Assembly of Notables

The logical solution to the King's financial problems was to call the Estates-General, the French legislative assembly, but that body was thought to be too unpredictable. Instead, the king called an Assembly of Notables; a hand-picked body which he thought would rubber-stamp the reforms needed to straighten out the financial mess. The Assembly of Notables opened at Versailles in February 1787. Its members were noblemen, bishops, mayors of cities, and leading bureaucrats. From almost the beginning it was chaos. The king's point man and first minister Charles Calonne lost control. Calonne had expected the assembled leaders to recognize the crisis, accept his diagnosis, and endorse his proposals for dealing with it. No chance. Those present quickly realized that they would be taxed to make up the shortfall.

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