It was a legislative assembly of different classes or french subjects. It always included represenitive from the First State, Second State, and the Third State. The First State consisted of the clergy. The Second State consisted of the nobility and the Third State consisted of the commoners. Monarchs always summoned them either to grant subsidies or to advise the Crown, to give aid and counsel. Their composition, however, as well as their effective powers, varied greatly at different times.