Transcript Map Link: Religious Divisions in France during the Wars of Religion: art/figures/KISH291.jpg>

Map Link: Religious Divisions in France during the Wars of
Religion:
<http://wps.ablongman.com/wps/media/objects/262/268312/
art/figures/KISH291.jpg>
Sources of Tension in 16th c. France:
Relations of Valois kings with nobles and
towns
Discontented peasantry
Royal control of the church
Catholics vs. Calvinists (Huguenots)
Major players:
Valois kings (Catholic)
Noble families: Guise (Catholic),
Montmorency (Catholic),
Bourbon (Huguenot)
Catholics and Huguenots
1559 Death of Henry II of France (r. 1547-1559)
while jousting
Francis II (r. 1559-60)
Catherine de’ Medici (1519-89)
1560 Bourbon (Huguenot) conspiracy to kidnap
Francis II foiled. Francis dies and is
succeeded by Charles IX (r. 1560-74)
1562-72 Wars between Catholics and Huguenots
in France
24th Aug 1572 Scheduled date for peace
celebrations in France (St Bartholomew’s
Day)
Margaret of Valois
(Catholic)
Henry of Navarre
(Bourbon, Huguenot)
Gaspard de Coligny (Huguenot leader)
23rd Aug 1572 Charles IX orders extermination
of Huguenot leadership
24th Aug St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, led
by Henry of Guise
“Kill them, kill them all, it is the king’s
command!”
1574-89 Reign of Henry III as king of France
1576 Henry makes peace with Huguenots.
Catholic dévots (fanatics) form Catholic
League
politiques (moderates)
Michel de Montaigne (1533-92)
Essays
1584 Death of Duke of Anjou (heir to throne).
Henry of Navarre becomes heir. Leads to…
War of the Three Henries (1585-89):
King Henry III of Valois (Catholic, “King”)
Henry of Guise (Catholic, “Guise”)
Henry of Navarre (Bourbon, Huguenot
“Navarre”)
1585 King initially allies with Navarre and Duke
of Montmorency vs. Guise, but switches sides
Catherine de’ Medici and Guise overturn
edicts tolerating Huguenots
1587 Navarre defeats King’s forces at Courtras
May 1588 Guise marches on Paris. Parisians
drive King out, make Guise “King of Paris.”
King makes Cardinal de Bourbon his heir
22nd Dec 1588 King has Guise killed
King allies with Navarre vs. Catholic League
1st Apr 1589 King killed. Navarre becomes king
Henry IV (r. 1589-1610)
1589-94 Henry IV defeats enemies, takes
control of France
1593 Henry IV reconverts to Catholicism, but
retains Huguenot counsellor Duke de Sully
(1560-1641)
“Paris is well worth a Mass.”
Marie de’ Medici (1573-1642)
1595-98 Henry IV fights war with Spain
1598 Last forces of Catholic League capitulate.
Henry IV issues Edict of Nantes
Economic reform
“Henri le Grand” (Henry the Great)
14th May 1610 Henry IV killed by monk
François Ravaillac
Louis XIII (r. 1610-43)
1617 Louis exiles Marie de’ Medici
1622 Louis completes suppression of rebellions
1624 Louis appoints Armand Jean du Plessis de
Richelieu as first minister
Extending royal power:
32 généralités (districts)
Subduing Huguenots and others
Opposing Spain in Thirty Years’ War (1618-48)
Defeating opponents
Strengthening French Monarchy:
Enhanced prestige of monarch
Improving financial health of kingdom
Asserting position on European stage
Asserting military power
Laying foundation for absolute monarchy
Jacques-Auguste de Thou (Thuanus, 1553-1617)
French statesman, bibliophile, historiographer
Studied law, but became canon of Notre Dame.
Served as councillor of state, then (in 1595),
became president of Paris parlement
Jacques-Auguste de Thou (Thuanus, 1553-1617)
1598 Negotiated Edict of Nantes
Opposed Council of Trent, persecuted by
Catholic Church
Historia sui Temporis (History of His Own
Time), banned by Catholic Church