Marcel, Etienne

(ca. 1315-1358)

   political figure

   Born in Paris, Etienne Marcel was the provost of the Parisian merchants and, with Robert le coq, was one of the leaders of the bourgeoisie in the estates general of 1355 and 1356. He helped to impose the Grand ordonnance of 1357 on the dauphin (the future charles v), which anticipated the control of subsidies by the Estates, an advisory council to the dauphin, and the dismissal of the advisers of King jean ii. In the face of the dauphin's opposition to reform, Etienne Marcel tried to substitute an urban revolution for the one that the Estates General could not achieve. on February 22, 1358, there took place the first Parisian revolution. Marcel and his supporters surrounded the palace, assassinating two of the dauphin's advisers before his eyes, and forcing him to renew the ordonnance of 1357. The dauphin fled, raised an army, and surrounded Paris. Marcel, compromised by his alliance with charles II the bad, to whom he had decided to surrender Paris, was isolated and subsequently was assassinated by a follower of the dauphin.