Eleanor Finch
On September 3, 1791, France transitioned from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy, a form of government where the monarch shares power with a constitutionally formed government. This shift occurred when the National Constituent Assembly forced King Louis XVI to accept the French Constitution of 1791, which established the Kingdom of the French. The constitution abolished the nobility, declared all men equal before the law, and introduced a system of separation of powers among the legislature, executive, and judiciary. The king retained a veto power over legislation, but the assembly, composed of elected representatives, held significant decision-making authority.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date France became a constitutional monarchy | 3 September 1791 |
| Duration | 1 year |
| Monarch | King Louis XVI |
| Previous form of government | Absolute monarchy |
| Reason for change | To reduce the powers of the monarch |
| Drafting authority | National Assembly |
| Number of assembly members | 745 |
| Powers | Separated and assigned to different institutions |
| Institutions | Legislature, executive and judiciary |
| Law-making authority | National Assembly |
| Voting rights | All estates given equal voting rights |
| Declaration | Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizens |
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What You'll Learn
The National Assembly drafts the constitution
The French Revolution, which began in 1789, brought about a drastic change in the government and social orders of the country. The National Assembly, which came into existence during this time, aimed to provide France with a fair and liberal constitution. The Assembly completed the draft of the constitution in 1791, under the leadership of Mirabeau and Sieyes. The main objective of the constitution was to limit the powers of the monarch, King Louis XVI.
The powers of the monarch were separated and assigned to different institutions, including the legislature, executive, and judiciary. The king was the head of the assembly, but the powers were now shared among the members of the assembly. This ensured that the decisions were in favour of the people. The National Assembly was elected by the active citizens, which included men above the age of 25 who paid regular taxes. The passive members, which included the rest of the population, elected the top 50,000 taxpayers to the assembly. The assembly had 745 members, and a few of them were made ministers along with the monarch as their head.
The constitution of 1791 was revolutionary, as it abolished the nobility of France and declared all men to be equal before the law. It also established the Kingdom of the French, which was a constitutional monarchy. The National Assembly forced King Louis XVI to accept the French Constitution of 1791, thus turning the absolute monarchy into a constitutional monarchy. The powers of the monarch were now bound by the constitution, and the decisions were made by the assembly as a whole, rather than by the king alone.
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The monarchy's powers are reduced
The French Revolution, which began in 1789, brought about significant changes to the country's social and governmental structure. The monarchy's powers were reduced as a direct result of the National Assembly's efforts to draft and implement a constitution that separated and distributed powers among different institutions. This constitution, completed in 1791, marked a shift from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy, with the monarch no longer holding supreme authority.
The National Assembly, led by Mirabeau and Sieyes, played a pivotal role in this transformation. The assembly consisted of 745 members, including ministers and the monarch as their head. However, the power dynamics changed significantly with the new constitution. The constitution introduced a system of separation of powers, allocating authority to the legislature, executive, and judiciary. This distribution of powers ensured that decision-making was not concentrated in the hands of the king but was shared among the members of the assembly.
The National Assembly's objective in drafting the constitution was explicitly to curtail the monarch's powers. The assembly itself was indirectly elected and vested with the power to make laws. This marked a significant shift in the balance of power, as the assembly now had the authority to shape the country's legal framework. The constitution also abolished the nobility of France, declaring all men equal before the law. This further diminished the monarch's influence and moved France towards a more democratic form of governance.
The monarch's powers were further constrained by the assembly's ability to veto royal decisions. For example, when King Louis XVI used his veto powers to protect non-juring priests and refused to raise militias in defence of the revolutionary government, the assembly responded by suspending the monarchy on 11 August 1792. This suspension came in the aftermath of the Flight to Varennes, an unsuccessful attempt by Louis XVI and his family to flee France in 1791, which had severely damaged public opinion of the monarchy.
The suspension of the monarchy on 11 August 1792, following the Storming of the Tuileries Palace, marked a critical juncture. The Legislative Assembly, inundated with requests for the monarchy's demise, took decisive action. The newly elected National Convention, elected under universal male suffrage, officially abolished the monarchy on 21 September 1792, bringing an end to 203 years of consecutive Bourbon rule in France and establishing a republic.
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Power is separated and assigned to different institutions
France's transition to a constitutional monarchy was a significant event in the country's history, marking a shift from absolute monarchy to a system where power was divided and shared between the monarch and a constitutionally formed government. This transformation occurred during a tumultuous period of revolution and social upheaval.
The National Assembly, a pivotal force in this process, completed the draft of the French Constitution in 1791. The constitution was designed with a clear objective: to reduce the powers of the monarch and prevent their concentration in a single person's hands. This separation of powers was a cornerstone of the new constitutional monarchy.
