AHC: Louis XVI survives Estates-General with as much power as possible

Pretty much what it says on the tin. Have Louis XVI survive the Estates-General, and any fallout that comes from it, with as much power as possible. You can use PODs substantially before 1789 if needed.
 
Just have him not summon the General Estates. If he is a competent king, he forced his reform agenda and does not need to summon the General Estates. Summoning the General Estates was the proof of his failure and inability to govern.
 
Just have him not summon the General Estates. If he is a competent king, he forced his reform agenda and does not need to summon the General Estates. Summoning the General Estates was the proof of his failure and inability to govern.

Sadly he wasn't a competent king. The man was an idiot. He was obsessed with hunting and had absolutely no idea about how to reform France, other than to appoint a series of fiscal incompetents who made everything worse. By 1788 he felt that he had no choice but to convoke the Estates-General.
 
Just have him not summon the General Estates. If he is a competent king, he forced his reform agenda and does not need to summon the General Estates. Summoning the General Estates was the proof of his failure and inability to govern.

How would he possible improve the tax system without it though? The parlements were refusing the lits des justice. The assemblée des notables refused to comply and recommended the estates-general be called. He'd run out of options.
 
Apart from an incapaciting illness that would prevent him to show off too openly his opposition to most of EG and revolutionnaries change, I see nothing.

At the point EG were to be called, the situation rotten far too deeply.
And as we have a king that while not exactly a tyrant, wasn't for giving up his political powers and refused compromise even when his supporters asked him so...The better way is to shut him up efficiently.
 
How would he possible improve the tax system without it though? The parlements were refusing the lits des justice. The assemblée des notables refused to comply and recommended the estates-general be called. He'd run out of options.

The parlements refused to pass his reforms because the fool of a king showed up all of a sudden and ordered them to do it.Prior to that,his financial minister almost managed to persuade the parlements into enforcing his new tax laws but they ended up getting pissed and want to defy the king after he ordered them to do it in person.

Another thing is that Louis XV curbed the power of the parlements and their ability to defy the king,but his stupid grandson restored their power because he wants to be popular with the nobles.

Final thing is that the assembly of notables could have passed the law on the condition that the royal family publish their accounts,but once again,the stupid king refused.
 
The parlements refused to pass his reforms because the fool of a king showed up all of a sudden and ordered them to do it.Prior to that,his financial minister almost managed to persuade the parlements into enforcing his new tax laws but they ended up getting pissed and want to defy the king after he ordered them to do it in person.

Another thing is that Louis XV curbed the power of the parlements and their ability to defy the king,but his stupid grandson restored their power because he wants to be popular with the nobles.

Final thing is that the assembly of notables could have passed the law on the condition that the royal family publish their accounts,but once again,the stupid king refused.

Basically this. Louis XVI should have never restored the Parlements in the first place. He basically started his reign with a clean slate and chose to shoot himself in the foot for some more popularity. Without the Parlements to oppose him a Sovereign could have easily passed the necessary reforms. They might cause a noble revolt a la Fronde, but the French army should be able to deal with that.
 
Basically this. Louis XVI should have never restored the Parlements in the first place. He basically started his reign with a clean slate and chose to shoot himself in the foot for some more popularity. Without the Parlements to oppose him a Sovereign could have easily passed the necessary reforms. They might cause a noble revolt a la Fronde, but the French army should be able to deal with that.
Couldn't they pull a palace coup though?Louis' bodyguards(the ones that have personal contact with him at all time) are all nobles--even the Swiss Guards and the Gardes Francaises didn't have as much physical contact as these guys.
 
Couldn't they pull a palace coup though?Louis' bodyguards(the ones that have personal contact with him at all time) are all nobles--even the Swiss Guards and the Gardes Francaises didn't have as much physical contact as these guys.

They could try but chances are it would fail and bring down the wrath of the entire Kingdom upon their heads. Could they kidnap/kill the King while he's hunting? Sure. A knife in the gut at the lever or couche? Of course. But could they/would they kill the entire Royal family? I doubt it. Also if the King is killed/kidnapped/deposed, the nobles are completely screwed. The country will rally behind the Sovereign (Louis XVI or the Comte de Provence) and he will easily be able to destroy the power of the nobility. Basically the nobles could accept the reforms (which really weren't that bad in terms of taxation) or risk a spiraling situation that could lead to the decemation of their classes political, social and economic privileges.

Also, considering the French nobility's tendency to gossip and the various royal spy networks across the country, I doubt that a conspiracy would reach the point of the actual assassination before its discovered and destroyed. Maybe a lone actor killing the King could be successful, but not a full conspiracy.
 
The parlements refused to pass his reforms because the fool of a king showed up all of a sudden and ordered them to do it.Prior to that,his financial minister almost managed to persuade the parlements into enforcing his new tax laws but they ended up getting pissed and want to defy the king after he ordered them to do it in person.

When did the financial minister do this? Do you have a source?

Final thing is that the assembly of notables could have passed the law on the condition that the royal family publish their accounts,but once again,the stupid king refused.

Again, do you have a link for this? I'd love to read up on it.

Apart from an incapaciting illness that would prevent him to show off too openly his opposition to most of EG and revolutionnaries change, I see nothing.

At the point EG were to be called, the situation rotten far too deeply.
And as we have a king that while not exactly a tyrant, wasn't for giving up his political powers and refused compromise even when his supporters asked him so...The better way is to shut him up efficiently.

Let's say the King has a stroke that changes his personality. What would have been the minimum about of powers he would needed to have given up for compromise?

Sadly he wasn't a competent king. The man was an idiot. He was obsessed with hunting and had absolutely no idea about how to reform France, other than to appoint a series of fiscal incompetents who made everything worse. By 1788 he felt that he had no choice but to convoke the Estates-General.

Were they all fiscal incompetents? I know Necker was useless, but I thought Calonne and Turgot were better.
 
When did the financial minister do this? Do you have a source?



Again, do you have a link for this? I'd love to read up on it.
https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CCcQFjAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cambridge.edu.au%2Feducation%2Ftitles%2FdownloadSamplePage%2F9781107506442%2F1257%2FChapter%25205-web.pdf&ei=hZiCVb-zC9Lz8gXugbUg&usg=AFQjCNFHsLOZT9FTmmx58egNzduVpBWZOA&bvm=bv.96041959,d.dGc&cad=rja
page 10-12 describes how close Brienne was to fixing the situation and how the king f#$ked it all up.The Assembly of Notables wanted to audit the King's spending in return for tax and he said no.When he asked the Parlement to pass his law,he turned up in person and tried to strong arm them into acquiescence when they were almost persuaded by his Brienne into acceptance.
 
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https://www.cambridge.edu.au/education/titles/.../Chapter%205-web.pdf

page 10-12 describes how close Brienne was to fixing the situation and how the king f#$ked it all up.The Assembly of Notables wanted to audit the King's spending in return for tax and he said no.When he asked the Parlement to pass his law,he turned up in person and tried to strong arm them into acquiescence when they were almost persuaded by his Brienne into acceptance.

Thanks, but that link doesn't seem to work.
 
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