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Historical documents on French finances

The aim of this page is to upload primary sources about French fiscal history.

1. The problems with primary sources.

The history of French finance before 1815 suffers from the accidental and deliberate destructions of primary sources, especially the royal accounts and the archives of the contrôle général des finances during the French Revolution and the Paris Commune. In the 1190s, the Comité pour l'Histoire Economique et Financière de la France published two research guides devoted to primary sources devoted to the economic and fiscal history of France. These research guides help identify the repositories and types of documents for the period of the Ancien Regime and the years 1789-1870.

2. Royal accounts.

3. Memoranda on fiscal issues by ministers.

4. Memoranda on fiscal issues by financiers and other experts.

5. Loans.

6. Money,

7. Taxation.

8. Trade.