The French Wars of Religion
By: Gavin Ruth and Elly McKinney
Summary
Year
Causes of the War
They were primarily caused by the conflicts between Protestants and Catholics. As France had only recently begun to centralize and was starting to be seen as a threat, foreign powers joined in and funded both sides. England funded the Protestants, and Spain helped the Catholics, thus the conflict was exacerbated.
The consequences were that the French monarchy was temporarily weakened and that France was solidified as a predominantly Catholic nation. Though there was still an area of many Protestants, who would be persecuted and many of whom came to America.
Timeline of the French Wars of Religion
1555 Peace of Augsburg in Germany allows rulers to choose religion for their region
1555 First Protestant Church in Paris organized in a home
1556 Philip II named king of Spain
1558 Elizabeth I becomes queen of England
1559 First national synod of Reformed Churches of France
1559 John Calvin made a citizen of Geneva
1560 Protestant Conspiracy of Amboise to kidnap king of France fails
1561 Anti-Protestant edict begins to drive refugees from France
1562-1563 First War
1562 Forces of Duke of Guise massacre Protestants at Vassy
1563 Treaty of Amboise ends First War
1563 Council of Trent closes
1564 Calvin dies
1567-1568 Second War
1568-1570 Third War
1568 Treaty of Longjumeau ends Second War
1569 Peace of St. Germain ends Third War
1572-1573 Fourth War
1572 St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre (IMPORTANT)
1574 Truce ends Fourth War
1574 Charles IX (right) dies; Henri III (left) becomes king of France
1576 Fifth War
1576 Pro-Protestant Peace of Monsieur signed
1576 Militant Catholic League forms
1577 Sixth War
1577 Sixth War ended by slightly restrictive Peace of Bergerac
1580 Seventh War
1580 Treaty of Nerac and Peace of Fleix end Seventh War
1584 Duke of Anjou dies; Henri of Navarre becomes heir to French throne
1588 Henri III forced to surrender to Guises and Catholic League
1588 English navy defeats Spanish Armada
1589 Henri III stabbed, names Henri of Navarre his successor
1589 Catherine de Médicis dies
1593 Henri IV converts to Catholicism
1598 Edict of Nantes returns civil and religious freedom to Protestants
Key Group and People in the War
Group:
Huguenots
England
Scotland
Navarre
France
Catholic League
Spain
Savoy
People:
Catherine de' Medici: an Italian noblewoman who was queen of France from 1547 until 1559, by marriage to King Henry II (arguably the most powerful women in the 16th century Europe)
Henry of Navarre - was King of Navarre from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 1610. He was the first monarch of France from the House of Bourbon, a cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty
Prince of Condes - The Most Serene House of Condé was a French princely house and a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon.
Elisabeth I - Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death on 24 March 1603. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the last of the five monarchs of the House of Tudor
James VI - King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until his death in 1625.
House of Guise - Guise was a French noble family, partly responsible for the French Wars of Religion
Pope Sixtus V - Pope of the Catholic Church from 24 April 1585 to his death in 1590. As a youth, he joined the Franciscan order, where he displayed talents as a scholar and preacher, and enjoyed the patronage of Pius V, who made him a cardinal.
Philip II - King of Spain, King of Portugal, King of Naples and Sicily, and jure uxoris King of England and Ireland. He was also Duke of Milan. From 1555 he was lord of the Seventeen Provinces of the Netherlands.
Outcome of War
Why the War is Significant
Primary Source: The Edict of Nantes (Link Above)
The Edict of Nantes was issued by Henry IV, who had to pressure the French provincial courts (parlements) to accept it. It had two important elements. The first guaranteed the Huguenots freedom of conscience (the freedom to follow one's own religious beliefs) throughout France. The second guaranteed freedom of worship in noble households and in all of the 150 towns controlled by the Huguenots as of 1597. It also allowed freedom of worship to Catholics living in Huguenot towns.
The Edict was issued as the only way to convince Huguenot nobles to stop fighting. However, it didn't make France a secular state that was indifferent to the religion of its citizens. Henry IV and his politiques supporters wanted to unify France in the Catholic faith but gradually instead of all at once or through military force.