The States of Brittany are the provincial assembled of the province of Brittany. They bring together members of the high clergy, a great number of noble and delegates of the forty-two cities of Brittany. In 1788, one counts nearly a thousand of noble for less than one hundred representatives of the two other orders. The Marquise of Sévigné took part in behaviors with Rennes and Vitré between 1670 and 1690. The behaviors were the occasion of a fashionable life intense, the banquets paid on the budget offering the occasion to continue the agitation of the diurnal assemblies by a competition of the appetites, largely sprinkled, or intense parts of card decks for more the temperate persons.

Their interests being appreciably the same ones, the Parliament of Brittany and the States joined naturally in the restriction of the royal capacity in the province and the limitation of the action of its representatives, the intendant and the commander-in-chief mainly.

Organization and operation

The States were assembled exclusively on convocation of the king and in the city which it decided. It was never before harvests are not made, so that the royalties and other payments are not obstructed by the absence of the owners of strongholds.

The States met only every two years starting from 1632, the assembly being annual before. The presidency of the assembly returned to a bishop, usually that of the diocese in which it was held. The sessions took place in the big cities, but mainly in High-Brittany, then starting from 1732 primarily in Rennes. Between 1567 and 1788, the assembly took place only four times in Low-Brittany.

During the important sessions, some commissions were made up on the basis of six members of each kind. During the time of their meetings, the remainder of the participants became animated in connection with the various details of the usual subjects, mainly tax.

In the interval of the assemblies, various agents and bodies ensured the execution of the decisions taken:

* the treasurer

* the Public prosecutor syndic ( P.G.S. ) represented the States on all the levels in particular as regards lawsuit (elected on the basis of list presented by the police chiefs of the king)

* the Greffier, charged with the Archives

* the herald in charge of the convocations; a sergeant

* of the ushers

* " deputies in cour" presented the book of the complaints

* of the deputies attended the statement of accounts in front of the Room of the accounts of Nantes.

There were initially ad hoc committees:

* drafting of the registers of grievances

* signature of the beams of the taxes

* respect of the privileges of the province.

Then, the States managed to impose intermediate commissions as durable and effective delegations:

• commissions assigned to various missions…
• 1715 - institution of the " offices diocésains" (one by évêché) in charge of the distribution of the taxes and the examination of the complaints; removed in 1718 after the Conspiracy of Pontcallec.
• the intermediate Commission conceived by the bishop of Rennes, Louis-Guy de Guérapin de Vauréal, and created by the stops of the council of January 8th 1735 and of January 30th 1737. It gradually took care of the perception of all the direct taxes until the Révolution, with police chiefs in same number for the three orders. To note that the intermediate commission did not comprise an official representative government.

For their own expenditure, the States were financed by the taxation of the wines: the duties (old ducal blocks), the farm being allocated for two years to each session.

The question of the participation and representation

The sessions of the States of Brittany were a concentrate of the company of Ancien Mode, not to say its caricature. All was marked there ancestral questions of privileges and precedences forged of the rules of the Féodalité.

The large characters of the province, often cumulating titles, had their reserved place, the conflicts of precedence brooding or bursting there as in any public place.

The noble ones were not always hastened to gather: they were a long time only one small number, much less than the hundred (115 however in 1576), so much so that the States last at least in 1564 and 1572 to write remonstrances with the king to invite it to prevail against the failing ones. With the wars of the League (sessions of 1591 and 1594) and the double behaviors which took place, the tradition would have been established then the principle of the import duty of very noble, faculty which never undergoes true restrictions other than temporarily on paper. The call of the assistants was practiced starting from 1620.

With the representatives of the province linked a score of " commissaires" of the king. Among those, at the 18th century, the intendant was the principal one representing of the most active king and, before the general lieutenant or commander-in-chief. Man of information , relai essential of transmission, in the center of all the businesses, its competences made of him l'" key man of the sessions" , since the opening speech until the execution of the voted decisions. However its real capacity in the province decreased compared to that of the States, those having financial means of the realization of the initiatives of which it had - only - competence as as regards public Travaux. Overall, like " arm of the roi" in the province and also legally in charge of several questions in which the Tiers state was mainly interested, it could only attract on its person and her services the deaf person hostility of the privileged orders.

