Investigating the Religious Wars
The French Wars of Religion
Summary :
The French Wars of Religion were a series of 8 wars waged in France between Catholics, who were being supported by the royal family ( the Guise family), and Protestants, who were backed by the Bourbon family, that lasted from 1562-1598, and didn’t end until the Edict of Nantes was ratified. They were started when Duke Francois de Guise killed close to 100 Protestants in the small town of Wassy. A protestant leader retaliated and took over the city of Wassy. This would kick off 36 years of on and off wars all throughout France. Many of the wars were waged under the regency of Queen Catherine de’ Medici (the widow of Henry II of France) and would rope in many leaders of different kingdoms in Europe. This war would come to be known as the second most bloody religious war in European history.
Cause:
These wars were started mainly because there was lots of tension between Catholics and Protestants.
The french wanted power and there was an on-going riot between religions.
Protestants were based more in the peasant population while royalty and powerful figures stuck with Catholicism. This would widen the divide between common folk and royalty.
Course of the 1st war
The 1st war (1562-1563) Started on March 1st 1562 when the Duke François de Guise massacred a hundred Protestants attending a service of worship in a barn in the town of Wassy. This lead to a retaliation by the prince of Condé, who called for protestants to take up arms. The protestants took over the town of Orléans by the 2nd of April. The royal troops came in and laid siege to the protestant held city of Orléans. Ended when both sides signed the Edict of Amboise. The king would violate the terms laid out in the Edict later, and would lead to more subsequent wars.
Course of the 2nd war
The 2nd war (1567-1568) Protestant leaders, in fear of an increasing influence the catholic church had on the king, took up arms once again to try and divert the church’s influence on the king. The king was informed of this attack and made it back to Paris from the Swiss city of Meaux under Swiss protection. In following attacks the Protestants took over many cities in Southern France. The French royalty quickly retaliated and with their superior numbers and wealth quickly beat the Protestant armies. This war ended with the Peace of Longjumeau, which laid out many of the same parameters as the Edict of Amboise.
Course of the 3rd war
The 3rd war (1568-1570) This war was started because of an alliance between rebel Netherland protestant groups and French protestants. This war had lots of outside influence. The French leadership was backed by King Philip II of Spain, the Pope, and Tuscan leadership, while the protestants were backed by Queen Elizabeth of England and the leadership of the rebellion in Netherlands. The protestants suffered multiple defeats during this war but came out with a decisive victory in the end. The ending peace gave the protestants 4 strongholds that they would hold for two years.
Course of the 4th war
The 4th war (1572-1573) Many protestant noblemen came to Paris to celebrate the king’s marriage. On St. Bartholomew’s day the royal council met in Paris and it was decided that all protestant leaders were to be eliminated that day. This execution of many protestant leaders turned into a huge massacre that lasted 5 days and lead to the death of around 10,000 protestants all over France. Only those with royal lineage were spared if they obliged to adhere to Catholicism. This lead to many battles in Southern France and lead to the Edict of Boulogne to be ratified. It gave protestants freedom of conscience, but freedom of worship in three towns as well.
Course of the 5th war
The 5th war (1574-1576) Moderate Catholics and Protestants joined together to form a group called the malcontents. They were tolerant to all religions and pushed for political reform. The king didn’t like their ideologies and declared war. Henri III was appointed king soon thereafter Charles’ death and he was forced to deal with them as his troops were fewer than theirs. He signed the peace of Monsieur which allowed freedom of worship in Paris and a sizeable amount of land around the city. They were also given 8 strongholds and limited seats in Parliament.
Course of the 6th war
The 6th war (1576-1577) The States General was called and they decided to get rid of the latest treaty. This resumed the conflict but it didn’t last long as both sides were running low on funds. They signed the peace of Bergerac and they confirmed it with the Edict of Poitier.
Course of the 7th war
The 7th war (1579-1580) This war was restricted to some local areas, wherein fighting continued in a scattered manner. The war came to an end with the signing of the Edict of Felix.
