The+Second+Estate

Social Hierachy

Question:What is the second estate?

The second estate in France was the French Nobility. It was always divide into group noblesse and noblesse de robe. Nobles had highest positions in the court. They are good as free from paying taxes. They had the ability to collect taxes from the peasants on their land. Nobility of the sword are the old and traditional nobility, who have been around since the middle ages. These nobles lived on manors. It is different from the first estate and third estate by clergy and everyone else. An increasingly money-driven economy makes living off your own land a much more difficult prospect than it used to be. There is another estate as well called first estate and third estate. All of thethree estates are so different. Nobility of the sword are the old and traditional nobility. Nobles of the robe couldn’t trace their linage back 100s of years, but were nobles because they paid the king to be made so. The monarchy needed money, and the soon-to-be-nobles had money, so kings were glad to give titles and positions for chunks of wealth. They are also exempt from taxes on the theory that they serve the state by offering the king their lives in military service. The nobility depend on war to make money. It was not acceptable for a nobleman to do much of anything except serve in the military, in the royal service, or in the church. An increasingly money-driven economy makes living off your own land a much more difficult prospect than it used to be.



Citation: http://www.lepg.org/classes.htm http://thefrenchrev.wordpress.com/tag/second-estate/

Citations are incomplete. Needs more careful editing. 8.5/10