States-general (Fr. états généraux), the name given to the representative body of the three orders (nobility, clergy, burghers) of the French kingdom. In the time of Charlemagne and for seventy years after his death there were assemblies of clergy and nobles held twice a year to deliberate on matters of public importance. There is no trace of any national assembly in France properly so called earlier than 1302, when the States-general or representatives of the three orders were convened by Philip the Handsome in his quarrel with Pope Boniface VIII. The States-general, how- ever, though their consent seems in strictness to have been considered requisite for any measure imposing a general taxation, had no right of redressing abuses except by petition, and no legislative power. Under Charles VI. and Charles VII. they were rarely convened. Louis XIII. convoked them, after a long interval, in 1614, but dismissed them for looking too closely into the finances; and from that time down to the Revolution (1789) they were never once summoned to meet. As soon as they did assemble—the clergy, 291; noblesse, 270; tiers état, 557 (nearly half lawyers)—the Third Estate, after inviting the noblesse and clergy to sit with them, on the advice of Sieyès, constituted themselves a National Assembly (17th June). About 150 of the clergy joined them (22d June), and nearly 50 of the nobles, with Philip of Orleans, on 25th June; the rest followed by the king's command two days later.
The title States-general was likewise borne by the representatives chosen by the provinces of the old republic of the Netherlands to exercise sovereign power. They met at the Hague (1593-1795), and voted by provinces. The name is retained for the existing legislative body or parliament of the kingdom of the Netherlands. See also ESTATES.