Étienne Marcel

Who was Étienne Marcel?

Étienne Marcel was provost of the merchants of Paris under King John II, called John the Good. He distinguished himself in the defense of the small craftsmen and guildsmen who made up most of the city population.

As a delegate of the Third Estate, he played an important role in the general assemblies held during the Hundred Years War. In 1357, he found himself at the head of a reform movement that tried to institute a controlled French monarchy, confronting the royal power of the Dauphin or heir to the throne.