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346:. The nobles of the sword traditionally had more power than the nobles of the robe. Their inherent position was derived from the military service they owed to the king in return for possession of their land-holdings, which were passed from father to son; but they also held official positions in provincial and national government, and at court. The Third Estate was the
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The trend had other benefits for the monarchy, as it reduced the power of the old nobility and made it less able to revolt against the Crown. However, the nobility of the sword continued to provide much of the officer class of the French army and navy, thus the kings of France needed to maintain good
322:, were given control of the French provinces and were seen to hold power at Versailles. The members of the nobility of the robe, however, bought their positions, and had a higher income than most nobles of the sword. Lower-ranking noblemen were thus able to gain a higher status by military service.
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The French nobility was always divided into those who had the right to carry a sword and those who did not. In the 17th century, the nobles of the robe did not have this right, making the distinction between the nobility of the sword and the nobility of the robe very clear. Nobles of the sword, who
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and aspired to have the same privileges and exemptions as the first and second estates, in particular the exemption from paying taxes. This created conflict between the different branches of the nobility, with the nobles of the sword feeling entitled to special treatment, because of their long
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However, from the
Renaissance onwards, kings upset the old nobility by the creation of a new "nobility of the robe", the first such men coming into the nobility through their own merit, by being appointed to various judicial or administrative offices, and later members buying the offices which
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In the 17th century, the nobility of the sword began to demand that the new nobility of the robe be limited in its access to the court. To maximize its income, however, the government continued to sell even more positions, which caused conflict between the two groups of the nobility.
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In later centuries, a nobleman of the sword was not recognized as such unless his family had held this status for at least four generations. The nobility of the sword also provided non-military services to the king, holding positions in all branches of government.
373:. The nobles of the robe were dependent on salaries paid by the king, so their votes would always favour the policy the king pursued. The nobility of the sword, with its greater independence, its ancestry, and its exemption from taxes, had great social
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since their attempts to retain their old power monopoly caused the new nobility’s interests to align with the newly arising French bourgeoisie class, creating a powerful force for change in French society in the late 18th century. For the year 1789,
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history and well-established rights and privileges. This division weakened the balance of power before the revolution and led to much criticism from the Third Estate, the commoners.
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relations with them. Also, many such noblemen saw the importance of maintaining strong relations with the monarch and courting his good will, and so remained at court.
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377:, but it generally had a significantly lower income than the nobility of the robe, and its votes were less committed to supporting the king and his government.
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carried such status. This angered the nobles of the sword, who saw their own opportunities being lost to the
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338:, France's parliament, and each represented a different class. The First Estate was the
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237:("nobility of the robe") – those holding certain official positions, such as
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220:("nobility of chancery") – those holding certain high offices under the king
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class, owing military service (usually to a king, who might be the king of
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Warrior
Pursuits: Noble Culture and Civil Conflict in Early Modern France
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landed estates. They played an important part during the
226:("nobility of letters") – those ennobled by the king's
46:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
503:. Manchester University Press. pp. 53–52.
354:("good towns") around the country, generally
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459:"Some Random Thoughts About French Nobility"
380:The nobles of the robe were in effect rich
152:) were the noblemen of the oldest class of
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106:Learn how and when to remove this message
448:, 4th ed. New York: Norton, 1987, p. 15.
418:Michael J. LaMonica (11 November 2014).
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524:Sandberg, William (15 November 2010).
350:, with representatives sent from the
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424:. For Beginners, LLC. pp. 15–.
44:adding citations to reliable sources
176:) in return for the possession of
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584:Court titles in the Ancien Régime
554:. Alpha History. 19 November 2012
189:gives a figure of 80,000 nobles.
421:French Revolutions For Beginners
342:, and the Second Estate was the
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484:"Nobility and Titles in France"
313:Distinctions among the nobility
31:needs additional citations for
243:, treasurer or president of a
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258:("nobility of the chain") –
254:("nobility of the bell") or
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218:noblesse de chancellerie
123:Gabriel de Rochechouart
500:Rich Noble, Poor Noble
446:France in Modern Times
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55:"Nobles of the Sword"
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371:Palace of Versailles
326:Estates of the realm
281:officer of the sword
132:was a member of the
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552:"The Second Estate"
256:noblesse échevinale
240:maître des requêtes
224:noblesse de lettres
162:early modern period
142:Nobles of the Sword
128:Madame de Montespan
330:There were three "
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298:bourgeoisie
158:Middle Ages
573:Categories
558:2014-05-29
469:2009-07-30
405:References
193:Background
66:newspapers
383:bourgeois
360:peasantry
348:commoners
334:" of the
246:parlement
197:The term
391:See also
375:prestige
344:nobility
320:prestige
260:échevins
166:knightly
160:and the
332:estates
174:England
80:scholar
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365:Under
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170:France
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