The third state of the province under-was at the same time quantitatively completely represented, without the least representing rural world, and had only one weak authority to make hear its voice. The underrepresentation was a less evil since the vote being done by order and not per capita (as it was the case in the States of Languedoc). Conversely, the vote by order marked the impotence of the third state to inflect the decisions of the two privileged and interdependent orders; the claim of compensation by the doubling of its voice lasted until the Révolution.

In this context which was favorable more for them than everywhere else, the noble ones and particularly noble the not very fortunate ones found advantages to remember to the good memory of their " protecteurs" or of " their obligés" , to maintain their relations as to take care of the integrity of the privileges which gave them a good portion of their identity.

With 300 to 400 noble at the beginning of the 18th century, the good behavior of the behaviors made that one agreed to restrict the participation of the nobility or alleged nobility: the checking of the titles of Nobility and the regulation of the import duty (royal declaration of June 26th, 1736, then in 1768) had only one limited effect since the number more than had doubled in 1789. The session being held more and more with Rennes, it was easy with the nobility of High-Brittany in particular to take as a practice of participation.

Deputies of the cities

Each city was to send only one deputy except Rennes, Nantes, Vannes, Saint-Malo and Morlaix which could send a second of it. Generally, it was of the prosecutor syndic or the mayor.

According to Dom Morice, the following cities had deputies in 1352: Châtelaudren - Dinan - Guingamp - Jugon - Lamballe - Moncontour - Morlaix - Nantes - Quimper - Rennes - the Rock-Derrien.

The cities invited to send deputies varied without a logic being distinguished, until in 1614, where a list was drawn up: Ancenis - Antrain - Auray - Bazouges-the-Perugia - Brest - Carhaix - Chateaubriant - Clisson - Concarneau - Dinan - Fraud-of-Brittany - Douarnenez - Ferns - Guérande - Guingamp - Hennebont - Josselin - Guerche-of-Brittany - Lamballe - Landerneau - Lannion - Croisic - Lesneven - Machecoul - Malestroit - Moncontour - Montfort-on-Meu - Morlaix - Nantes - Ploërmel - Pontivy - Quimper - Quimperlé - Quintin - Redon - Rennes - Saint-Gildas-with-Rhuys - Saint-Brieuc - Saint-Malo - Saint-Pol.-of-Leon - Saint-Renan - Tréguier - Valves - Glazed.

Among them, Antrain, Bazouges, Douarnenez, and Saint-Renan appointed in fact never and Clisson only until 1626, Machecoul until 1651. On the other hand, the fulfilled conditions, Hédé could send a deputy as from 1645 and the Rock-Bernard as from 1667. On its side, Port-Louis knew variable situations.

Could take part in the States only the cities made up in communities or municipalities and more precisely perceiving sums of money of grantings, suitable to finance the delegation.

History

The origin of the States

The sources miss to elucidate all the circumstances of the formation of the first States of Brittany; that would also suppose to get along on what it is necessary to hear like such, compared to which model, in particular that which opened out at the 18th century.

It is necessary to consider the aspects formal such as the regulatity of the sessions or more specific as the approval of the taxes to give certain firm reference marks but which leave the place to assumptions over the previous years or following.

The primitive form of the States summarizes with the meeting (exceptional) deputies of the cities to the " parlement" itself extremely far away from the future institution. The third states under-was consequently represented much less than thereafter.

The States would have emerged while separating from the court of justice in charge of the dispute between the sessions, namely the first steps of the Parliament. In a process of distribution of the roles, States and court of justice would have separated then émancipés because of their growth of the Curia ducis and more particularly of sound " Conseil". Finally, remained in the States, faculty to represent the vassal ones of the duke; representation which materialized of time to other by the vote of the taxes.

