 However, the king had only about 10,000 officials in royal service — very few indeed for such a large country, and with very slow internal communications over an inadequate road system.Travel was usually faster by ocean ship or river boat.The different estates of the realm – the clergy, the nobility, and commoners – occasionally met together in the Estates General, but in practice the Estates General had no power, for it could petition the king but not pass laws itself.