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Constitution civile du clergé
(1,173 words)

1. Goals and content

The Constitution civile du clergé (“Civil constitution of the clergy”) was the most important religious measure of the French Revolution (1789). Growing criticism of the privileged status of the catholic clergy as an estate, of the secularization and aristocratic lifestyle of prelates, of the unscrupulous collection and misappropriation of tithes, which many considered part of the hated “feudal” system, was the background to the measure. Its goal was t…

Cite this page
Reichardt, Rolf, “Constitution civile du clergé”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_030826>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20170206



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