In
order to overcome the pressure from the 3rd estate, the king decided to
hold a special royal session in which he planned to give his last
order. Unfortunately, the delegates of the third estate were not
informed of the royal session. When they arrived at the assembly hall on
20^ June 1789, they found the doors blocked by soldiers. They were
informed of the royal session and that the hall was closed for making
the necessary preparations (including cleaning of the hall). At the same
time rumours was spreading that the king was planning to use force
against the representatives of the third estate.
For
a moment, the third class delegates were stranded. However after
sometime, they proceeded to a neighboring building which served as a
tennis court and held a memorable session there under the presidency of
Bailly, They took the famous tennis court oath in which they swore;
Never
to separate and to reassemble whenever circumstances shall require
until the constitution of the kingdom shall be established,
3. THE ROYALSESSION, JUNE 1789
On
23rd June 1789, a special royal session was held. In his speech, the
king announced a number of reforms which satisfied the demands of the
third estate but made some fatal mistakes. He declared the recent
actions of the 3rd estate in converting itself in to the national
assembly illegal and unconstitutional. He also ordered that the three
estates should meet separately. The king, the nobility and the clergy
left the hall in the spirit of victory.
However,
the third estates representatives remained in the hall. The master of
ceremonies reminded them of the King's orders and told them to quit the
assembly hall. Soldiers were also seen at the gate. They were to force
the 3rd estate delegates out of the assembly hall. This provoked Mira
beau, who went straight to the M.C and blasted him that,
Go;
tell your master that we are here by the will of the people and that we
shall not leave except at the point of the bayonet •
Humiliated
by the tough stand of the third estate, Louis Xvi ordered the 1st and
2nd estates to join the national Assembly. He allowed all the three
estates to sit, deliberate and vote as one body. This was a triumph for
the 3rd estates that had been in the backyard of French politics for
centuries. The third estate had therefore succeeded in reforming and
restricting the ancient regime in France.
4. THE STORMING OF BASTILLES 14™ JULY 1789
The
Bastilles, was the state prison where those arrested under the infamous
lettres-de-cachet were imprisoned. After the declaration of the
national assembly by the third estate, the king’s diehard nobles and
clergy continued to oppose it. Rumours were that the king was organizing
to destroy the assembly using foreign troops. Besides, Necker was
expelled for the second time on 11th July1789. This was a great
disappointment because he was the only 'messiah' of reforms in France
The news spread throughout France and on 13th July Camille Desmoulins a
journalist argued people to take immediate action he proclaimed;
To
arms, to arms, no moment must be lost Monsieur Necker has been
dismissed. Tonight the German and Swiss battalions will come out to kill
us, we have but one chance left, to fly to arms.
Consequently,
the Paris mob led by' Desmoulin invaded the armoury at Invalids and
stormed Bastilles on 14th July l789. This was to release the innocent
prisoners and demolish it as a symbol of despotism. There was heavy
fighting between the mob and the guards but with time their commander.
Governor de-Launay surrendered but was murdered.
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