The French Wars of Religion

(at least 9 wars occurred

during last half of 16th century)

Overview

• Catholics vs. Calvinists (Huguenots)

• Spanish Catholic influence (Phillip II)

• The Guise Family

• Shift from Valois to Bourbon Dynasty

• Edict of Nantes

The French Wars of Religion

(1562-1598)

• French Calvinists (Huguenots)

– ≈ 50% of the French nobility

• The death of Henry II (1559)

– Weakened the monarchy

Henry II gets mortally wounded jousting at a celebration

Main Characters • The Valois Kings (Catholic)

– Francis II (r. 1559-1560)

• Sickly, dies within a year after his father Henry

– Charles IX (r. 1560-1574)

– Henry III (r. 1574-1589)

Their mother, Catherine de Médicis

(1519-1589)

Their mother, Catherine

de Médicis (1519-

1589)

• Served as regent for

Charles IX

• Sought out balance

the extreme beliefs of

the Huguenots and

Catholics

• Supported St. Bart's

Day Massacre

The Guise Family

• Ties to Spain

(Phillip II)

• Henry, Duke of

Guise

– Ultra-Catholic

– Later killed by

Huguenots

The Bourbon Family

• Prince of Condé

• Huguenots (for now)

Gaspard de Coligny

• Huguenot leader

• Assassinated in

1572

The Start of the Wars

1562: Massacre at Vassy

Catherine’s Dilemma

• Wanted a Catholic France…

– …but feared domination by the Guise family

– …so she played both sides

The Saint Bartholomew’s Day

Massacre (August 22, 1572)

Impact of the Massacre

• 20,000 Huguenots killed in 3 days

• Phillip II

– Battle of Lepanto (1571)

– The Dutch Revolt

• Phillip would be able to crush the revolt without

interference from the French

• Mobilized Calvinism and Protestantism against

the Catholics

– Catholic League vs. Huguenots

• Henry III had to ally with Henry of Navarre (a

Bourbon Huguenot)

The War of the Three Henrys

• Henry III and Henry of Navarre defeat the

Catholic League

• Henry III is assassinated by an angry

monk for aligning himself with a Protestant

• Henry of Navarre becomes King Henry IV

– A Huguenot?

• Not quite. Believed in a policy of tolerant

Catholicism. Came to throne as a politique

– “Paris is worth a mass”

– Birth of Bourbon Dynasty

King Henry IV

France under Henry IV

• The Edict of Nantes (1598)

– Religious toleration of Huguenots

– Catholicism still the official religion

– Granted Huguenots the right to fortify their

towns

• Assassinated by a Catholic fanatic in 1610

Death of Henry IV, 1610