How did Louis XVI respond to the formation of the National Assembly?
King Louis XVIās response to the formation of the National Assembly was characterized by initial resistance followed by a reluctant concession.
When the Third Estate declared itself the National Assembly on June 17, 1789, the king initially attempted to obstruct them by closing their meeting hall at Versailles and ordering a royal session for June 23. During this session, Louis XVI presented a reform program that promised fiscal equality and regular meetings of the Estates-General, but he insisted that the three orders continue to deliberate separately, effectively attempting to preserve the traditional social hierarchy.12
The deputies defied this order, asserting that the assembled nation could not be commanded. Faced with this firm solidarity and the growing influence of the Assembly, Louis XVI eventually backed down. On June 27, he ordered the remaining members of the clergy and nobility to join the National Assembly, effectively recognizing its legitimacy and signaling the end of the traditional Three Estates.21