of his income in the Ancien
Regime. The Assembly would have the power to make laws, collect taxes and decide
