Civil Constitution of the

Clergy 1790
Theresa Shamiso Sibanda
Mount Pleasant High School
Cell:0774658065
©
Introduction

It was a constitution which was made specifically for the

church.
This constitution was made by the National Assembly.
The constitution was trying to address issues and
discrepancies in the Roman Catholic church.
This constitution was responding to philosophers writings
and their attack on the church.
Church lands were nationalized to enable the government
to get revenue.
Reasons for drafting that constitution.

The national assembly :

wanted church lands to sell to landless peasants.
wanted to get revenue to pay French government debts.
wanted land to serve as guarantee for the printed money the assignats
solve disparities in the church.
reduce clergy so that their numbers correspond with the number of
departments created.
wanted to limit church powers just like what the philosophers
suggested in their writings.
wanted to reduce pope influence in French politics.
Provisions of the Civil Constitution of the
Clergy
Bishops and priests were now civil servants.
The clergy was to be paid by the state.
Bishops salaries was reduced and parish priests salaries was
increased.
Roman Catholic was made church of France but other religions
were tolerated.
Reduced the number of clergy to 83 from 135 to correspond the
number of departments.
Bishops were appointed by officials who chose civil servants.
Cont’

Church lands were nationalized and sold to the peasants and rest used
as a guarantee for assaignats.
Bishops and priests were to take an oath of allegiance.
Roman catholic church was to control only elementary education.
Secondary education was put under the state.
Pope was to have no influence in French politics.
Negative Effects

This constitution was rejected by the majority of

the clergy.
Some clergy refused to take an oath of allegiance.
Church was divided into those priests who
accepted the constitution those that rejected it.
Juring priests were those who accepted it (jurors )
and those who rejected the constitution were
known as the non juring priests (non jurors).
Negative Effects

Rejection of the civil constitution led the Legislative assembly to pass

a decree against the priests who refused to take an oath of allegiance.
Those priests who refused to oath of allegiance were given 7 days to
sign or face death penalty/execution.
The constitution was rejected by the king .
The king was forced to sign it much against his will by the National
assembly.
Some non juring clergy left the country to join the émigrés
Others remained in the country causing sabotage from within inciting
revolts in Lavendee, Mersailles, Lyons and other provinces.
Negative Effects

The constitution exposed the king, that he was against reforms, and he was
sympathetic towards the clergy.
Non juring priests incited the revolts in LA vendee province.
Government responded by killing and imprisoning many people in LA vendee.
Million peasants died in LA vendee because there was confrontation between
Roman Catholic congregants and revolutionary army.
There was anarchy in France in response to this Civil constitution of the clergy.
There were series of revolts in France.
Negative Effects

The king vetoed decrees against the clergy and it proved that he was
sympathetic towards clergy and anti- revolutionary.
King had to flee to Austria and was caught the border town of Varennes.
This led to the downfall of the king and establishment of a Republic.
The king antagonized with revolutionaries leading to his demise and final
execution
Positive effects /Merits

People of France became patriotic especially those that obtained land from the
church.
Upholders of church land supported the government fully.
The government now had backing for their paper money(though later lost value
due to inflation).
The government managed to please landless peasants by affording them right
to purchase church lands.
The National Assembly managed to solve one of their aims of reducing Roman
Catholic church influence in French politics.
Political, Social and Economic Effects.

The above effects besides being classified as positive and negative another
classification can be made.
Civil constitution of the clergy resulted in:
Political
Economic
Religious
And social effects
WHO SUPPORTED THIS CONSTITUTION?

This constitution changed the support base of the revolution.

Support base of the revolution depended on whether you benefitted of lose out
from this constitution depending on whether you benefitted or not from this
constitution.
King opposed the CCC-He was of the old order of lose alliance between church
and government.
Non juring priest hated the idea of taking oath of allegiance and losing church
lands
Who supported the constitution ?

Who supported the constitution ?

Peasants who obtained church lands.
Revolutionaries –wanted change in rigid class system that existed before.
National assembly-aim was achieved of reducing church influence in politics
and solving debts
Liberals- wanted religious toleration
Conclusion

In conclusion the Civil Constitution of the Clergy received mixed feelings in

France.
It solved problems and created new problems in France.
The king because of his disapproval to this constitution decided to flee to
Austria.
This sealed the monarchy.
This constitution led some non juring priests to join émigrés on the Rhine and
others working sabotage from within.
Practise Questions

1.What were the effects of the civil constitution of the clergy? (25)
2.To what extent did the civil constitution of the clergy result in more political
problems.(25)
3.Why was the civil constitution of the clergy received with mixed feelings in
France.(25)
4. The civil constitution of the clergy created lasting problems for France up to
1793. Discuss (25)
The end

Next presentation is on Kings’ attempted flight at Varennes.

Theresa Shamiso Sibanda

Cell: 0774658065
Mount Pleasant high school
©