A History of the Estates op Poitou

Artikelnummer 10124721

In 1933 the Congrès International des Sciences Historiques decided to set up a commission to study the history of assemblies of estates. The aim was to apply the comparative method to a subject hitherto studied largely on national lines. This led to the formation, in 1936, of the Commission Internationale pour l'Histoire des Assemblées d'États, also known since 1950 as the Commission for the History of Representative and Parliamentary Institutions. Since then, many works have been written dealing with medieval representative institutions. They have shown such a diversity in interpretations that it is apparent that much detailed research must be done on many of the individual estates before the comparative method can be applied effectively. In the case of France, much has been written on the Estates General, but the provincial estates have been less thoroughly studied. Excellent works have appeared on the estates of some provinces, such as Normandy, Languedoc, Brittany, and Velay. Of those provinces whose estates have not yet been studied, one of the largest and most important is Poitou. The purpose of this book, which is based primarily on original sources, is to examine the history of the estates of Poitou from its origins in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries until its disappearance in the mid-seventeenth century. A detailed Catalogue of Assemblies is included in the Appendix to provide the necessary chronology, and most of the book is devoted to a topical discussion of the subject. First the origins of the estates of Poitou are examined. Then its functions and activities are discussed under such categories as financial, advisory, presenting grievances and making requests, codification of customs, and electing deputies to the Estates General. Organization and procedure are then studied in detail, with particular attention devoted to the summons, presiding officers, composition, and method of deliberation. Finally, some conclusions are drawn as to the importance of the estates of Poitou in French history and an attempt is made to fit it into the broader picture of French provincial estates in general. Before a definitive history of French provincial estates can be written, much research remains to be done on the estates of many of the individual provinces. This book has done something to fill this gap. Table of Contents Preface Introduction I. Origins II. Functions and Activities A. Financial B. Advisory C. Presenting Grievances and Making Requests D. Ratification of Treaties E. Codification of Customs F. Election of Deputies to the Estates General G. Regional Assemblies with the Estates of Other Provinces H. Other Activities III. Organization and Procedure A. The Summons B. Presiding Officers C. Location and Length of Assemblies D. Composition E. Payment of Deputies F. Orders Meeting Together or Separately G. Procedure at the Meetings IV. Conclusions Appendix A: Catalogue of Assemblies Appendix B: Documents Bibliography Index

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