Death of Francois Joseph Paul de Grasse
Death of Francois-Joseph De Grasse
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1788 in France
Explore 55 historical events and records for France in 1788.
Historical records for France in 1788
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 55 unique records.
55Unique records
1 of 2Page
35Named events on this page
12Named people on this page
5Places on this page
January
Patriotic Fund Proposal
Olympe de Gouges proposed a voluntary patriotic fund as a way to address the monarchy's financial crisis.
Social Reform Proposals
Olympe de Gouges proposed workshops for unemployed people and support for impoverished women, children and older people.
February
Society of Friends of the Blacks
Brissot helped found the Society of the Friends of the Blacks to campaign against slavery and the slave trade.
Society of Friends of the Blacks established
Brissot helped establish the Society of the Friends of the Blacks to campaign against the slave trade and slavery. The association gave abolitionist arguments a new organization within French political life.
May
Committee of Thirty
The "Committee of Thirty", argue that ancient precedent is not sufficient, because "the people were sovereign". The "Committee of Thirty", a body of liberal Parisians, began to agitate against voting by estate, composed of the wealthy, argues for the Estates General to assume the voting mechanisms of the Dauphine
Committee of Thirty
The Committee of Thirty argued for voting by head and maintained that political sovereignty rested with the people.
Estates General
The "Committee of Thirty", argue that ancient precedent is not sufficient, because "the people were sovereign". The "Committee of Thirty", a body of liberal Parisians, began to agitate against voting by estate, composed of the wealthy, argues for the Estates General to assume the voting mechanisms of the Dauphine
Estates General
The Committee of Thirty pressed the Estates General to adopt voting arrangements that strengthened representation of the Third Estate.
Judicial Reform Crisis
Louis XVI's government imposed judicial reforms that reduced the powers of the parlements, deepening political resistance to royal authority.
June
Battle of Liman
Commands the Russian Fleet & defeats a Turkish flotilla under Hasan el Ghasi
July
Assembly of Vizille
Barnave participated in the Dauphine political assembly at Vizille, which pressed for representative reform before the Estates General.
August
Brienne's ministry reaches fiscal impasse
The collapse of the government's reform strategy made representative consultation increasingly unavoidable. This development concerning estates general called after fiscal deadlock exposed the limits of the old regime's political arrangements.
Estates General Convocation
Louis XVI announced that the Estates General would be convened in 1789 as the financial and political crisis worsened.
Louis XVI announces national estates meeting
The crown promised to convene the Estates General in 1789 after other methods of obtaining financial reform failed. The estates general called after fiscal deadlock made Versailles a focal point in the struggle over royal and representative authority.
Louis XVI authorizes renewed representative meeting
The crown committed to assembling the three orders after earlier financial initiatives failed. The king promises convocation of estates general formed part of the transition from estate-based consultation toward claims of national sovereignty.
Necker confronts demand for credible fiscal reform
Necker's return to government coincided with mounting demands for national consent to taxation. The debate over king promises convocation of estates general demonstrated why electoral rules and parliamentary procedure mattered to constitutional reform.
Necker returns amid royal financial emergency
Necker's renewed prominence reflected public demands for a credible response to the treasury crisis. The consequences of estates general called after fiscal deadlock reached well beyond the palace and its neighbouring legislative chambers.
Sieyes sees opening for national representation
The promised assembly made questions about the source of legitimate political authority urgent. The consequences of king promises convocation of estates general helped redefine the place of the three orders in French public life.
Recall of Necker
Louis XVI recalled Jacques Necker to the finance ministry as public confidence in the royal government's financial management deteriorated.
September
Restoration of Paris Parlement
Louis XVI restored the Parlement of Paris after the failure of the crown's attempt to impose judicial restructuring.
November
King submits representation issues to notables
Louis XVI convened a second assembly to consider the composition of the coming Estates General. The notables reconsider rules for estates general made Versailles a focal point in the struggle over royal and representative authority.
Necker navigates representation pressure
Necker confronted popular demands to increase the commoners' voice without alienating privileged elites. This development concerning notables reconsider rules for estates general exposed the limits of the old regime's political arrangements.
Second Assembly of Notables
Louis XVI convened a second Assembly of Notables to consider how the forthcoming Estates General should be constituted.
Sieyes challenges the old constitutional categories
Sieyes's developing theory of the nation strengthened attacks on the political supremacy of privileged orders. The consequences of notables reconsider rules for estates general reached well beyond the palace and its neighbouring legislative chambers.
December
Double Representation of Third Estate
Louis XVI's council granted the Third Estate twice as many deputies as either privileged order for the forthcoming Estates General.
Estates General
The King leaves the discussion of the weight of each vote to the Estates General itself
Estates General
The King leaves the discussion of the weight of each vote to the Estates General itself.
King doubles commoner seats
Louis XVI's council decided that the Third Estate would have twice as many representatives as either the nobility or clergy. The third estate obtains double representation formed part of the transition from estate-based consultation toward claims of national sovereignty.
King increases number of commoner deputies
The royal council agreed that the Third Estate should have twice the deputies of each privileged order. The crown doubles third estate representation made Versailles a focal point in the struggle over royal and representative authority.
Necker endorses increased representation
Necker supported strengthening the numerical position of commoner deputies. The debate over third estate obtains double representation demonstrated why electoral rules and parliamentary procedure mattered to constitutional reform.
Necker supports expanded commoner representation
Necker was closely associated with proposals to broaden the representation of commoners. This development concerning crown doubles third estate representation exposed the limits of the old regime's political arrangements.
Sieyes argues numbers alone cannot secure representation
Sieyes's national-sovereignty argument exposed why the voting method mattered as much as deputy totals. The consequences of crown doubles third estate representation reached well beyond the palace and its neighbouring legislative chambers.
Sieyes distinguishes votes from deputy numbers
Sieyes argued that double representation was insufficient if the estates continued to vote as separate corporate bodies. The consequences of third estate obtains double representation helped redefine the place of the three orders in French public life.
Other events (month unknown)
Abolitionist pamphleteering gains momentum
Brissot used political writing to argue that the rights of enslaved people merited public attention. His antislavery campaigning predated the opening of the Estates-General.
Argument for Effective National Representation
In his writings on representation, Sieyes distinguished numerical concessions to the Third Estate from the more consequential question of voting together by head.
Bishop
Appointed Bishop of Autun, a bishopric that is something of a family possession
Challenge to Hereditary Privileges
Sieyes developed an attack on inherited exemptions, reasoning that privileges detached from public service prevented a common legal order from emerging.
Committee of Thirty
The Committee of Thirty argued for voting by head and maintained that political sovereignty rested with the people.
Constitution of France
Publication of "Quest-ce que le tiers Etat?", "What is the 3rd Estate?", demands the 3rd Estate in Government
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.