French Religious Wars of the 16 th Century: 1562-1598

1. French Religious Wars of the 16th Century: 1562-1598 Kagan, Chapter 12

3. Europe after the Reformation • N. Europe mainly Protestant • (Scandinavia / England / N. Germany / parts of France / Switzerland / Scotland) • Unity of Western Christianity shattered • Religious wars === 100 years!!! • Protestant Individualism: • encourages independence, science, capitalism, nationalism U2.5 #13 – Protestant Resistance Theory, pp.356

4. The 16th and 17th Centuries • Different type of warfare: • Larger (often State financed) armies • Gunpowder & cannon – kills at distance –indiscriminately • not as “noble” as one-on-one combat • Expensive – so kings must find ways to finance war = increased taxation usually of the lower class • Numerous problems: • Religious, Political, Social (Monarchy vs. Feudalism)

5. Religious Wars: FranceHabsburg-Valois Wars, 1521-1559 • Francis I (1515-1547), House of Valois – fighting Charles V, House of Habsburg, King of Spain • Concordat of Bologna (1516)– nationalized French Church (Gallican Church) – king has right to appoint bishops & abbots • Humanist – patron of Leonardo da Vinci – how the Mona Lisa gets to Paris! • rebuilds the Louvre (1528) as luxury palace

6. le Louvre

7. Persecution of Huguenots for political reasons begins (threat to authority) See U2.5 #4-5 Battle of Pavia, 1525 = French Protestants persecuted in the hopes the Charles V will release Francis I sooner Oct. 18, 1534 mass arrests of Protestants Edicts of Fontainebleau (1540) & Chateaubriand (1551) Francis I (1515-1547) con’t.

8. Huguenots in South Carolina

9. Background Check • On your whiteboard. Indicate with a few words as possible and as quickly as you can what each of these “groups” in 16th century France wanted: • Henry II (vs. Philip II, Spain) • Catherine de’ Medici • Aristocratic families: Guise, Montmorency, Bourbon

10. Henry II &Catherine de Medici • Henry II (1547-1559) – marries Catherine de’ Medici (1519-1589) • Charles V abdicates (1556) and his kingdom splits: Spain to Philip / HRE to Ferdinand • Philip also has Naples, Milan, Sicily +America!= POWER • 1559, Habsburg-Valois War end w/ Treaty of Cateau-Cambresis • Henry II accepts Habsburg rule in Italy and Flanders • Philip II promises to leave ruling Valois family in peace (Does he stick to his promise?) • Meanwhile back in France… • Con’t. persecution of Huguenots for religious reasons – ~40% of French nobles had converted to Calvinism • Henry II accidentally killed in a jousting tournament (1559) Focus the fight against Calvinism !

11. Powerful French Noble Families • Monarchy weak so kings try to appease by promoting religious freedom (U2.5 #7) • In eastern France – the Catholic Guise family (controls Francis II) – Francis, Charles and Louis Guise • Who are their allies? • In center of France - the pro-Protestant Montmorency-Chatillon family – Gaspard de Coligny (advisor to Charles IX) • From central France to south & west– the Huguenot Bourbon family - Louis I, prince of Condé

13. Henry III • (r. 1574-1598) • Francis II • (r. 1559-1560) + Mary, Queen of Scots! (also related to Guise family) Charles IX (r. 1560-1574) • U2.5#6 & 9

14. Civil War breaks out • 1560, at the age of ten Charles IX becomes king of France – his mother is regent (U2.5 #10) • Tensions btw. Guise, Montmorency and Bourbon families rages undermining the authority of the king • Guise family, devoutly Catholic, gains backing of Spain & Jesuits • Huguenots take advantage of political chaos & become bolder in practicing their religion • 1562 they seized the city of Lyon, forced Calvinism on the population and desecrated Catholic churches • Francis, duke of Guise retaliates by executing Huguenots found worshipping on his land (Toulouse) = 3000 killed in fighting (1563 duke of Guise assassinated by Huguenot) U2.5 #11

15. Civil War Continues • 1572 Catherine & Charles lend military support to Dutch against Spanish in attempts to weaken their rival • Guise family sees this Protestant attempt to control the throne • Admiral Gaspard de Coligny (member of House of Montmorency who had converted to Protestantism & is blamed for murder of duke of Guise) gains influence over Charles IX • Catherine’s dilemma = how to maintain power and quell Protestant/Catholic infighting • Marries daughter Margot to Huguenot Henry Bourbon, King of Navarre, but peace is not achieved because…

16. St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre (U2.5 #12)

17. St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre • Catherine with House of Guise attempts to assassinate Adm. Coligny -assassination fails, SO six days after her daughter’s wedding, August 24, 1572... • St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre – Catholics attack Protestants • Massacre rages throughout France for 3-6 days = 3000 dead in Paris; ~20,000 dead outside of city • Henry of Navarrereturns to Navarre to plan new strategy • Henry, Duke of Guiseforms Catholic League swearing to drive out all heresy (and hopefully become king himself)

18. Civil War continues • Henry III (1574-1598) – during his reign:(U2.5 #14) • Huguenots rebuild their strength & consider Henry of Navarre the rightful heir to the throne (U2.5 #17) • Henry, duke of Guise (w/aid of Philip II) plans to take the throne • Peace of Beaulieu, May 1576 (U2.5 #15 &16) • Henry Guise storms & seizes Paris = becoming Chief Minister • 1587 Mary, Queen of Scots executed, Guise family outraged that King Henry III could not stay execution • Day of Barricades, 1588 (U2.5 #18)

19. Warof the Three Henrys: • Henry III has Henry Guise assassinated(1588) & joins with Henry of Navarre against the Catholic League to retake Paris • 1589 Henry III assassinated for his alliance w/ a Protestant • So Henry of Navarre becomes King HenryIV, the politique

20. King Henry IV, the politique • 1593 “Paris is worth a Mass” – converts to gain the throne!!! • 1595 declares war on Spain – his popularity grows • 1598 Spain signs Treaty of Vervins – economic drain on both countries is too great • EDICT OF NANTES 1598 – (U2.5#19) • 1610 assassinated BUT his legacy? See pg. 358