Course of the 8th war
The 8th war (1585-1598) This war is known as the war of the three Henrys as all three sides, the royals, the protestants, and the leagues, were lead by men named Henry. *spoiler alert* The French king Henry III dies during this war. The second phase of this war begins when Henry III dies and Henry IV takes his place. He was the legitimate heir but he faced large opposition due to the fact that he was a protestant. He seized his capital city of Paris and removed the Paris commons league from power. The league was able to come back and take Paris back with Spanish support. Only to be forced out by Henry once again. This ended when the Spanish were marched out of France in 1598, and the subsequent signing of the Edict of Nantes.
Key figures
Key Figures
Huguenots are Protestants in France who faced extreme persecution for their beliefs. The origin of this name is unknown but there were about two million Huguenots by the 1560s. They wanted to reform the Church of France since the time of Protestant Reformation. This group kept a tradition of protestantism. As Huguenots started to become powerful and influential, they became more opposed to Roman Catholic Church.
Queen Catherine de’ Medici-
She was the wife of French King Henry II (1519– 1559) and the mother and regent of three other kings—Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry III. She had great impact over her sons and is believed that she had the permission for the approval of the Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Day in 1572. She was in power for the major part of the time during the wars.
House of Valois-
The House of Valois was the ruling family in France and a cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty. They were ruling family from 1328 to about 1589. The last phase of Valois in France was during these wars. Henry II died in 1559. His oldest son , Francis II, succeeded him and he was already King of Scotland. But his wife's relatives, the House of Guise, where able to over power him and throw him out as the king.
Spanish-
Spain is a large nation sitting on the Iberian Peninsula. Spain is also a devout Catholic nation with lots of wealth and a strong military. Since they are very Catholic they have strong relations with the Pope and support Christian organizations and governments around Europe. They supported the royal family, who was Catholic, during the French wars of Religion and had a significant impact on the outcome of some of the war.
Huguenots
Huguenots are Protestants in France who faced extreme persecution for their beliefs. The origin of this name is unknown but there were about two million Huguenots by the 1560s. They wanted to reform the Church of France since the time of Protestant Reformation. This group kept a tradition of protestantism. As Huguenots started to become powerful and influential, they became more opposed to Roman Catholic Church.
Queen Catherine de’ Medici
She was the wife of French King Henry II (1519– 1559) and the mother and regent of three other kings—Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry III. She had great impact over her sons and is believed that she had the permission for the approval of the Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Day in 1572. She was in power for the major part of the time during the wars.
House of Valois
The House of Valois was the ruling family in France and a cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty. They were ruling family from 1328 to about 1589. The last phase of Valois in France was during these wars. Henry II died in 1559. His oldest son , Francis II, succeeded him and he was already King of Scotland. But his wife's relatives, the House of Guise, where able to over power him and throw him out as the king.
Spanish
Spain is a large nation sitting on the Iberian Peninsula. Spain is also a devout Catholic nation with lots of wealth and a strong military. Since they are very Catholic they have strong relations with the Pope and support Christian organizations and governments around Europe. They supported the royal family, who was Catholic, during the French wars of Religion and had a significant impact on the outcome of some of the war.
Outcome
Edict of Nantes grants major rights to Protestants in some areas
The Catholics and Protestant decided to stop fighting and called a truce.
Catholic-Protestant hostility continued
Damage to the Reformed tradition while Huguenots decline from 10% to 8% of the French population
House of Bourbon takes over the French throne through Henry IV
Catholic Church remains the main confession but monarchy is left extremely weakened
Powers of other countries are not able to weaken France and take power over the territories
Significance
These series of wars lasted for more than 3 decades. They were considered as the second most deadly religious wars that Europe had seen. The Catholics and Protestants fought for a long time until they decided that there was no point in still having wars. So no group actually won the war and they called a truce.
Primary souce
The Edict of Nantes was the peace treaty that ended the 36 years of on and off war. It was signed by both the Catholics and the Protestants in 1598. This lead to peace and the religious tolerance that many Protestants were fighting for.