what was the estates-general?

The Estates-General was a legislative and consultative assembly in France representing the three estates or classes of French society: the clergy (First Estate), the nobility (Second Estate), and the common people (Third Estate). It was first convened by King Philip IV (Philip the Fair) in 1302 primarily to advise the king and to approve taxes. The Estates-General was not a permanent institution but was summoned by the king at irregular intervals, usually in times of crisis or when the king needed consent for new taxes or policies. While it had no true legislative power on its own, it served as a platform for the estates to present petitions, grievances, and advice to the monarch. Historically, its main function was to ratify taxes for the king and to provide a forum where the people’s voices could be heard through representatives from each estate. The assembly played a significant role in representing French society politically before the French Revolution. The last traditional meeting was in 1614, but it was famously called again in 1789 by King Louis XVI amid mounting financial and societal crises. This 1789 meeting eventually led to the Third Estate breaking off to form the National Assembly, which is generally regarded as the start of the French Revolution. Thus, the Estates-General was a predecessor to the more democratic assemblies that followed and was a key institution in the political landscape of pre- revolutionary France.