Some dates:

• 1352 with Dinan, first unquestionable behavior,
• 1399, beginning of the reign of Jean V: a certain regularity (" parlement") with votes of the fouages,
• 1408, first occurrence for the word States ,
• 1485, François II entrusts the role of the States in the dispute at a sovereign court of justice: the Parliament of Brittany
• 1493, first remonstrances relating to the taxes with delegation towards Charles VIII
• 1522, a prosecutor, a treasurer, a clerk are attested, until in 1526
• 1540, each session comprises the drafting of a book of the complaints
• 1577 - 1578, first protests for the lifting of taxes without its agreement, causing the edict of June 1579 confirming this privilege.

The emergence of the " Gift gratuit"

Origins at the 16th century was set up a tradition of formal approval of the lifting of the taxes; the successors of the old ducal taxes were legitimate and their fixed rates avoided the protests; extraordinary sessions mitigated the rigidity of this use by allowing fast consents but much less legitimate. A complement of resources adapted to the royal requirements particular to each session was institutionalized by need. Extraordinary sessions, one passed to the subsidies extraordinary but voted by the assembly. This systematic complement with the usual taxes took the name of " Gift gratuit" (employee in 1614). The collection of these funds made it possible the States to organize an autonomous tax system. Thereafter, the negotiation of the amount of the gift was the prerogative of a police chief of the specific king who was called the " police chief of the conseil" , role that the intendant on his arrival in fills 1689 and which contributed to its eminent situation in the middle of the sessions.

Since 1593, the financial resources of the state came from the " devoirs" or taxes on the drinks (wines), the great duties perceived on the retail sale, the small ones on the wholesale. In fact the small duties were to constitute the budget of the States, but in 1606, one fixed it like the quarter of the duties.

However primarily affected at the expenses of behavior and the gratifications, the collected funds were early completely insufficient. With the approximate management of the treasurer, containing loans, one quickly managed to decide the perception of " fouages extraordinaires" by " receivers particuliers" : a poor palliative for a system which distributed still a long time liberalities without true preoccupation with a their financing.

By contrast, with the festive expenditure and other prodigalities, let us note with Henri Sée the only investments of general interest between 1598 and 1643: 54  000 pounds for the prisoners of Barbaresque, 25  000 pounds of public works, 12  000 pounds for the college of Rennes, 1900 pounds for the works of PP. Paz and Albert the Large one.

The payment of the States

One can think with Henri Sée whom the States found of the advantages to the absence of payment; the projects and proposals which emerged since the middle of 17th century until the Révolution were of royal origin.

The first text of this nature - on October 21st, 1669 - was relatively more " spontané" : it framed the use of the funds (516  710 pounds) between the pledges of the officers, the expenses of session, the gratifications limited to 40  000 pounds and alms with 15  000, with a priority with the payment of the debt. It for was not respected as much, not preventing at all the incredible gratifications with the duke of Chaulnes as governor (100  000 pounds!), which caused an energetic stop of the council on March 27th, 1684 being presented in the form of a proposal much more complete for a payment, which being gladly badly liking ratified on October 11th, 1687.

The payment of 1687 is enough until the end to the authoritative reign to Louis XIV. As of 1718, begins a sequence of attempts at governmental origin extending on the remainder from the century, to restrict the participation of noble, primarily by increasing the requirements of the evidence of Noblesse. The declaration of June 26th, 1736 was the principal concretization of some consequence; consequences perceived well by the Parliament which protested by two remonstrances, States themselves being satisfied not to have had to admit the preliminary draft. The difficulty was to effectively regulate the entry in the States between a peerage-book participation speaking in the name of a turbulent opposition and ingérable and a private assembly on the one hand substantial of its lifeblood and thus of its legitimacy (lords speaking in the name of the vassal ). Other unsatisfactory priorities and initiatives made that no progress was carried out truly: the States organized their behaviors according to the traditional uses adapted to the circumstances and the requirements of the moment.

