Tennis Court Oath 20th June 1789.
Tennis Court Oath 20th June 1789: -
Tennis court oath.
Tennis Court Oath: Background: -
Louis XVI was forced to convene a session of the States General to resolve the acute financial crisis and to bow to the pressure of the aristocracy. A meeting of the States General was convened on May 5, 1789, almost 175 years later. When the session of the States General began, the middle-class representatives formed the Patriot Party. According to the rules of the States General, the members of the three classes - clergies, aristocracy and the third estate - could cast a single vote. But the first two classes , that is to say, the clergies and the aristocracy always stood against the third estate for fear of harming their own interests.
Demands of Third Estate or middle class community: -
The number of members of the States General was 1214. Of these, 308 were clergies, 285 were aristocrats and 621 were third estate delegates. The members of the third estate were ahead of the other two classes in all aspects like education, culture, financial status, political awareness etc. But in spite of that the representatives of the third estate had no political power. So their demands were -
(i) Demand for per capita vote in the States General.
(ii) Right to compose the constitution.
(iii) Demand for the declaration of the States General as the National Assembly.
Announcement of formation of National Assembly: -
First two classes; The clergies and the aristocracy, for fear of harming their own interests, demanded three separate voting rights in the States General under the previous voting system. But the lower clergies, led by the liberal elite Lafayet, supported the demands of the third- estate. Louis XVI failed to resolve the crisis of the States General, and the Third estate delegates declared themselves the National Assembly, and Bailey was elected President of the National Assembly.
Louis XVI declares third class National Assembly illegal: -
Louis XVI declared the National Assembly, convened by the Third estate, to be illegal, and locked the session room on 20 June, so that Third estate delegates could not enter. On the one hand the representatives of the States General had no political or constitutional experience and on the other hand Louis XVI had completely failed to solve the national problem by maintaining goodwill with all.
Tennis Court Oath 20th June 1789: -
In protest, third-estate delegates, led by Mirabeou, gathered at a nearby tennis court ground and took an oath that they would hold a joint session until they could draft a constitution for the French nation. With the announcement of this tennis court the middle class completely denied the existence of the first two classes and the National Assembly began to oppose the monarchy outright.
June 27: Recognition of middle class demands: -
Following the tennis court's swearing-in on June 20, the King's negotiations with the third estate were completely blocked when Louis XVI declared to maintain the previous voting system. But Louis XVI was forced to change his mind. Finally, on June 27, Louis XVI was forced to accept the demands of the third estate representatives. The two main demands of the third estate - the right of all to discuss together and to vote per capita - were recognized in the National Assembly.
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