{i} (before the revolution of 1789) Assembly of the Notables, assembly of nobles of higher order or clergymen and state officials who has deliberative (not legislative) or administrative powers who were appointed by the king to constitute a representative body
(in French history) An assembly of nobles or notable men, selected by the king, of the House of Valois, to form a parliament They were convened in 1626 by Richeheu, and not again till 1787 (a hundred and sixty years afterwards), when Louis XVI called them together with the view of relieving the nation of some of its pecuniary embarrassments The last time they ever assembled was November 6th 1788