Outstanding dates of the states of Brittany

States and the development of the absolutism

Since 1532, the States try out the administrative dualism between its constitution and its tradition and the requirements of the agents of the king.

• 1613 - Right to watch on the increases in the taxes of granting (March 10th).

• 1614 - List of the 44 cities which can send deputies.
• 1620 - the presidency of the Third, disputed between the deputies of the cities, is entrusted to an adviser of the présidial in the spring of the behavior.
• 1624 - the bishop is the president of the assembly (before is the bishop of Rennes if the behavior took place in Rennes, if not that of Fraud).
• 1625 - the members of Parliament except the presidents with mortar and adviser of the Room of the accounts are not allowed.
• 1630 - the States become bi-annual and more regular; 300 to 600 deputies.
• 1636 and 1638 - the States oppose the introduction of a representative of the permanent king.
• 1667 - Stop of the king of June 1667 fixing the list of the cities invited to appoint (21 in 1577 to 44 as from 1614).
• 1669 - 1) payment of October 21st. 2) The examination of the infringments to the decisions of the preceding behavior becomes systematic.
• 1671 - the free Don is voted before the examination of the respect of the provincial privileges.
• 1675 - Revolt, exile of the Parliament with Vannes. The free gift becomes fixed to be voted by acclamation as of the opening of the session.
• 1687 - bearing Payment on the operation of the assembly, after the text of March 27th 1684.
• 1689 - With the first intendant of the province the " is set up; triptych institutionnel" and the competition of influence opens which will last a century precisely.
• 1706 - Institution of a second public prosecutor syndic (residing at the Court) and of substitutes. The public prosecutors syndics will be named by the king until 1784.

Until the end of the reign of Louis XIV and particularly under this reign, the States hardly have other possibility but of being limited to save their authority or their prestige while being arqueboutant so that the special fiscal advantages of the province appear respected. Actually, for the only price of this respect of principle, the royal capacity obtained satisfaction of these financial requirements. From one session to another, the States could entrust their nostalgia of a real capacity to the protests whose they enamelled their conclusions and particularly the complaint renewed to return to the privilege to authorize the tax. It was not the behavior of " small états" improvised in the event of vote of urgent tax which was the sign of good omen. Their sides, the complaints relayed in theory with close to the king by the public prosecutor syndic, vanished gently once arrived at the " office of the countries of États" system check.

competition of influence (1719-1774)

During this time, step by step, the States find a relative capacity of effective negotiation with the royal capacity until arriving at the establishment in 1734 of the intermediate Commission; commission which contrary to its title did not have anything a place and a subordinates role. Partially preserved formal difficulties which sterilized the other authorities, it is nothing less than the Révolution which was to put a term at the continuous increase in its competences as well as its effectiveness in association at more specialized commissions.

• 1715 - the titles of the nobility are checked.

• 1719 - Refusal of the vote of the free gift (Dinan); list claims for the autonomy of the States and the limitation of the fiscal charges
• 1720 - Fire of Rennes - the competitor capacities endeavor to contribute to the rebuilding.
• 1722 - Competence of the States in the businesses of the Quartering.
• 1724 - the noble ones having interest in the farms of the King or the province are not allowed any more.
• 1734 - Subscription of the Capitation and the tenth…
• 1736 - 1) Declaration of June 26th on the admission of the noble ones. 2) The general inspector of finances is the director of the Bridge-and-roadways. 3) Beginning of a series of quiet behaviors finishing in 1750.
• 1756 - Subscription of (second) twentieth.
• 1759 - the States govern the domanial rights (until 1771).

the crispation of the wheels (1774-1789)

• 1784 - the States obtain the control of the town dues.

• 1785 - the States can decide public works (the Highways Departments).
• 1787 - Opposition to the replacement of the royal Drudgery by a Tax like everywhere else in the kingdom.
• 1788 - Twelve members will protest to Versailles against the attacks made with the prerogatives of the Parliament and its exile.

