Henri-Évrard, marquis de Dreux-Brézé

Brézé had succeeded his father Thomas as court master of the ceremonies to Louis XVI in 1781, and was a descendant of Michel de Dreux-Brézé.

That as the immediate representative of the crown he would offend the susceptibilities of the deputies of the Third Estate was perhaps inevitable, but little attempt was made to adapt archaic etiquette to changed circumstances.

Brézé did not formally intimate to President Bailly the proclamation of the royal séance until 20 June, when the carpenters were about to enter the hall to prepare for the event, thus provoking the session in the tennis court.

After the royal séance Brézé was sent to reiterate Louis's orders that the estates should meet separately, when Mirabeau replied that the hall could not be cleared "except at the point of bayonets".

[1] Brézé withdrew in the face of Mirabeau's aggressive stance but followed traditional protocol by walking slowly backwards with his embroidered tricorn on his head.