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THE RELIGIOUS WARS: The French Wars of Religion c. 1562-1589

THE RELIGIOUS WARS: The French Wars of Religion c. 1562-1589. Catholic and Huguenots. Despite the spread of Reformation ideas, France remained a largely Catholic nation. Of a total of 16 million (in the late 16 th century) 1.2 million embraced Calvinism.

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THE RELIGIOUS WARS: The French Wars of Religion c. 1562-1589

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  1. THE RELIGIOUS WARS:The French Wars of Religionc. 1562-1589

  2. Catholic and Huguenots • Despite the spread of Reformation ideas, France remained a largely Catholic nation. • Of a total of 16 million (in the late 16th century) 1.2 million embraced Calvinism. • A large portion of French nobility were Calvinists. • Conflict between the groups led to three decades of civil war on religious and political issues.

  3. Henry II (r. 1547-1559) • Son of King Francis I of the Valois line. • Henry married Catherine de Medici fourteen years old. • When his older brother Francis died in 1536 after a game of tennis, Henry became heir to the throne.

  4. Henry II (r. 1547-1559) • Henry was a large, powerful man; but a weak-willed king. • Even so, he persecuted Huguenots. • Henry II severely punished them, burning them alive or cutting out their tongues for speaking their Protestant beliefs. Even those suspected of being Huguenots could be imprisoned for life. • He was killed in a jousting tournament.

  5. Catherine de’ Medici • After Henry II’s death in a jousting match, Catherine used her position as Regent to influence her three sons who would serve as king. • Francis II (r. 1559-1560), Charles IX (r. 1560-1574) and Henry III (r. 1574-1589) ruled under the influence of Catherine, but could not stop the spreading Huguenot influence.

  6. St. Bartholemew's Day Massacre • Open warfare began between the Catholics lead by the Guise family and the Huguenots lead by the Bourbon family in 1562. • First eight years of fighting ended in 1570. • Catherine still feared Huguenot power and ordered their massacre on Aug. 24 1572.

  7. War of the Three Henrys (1585-89) • Following the massacre, Henry of Navarre (a Bourbon) emerged as Huguenots leader. • Henry III attempted to form a moderate Catholic faction as an alternative to the radical Guise faction. • Conflict erupted between Henry III, Henry of Navarre and Henry, Duke of Guise.

  8. War of the Three Henrys (1585-89) • Regarding him as a serious threat, Henry III had Henry of Guise assassinated in Dec. 1588. • Guise faction retaliated and had Henry III killed July 1589. • Henry of Navarre was the only one left with a legitimate claim to the throne. He became Henry IV in 1589.

  9. Henry IV (r. 1589-1610) • First Bourbon king of France. • Was a Huguenot, but converts to Catholicism. • Brings peace to the warring factions. • Issues the Edict of Nantes in 1598, granting limited toleration to the Huguenots.

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