In the new system, powers were distributed among different institutions, namely the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary. The National Assembly, indirectly elected and vested with the power to make laws, played a crucial role in this new structure. The assembly was composed of 745 members, with the monarch as their head, although the powers were no longer solely in the monarch's hands.
The establishment of this constitutional monarchy was a direct response to the demands of the time. The Third Estate, representing the common people, had long sought liberal political reforms and a constitution that would protect their rights. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens, issued in 1791, embodied these ideals, proclaiming the natural and inalienable rights of all.
However, this period of constitutional monarchy was short-lived. Following the Flight to Varennes, King Louis XVI's failed attempt to flee France, the monarchy's popularity plummeted. The subsequent French Revolutionary Wars and the involvement of foreign powers further fuelled radical conceptions, ultimately leading to the suspension of the monarchy on August 11, 1792, and its abolition on September 21, 1792, in favour of a republic.
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The king's escape plot fails
The French Revolution, which began in 1789, saw the monarchy and the National Assembly clash over political power. Initially, King Louis XVI was popular and seen as the best hope for solving France's problems. However, by 1791, the king and his family had been under virtual house arrest at the Tuileries Palace for over 18 months. Dissatisfied with the course of the revolution, particularly its attacks on the Catholic Church, the king decided to flee Paris.
The escape plot, known as the Flight to Varennes, was planned by Count Axel von Fersen, a Swedish general and favourite of Marie Antoinette. The plan was for the royal family to travel by coach to Montmedy, a fortress near the German border, where they would be protected by 10,000 loyal royal troops. The king hoped to regain his freedom and security, away from the intensifying revolution and the threat to his family's safety.
On the night of 20-21 June 1791, the royal family, including Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and their children, set out from Paris. However, their escape attempt was plagued by delays, causing them to fall behind schedule. They reached the small town of Varennes-en-Argonne, where they were recognised and arrested. The arrest of the royal family was a humiliating turn of events, damaging any positive public opinion for the monarchy.
The failure of the king's escape plot had significant repercussions. It triggered a wave of crude propaganda that ridiculed the royals, and the growing hostility towards the monarchy and the king and queen as individuals became more pronounced. The credibility of the king as a constitutional monarch was severely undermined, and the idea of a harmonious constitutional monarchy seemed unworkable. The National Assembly agreed to allow the king to remain in power if he accepted the Constitution of 1791, which he reluctantly did. However, the king's commitment to the constitution was questioned, and his working alliance with the Assembly was exposed as fraudulent.
The escape attempt also alarmed European monarchs, who feared that revolutionary fervour would spread to their own countries. Relations between France and its neighbours deteriorated further, with some foreign ministries calling for war against the revolutionary government. The publication of the Brunswick Manifesto in 1792 threatened the destruction of Paris if the safety of the royal family was endangered again. As a result, the Assembly was inundated with requests for the monarchy's demise, and the suspension and eventual abolition of the monarchy in August and September 1792, respectively, marked the end of Bourbon rule in France.
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The monarchy is abolished
The French monarchy, which had been a constitutional monarchy since 3 September 1791, was short-lived. On 10 August 1792, the Tuileries Palace was stormed, and the Legislative Assembly suspended the monarchy the following day. The National Convention, elected under universal male suffrage, abolished the monarchy on 21 September 1792, ending 203 years of Bourbon rule.
The events of 1792 were precipitated by a series of events that began in 1789. The French Revolution had begun, and the Third Estate (the common people) demanded equal voting rights. When this was denied, they formed a National Assembly and declared their intention to provide France with a fair and liberal constitution. The National Assembly completed the draft of this constitution in 1791, with the objective of reducing the powers of the monarch. However, the monarchy remained, with King Louis XVI at its head.
Louis XVI's failed escape plot in 1791, known as the Flight to Varennes, severely damaged public opinion of the monarchy. The King's subsequent declaration of war on Austria and the resulting French Revolutionary Wars further destabilised the monarchy. The King's use of his veto powers to protect non-juring priests and refusal to raise militias in defence of the revolutionary government also proved unacceptable to radical revolutionaries. The August 10 Insurrection, led by Robespierre, was the final straw. The National Convention was called, and France was declared a republic on 22 September 1792, just one day after the monarchy was abolished. Monarchy was abolished and France became a republic.
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Frequently asked questions
France became a constitutional monarchy on 3 September 1791.
The objective was to reduce the powers of the monarch.
The National Assembly completed the draft of the constitution in 1791. Powers were separated and assigned to different institutions like the legislature, executive and judiciary.
The king was the head of the assembly but the powers were not concentrated in his hands.
