Politics and the Parlement of Paris under Louis XV, 1754–1774

Politicsineighteenth-centuryFrancewasdominatedbytherelationshipbetweenthecrownandthemagistratesoftheParlementofParis.TheParlementprovidedatraditionalcheckupontheKing'sauthority,butafter1750itenteredaperiodofprolongedconfrontationwiththegovernmentofLouisXV.Thereligious,financialandadministrativepoliciesofthemonarchyweresubjecttosustainedopposition,andthemagistratesemployedargumentswhichchallengedthefoundationsofroyalauthority.Thisstrugglewasbroughttoanabruptconclusionin1771,whenChancellordeMaupeouimplementedaroyalrevolution,breakingthepoweroftheParlement.InordertoexplainwhythecrownandtheParlementdriftedintoconflict,thisstudyre-examinestheconductofgovernmentunderLouisXV,theroleofthemagistrates,andthestructureofjudicialpoliticsineighteenth-centuryFrance.