Diary+Entry+1+A+Park+JunWon

May 5th, 1789

As one of the representatives of 2nd Estate, I have made a trip to Versailles on May 5th, 1789. The Palace of Versailles that Louis XVI, the king of France, is even more luxurious than is seen from the outside. Although I'm a noble, I'm one of the weaker nobles so I haven't visited the palace before. Perhaps, my father has. The king is richer than us, but I'd rather keep the Old Regime than bring down the king while risking my own position.

The three estates, while the first estate being the clergy, second estate being the nobles, and the third estate being the remaining people, went to separate halls to make a decision on one vote each. Vast majority of nobles, although a couple of nobles who were so deeply touched by the enlightenment ideas or the American revolution has voted differently, has voted favoring the privileged estates which are the first estate and second estate. First estate will vote similarly so that we will outvote the third estate by two to one. My father told me the nobles have always dominated the Estates-General with the clergy since the Middle Ages which would be my great great grandfather's age. The Estates General didn't meet since the meeting that happened at 1614. We were informed that the Estates General was to solve the solve the economic crisis the monarchy has faced.

On my way out in front of the gate, I have met Edgar Dubois, a resident who lives in Neuilly Sur Seine which I rule as a landlord upon. He has saluted me by taking his hat off and bowing. I noticed him and said, "Hey, who is this? My favorite blacksmith, Edgar!".

"Hello sir!" Edgar replied.

"How does your family do?" I showed a generosity of asking him.

"Sir... Actuall, it has been really hard to buy bread and other food after paying all the taxes, so we couldn't eat that much these days," Edgar's faced turned grim. It was painful to hear such a news when I was finding the France's economy is in a decline as well.

"That' really painful to hear. I actually had to raise the taxes and rents myself to earn the same amount of money each year," I said. The prices of literally all items started rising that I couldn't bring my family the same amount of clothes, tutors, and foods if I didn't raise the taxes. My loving wife already started asking me why she couldn't buy the blue silk dress, which I answered to by saying, "but you already have too many blue dresses". Such a delicate lady like her would understand if I told her, but I will not worry her.

"Ah... Then could you please at least consider about lowering the taxes in the future?" Edgar asks pleadingly.

"I don't have the greed to earn much money, but to just maintain my present life. When France's economy improves, I'll surely do that," While replying such an answer, I'm not sure how France will improve after seeing all the extravagant life Louis XVI and his wife is living.

"Then I'll surely look forward for it," Edgar shows a smile finally.

"Take care, Edgar. I'll visit you sooner or later since my boy is going to be starting to learn sword," I said a goodbye to him by saying this. Seeing his grim situation, I believe it is essential for me to go visit Neuilly sur Seine as the landlord to examine the citizen's lives.

July 13th, 1789

Few months have passed, and an upsetting, while interesting, news was delivered to me. It said the Third Estates have named themselves the National Assembly claiming that each delegate, not each estate, should have a vote. As I paid a lot of attention to the United States' birth, the idea seemed flawed. The estates will not get an equal amount of power, and the third estate will dominate the entire assembly, which will create an unequal privilege that the National Assembly was trying to abolish.

Yesterday (July 12th) was a very disastrous day. As soon as I heard about the conflict between the King's mercenary troops and the French people, I hurried to the scene. About a 100 German cavalry and 300 Swiss were there when I arrived. The French people were throwing stones at the cavalry. This conflict has been going for a while in the most thrilling tension until the cavalry finally retired towards Versailles.

By today (July 13th), things only have gone worse. The States officially urged the king to send away the troops saying the Bourgeoisie of Paris can arm to preserve the order. No one has publicly mentioned this, but the King this is obviously the conflict between the nobles and the third estate. The king would never agree to the States' suggestion of arming the third estates' Bourgeoisie.