French Wars of Religion: 1562-1598

Review: Europe after the Reformation

N. Europe mainly Protestant (Scandinavia / England / N.

Germany / parts of France / Switzerland / Scotland)

Religious wars === 100 years!!! Spanish vs. Dutch French Civil Wars Thirty Years’ War English Civil War

Review: Warfare in 16th and 17th Centuries

Different type of warfare: Larger (often State financed and operated) armies Gunpowder & Siege 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 (Catholic vs. Protestant) Political (nobility vs. ruler; peasant vs. nobility Social (new monarchy vs. feudalism)

Henry II & Catherine de Medici

Henry II (1547-1559) – marries Catherine de’ Medici (1519-1589)

1559, Habsburg-Valois Wars end w/ Treaty of Cateau-Cambresis King Henry II accepts Habsburg rule in Italy

and Flanders Philip II (Spain) promises to leave ruling

Valois family (France) in peace Henry II now turns his focus on the

CALVINISTS in France ~40% of French nobles had converted to Calvinism

– WHY? Henry II accidentally killed (1559) in a

tournament

Civil War in France, 1559-1598

3 weak sons & Catherine de’ Medici (nominally Catholic – when it pays to be)

Francis II (r. 1559-1560) married to Mary, Queen of Scots! (related to strong, very Catholic, French nobility, the Guise family)

Charles IX (r. 1560-1574) Henry III (r. 1574-1598)

Monarchy weak and nobility is strong, so kings try to appease them by promoting religious toleration In northern/eastern France – the ultra-

Catholic Guise family (controls Francis II) From central France to southwest corner –

the Huguenot Bourbon family

Charles IX

Henry III

Francis II & Mary Queen of Scots

Civil War breaks out

1560, at the age of ten Charles IX becomes king of France – his mother is regent

Tensions btw. Guise & Bourbon families rages undermining the authority of the king

Huguenots take advantage of political chaos & become bolder in practicing their religion 1562 they seize the city of Lyon, force Calvinism on

the population and desecrate Catholic churches Francis, duke of Guise retaliates by executing

Huguenots found worshipping on his land in Toulouse = 3000 killed in fighting

1563 duke of Guise assassinated by Huguenot

Civil War Continues

1572 Catherine & Charles lend military support to Dutch against Spanish in attempts to weaken their rival

Admiral Coligny (Protestant nobleman, who 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 her daughter Margot to Huguenot Henry

Bourbon, King of Navarre, but peace is not achieved because…

St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre

Catherine with House of Guise attempts to assassinate Adm. Coligny -assassination fails so following her daughter’s wedding, August 24, 1572... St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre –

Catholics attack Protestants – at noon Massacre rages throughout France for 3-

6 days = 3000 dead in Paris; 10,000+ dead outside of city

St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre

War of the Three Henrys

Henry III (1574-1598) – during his reign: Huguenots rebuild their strength & consider Henry of

Navarre the rightful heir to the throne Henry Guise (w/aid of Philip II) plans to take the

throne 1587 Mary, Queen of Scots executed, Guise

family outraged that king Henry III could not stay execution

1588, Henry Guise storms & seizes Paris 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

Rise of Henry IV

So Henry of Navarre becomes Henry IV, the politique (puts state politics before religion) “Paris is worth a Mass” – converts

to gain the throne!!! EDICT OF NANTES 1598 –

limited tolerance of Huguenots = internal peace

Who is Henry of Navarre? What problem did he face as a

Huguenot on the French throne? What steps did he take to remedy this problem?

Absolutism

Loyal nobility awarded with high ranking political positions and pensions

Henry IV of Navarre is credited with one of the basic principles of absolutism.

Identify this principle and explain how it would help a ruler

better consolidate power around himself or his government.

National Treasury and Taxation

Continued to sell administrative jobs to middle-class lawyers – then made them loan him money Because their money was tied up with the plans

and future of the king, it was in their best interest to support the king.

Paulette tax = tax on all officials who purchased their political office

How did French kings prior to and including Henry IV

gain the loyalty of the French nobility?

How did his chief minister, the duke of Sully,

modify taxation in order to raise more money for the state?

Louis XIII

Louis XIII (1610-1643) Renewed religious wars

against Huguenots Peace of Ales, 1629

Reaffirms all aspects of Edict of Nantes, 1598 EXPECT for fortified towns