What prompted King Louis XVI to convene the Estates General in 1789?

King Louis XVI convened the Estates General in 1789 primarily to address France's financial crisis. At that time, the country was deeply in debt, largely due to costly wars, extravagant spending by the monarchy, and poor financial management. The situation was urgent, and the king hoped that by calling the Estates General, which included representatives from the clergy, nobility, and the common people, he could achieve consensus on how to manage the financial issues and implement necessary reforms.

This assembly had not been convened since 1614, highlighting the severity of the financial crisis that prompted Louis to seek broader support and ideas for resolving the escalating economic troubles. While issues such as power dynamics with the nobility and social unrest among peasants were certainly in the background, the direct impetus for convening the Estates General was the need for a solution to the pressing financial difficulties facing France.