This was the name of the group in Eighteenth Century France that was made up of the Nobility, making up nearly 2% of the population and controlling approximately 30% of the country's land.

First Estate

Explanation:

In Eighteenth century French society was divided in to three social orders. The top layer of the society was called the First estate. The first estate was the Church and included clergy. It had considerable influence the people as most of the population was believers. The Second Estate constituted Nobility (Knights). The aristocrats could easily enter the first estate. Peasants constituted the third estate and produced food for the first and second estate.

Estates defined a persons place in the society and it was based on the profession and by the class in which he is born. Like men, women were also born into the three estate. They could also become the member of first estate by entering the church, it could be willingly or unwillingly. New urban middle class began to emerge by mid fourteenth century.

The first estate was wealthy as it owned lands and collected tithes and rents, it avoided paying any tax to the state. They were corrupt and were criticised during the French revolution. The lower classes became ardent critics of the church as they wanted to have greater say and wanted the church to be more accountable.

Ten percent of all land in France was owned by Church and it collected revenue of at least 150 million a year.