During this time, the intrication of the capacities of the ones and competences of the others, made up in the phase of increase in efficiency in the States, were reinforced after a fashion. In spite of the frictions and dissensions of institutional or political nature, the ground administrative action can systematize its efforts and hope for a time to overcome the evils which appear in the province (epidemics like manifest example).

Thus at least until in 1776, the Municipalité S are under the Tutelle of the intendant as for the management of their finances like for the roadway system, but must solicit the states to hope to obtain additional resources. The intendant on its side encouraged ambitious projects as regards public works, the states being invested in the rebuilding of the town of Rennes like in operations of prestige (royal statues).

States of Brittany as masterly incarnation of the French company especially in its most antiquated features lived with the more high degree (and by solidarity with Parlement of Brittany) the convulsives phases or of increasing tensions which were concluded by the Convocation from the General states from 1789. Neither the origin of its members, nor even the still recent effectiveness of its commissions, gave to the States of Brittany the retreat necessary to admit the principle of the redefinitions inspired of the Lights and to break with its traditional policy which wanted only " the limited same reforms injured interests, wounded principles, threatened of the prérogatives". (Guillaume Corbel, 2004).

Files of the States of Brittany

As of 1534, the States were concerned with their files.

Files of the States

• Les deliberations of États:

- statements of the sessions since 1567: 65 registers until 1705, then a register with table ensuite.

- contracts of conclusion of the debates between the States and the police chiefs of the king, printed of 1667 with 1786.

- registers of the deliberations: a register by tenue.

• Les funds of the administration of États:

The States dealt with the lifting of the taxes only starting from the subscription with the first capitation in 1695.

- the ordinary fouages, preserved in the funds of the Room of the Accounts (Nantes).

- fouages, C 3948 with C 3967, to also see C 3366 with C 3384.

• Les funds of the commission intermédiaire, as from 1734.

- four registers: 1728,1730,1732, C 3797-3800.

- 43 bulky registers: 1735 to 1790 (December 31st), C 3801-3843.

- Commission Reports, presented to the behaviors: 1750 to 1790, C 3847-3859.

- funds of the administration of the commission: in particular C 4717-4917 (main road particularly, to supplement by the files of the intendance until 1785).

- collection of taxes: starting from C 4405… 4680.

to supplement by the files of the Room of the accounts of Brittany…

• funds of the other commissions…

Files of the royal capacity concerning the States

• Correspondence of the intendant with the ministers: C 1753-1804.
• the Memory on the province of Brittany of the intendant Béchameil de Nointel, 1698.
• funds of the intendance in connection with the States.
• funds preserved at the Public records: correspondence of the General inspector of finances and the intendant (G7), funds of the series H (H1: provincial and local administration), H1 442-470.

Treaties of the XVIIIe century

• Precise of the deliberations of the States of Brittany of 1567 to 1773 , (nine large volumes), dimensions 35 J 4 to 35 J 12, > Fonds of the count de Botherel, (35 J), Files I&V.
• Treated historical of the States of the abbot of Pontbriand, unfinished and new, plane manuscript presented in 1754 (I. Organization of the States 2. Work of the States 3. Courses and courts), four chapters were written (the fouages, taxes and drinks, the deputies, three orders). Guillaume-MR. of Breil de Pontbriand, (1698-1767), canon, general vicar of the bishop of Rennes in 1732, member of the very active clergy in the States during 30 years, inventories the files of the States. He published in 1751, Nouvelles sights on the system of the Universe , in 1754, Essai of French grammar .
• Dictionary of the administration of the Province of Brittany , anonymity, completed in 1762, intended for the agents of the royal capacity. (Files I&V F 1129).
• Treated on the aministration of the intermediate commission , said Treated of Chardel , completed on October 26th, 1782, two volumes handwritten with many printed collections of legislative nature.

Other sources

• deputies of the cities to the General states of Brittany - personal files > Fonds Paul Morel, Files I&V, funds 6 J , (1,80 ml).

See too

References

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