Final answer:
The new elite of the 1st Estate in pre-revolutionary France were the members of the clergy, making up less than 1 percent of the population and owning roughly 10 percent of the land.
Step-by-step explanation:
The new elite of the First Estate during the French Revolution were the members of the clergy. Therefore, the correct answer to the question 'Who were the new elite of the 1st estate?' is A) Members of the 1st estate. This group held less than 1 percent of France's population, owned around 10 percent of the land, and was virtually exempt from taxes, leveraging substantial wealth from tithes and fees from the general population.