French Wars of Religion One morning at the gates of the Louvre, 19th-century painting by Édouard Debat-Ponsan

A New Kind of Warfare In 1559, France and Spain signed Treaty of Cateau-Cambresis, ending the long Habsburg-Valois wars, and Spain dominant in Italy. Ended dynastic warfare and began age of religious and political warfare. Warfare in 16th-17th C. differed from medieval warfare Armies were larger and more expensive Gunpowder weakened the notion that war was ennobling People unaware that medieval idea of pan-European society was dead (one emperor, one pope)

Origins of Difficulties in France (1515-59) Depopulation caused by Hundred Years’ War and plague meant the end of serfdom in France (due to labor shortages) Inflation sapped noble income from land To pay for Habsburg-Valois wars, King Francis I sold govt. offices, creating tax-exempt “nobility of the robe” Concordat of Bologna w/Pope (1516), Francis gained power to appoint bishops, abbots in France, a source of offices for patronage appointments. Protestantism continued to make rapid gains in the 16th C., especially Huguenots. Francis I

Calvinists = 1/10th of population by the time of Henry II’s death in 1559

Riots and Civil War (1559-98) French monarchs in second half of 16th C were weak. (Sons of Henry II) Half of the French nobility was Calvinist as a way of demonstrating independence from central power. Commoner Catholics and Calvinists fought horrific violence against one another.

Catherine de’ Medici (wife of Henry II who was heir to Francis I) Queen of France

The last of the Valois Dynasty Catherine’s Sons Francis II Charles IX Henry III The last of the Valois Dynasty

Marriage to Reconcile Catholic royalist lords and Calvinist antimonarchical lords met in armed clashes throughout France. Often incited by preachers or triggered by religious ceremonies. Marriage of Catherine’s daughter, Margaret of Valois, to the Protestant Henry of Navarre was meant to reconcile differences.

St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, 1572 20,000 Protestant “Huguenots” Killed

Henry IV After 15 years of Civil War, Henry, the Protestant King of Navarre, defeats the Catholic League. Henry IV, as Hercules vanquishing the Lernaean Hydra (i.e. the Catholic League), by Toussaint Dubreuil, circa 1600

Worth a Mass Some rights reserved by Larry Johnson

Politi-Q

Politics Over Religion Politique Politics Over Religion Henry IV

Politics Over Religion Politique Politics Over Religion Cardinal Richelieu

The Edict of Nantes (1598)

RELIGIOUS TOLERATION (Within Limits)

The Edict of Nantes (1598) Granted religious rights to Huguenots including: Freedom of public worship Right of assembly Admission to public offices and universities Permission to maintain fortified towns

Bourbon monarchs would rule France until the French Revolution. House of Bourbon Bourbon monarchs would rule France until the French Revolution. Art Credit: Sodacan

KEY POINTS HUGUENOTS (French Calvinists) Catherine de Medici Queen of France (Catholic) St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre 20,000 Protestants Killed Henry IV (of Navarre (Protestant) Politique (“Paris is worth a mass.”) Edict of Nantes House of BOURBON Succeeded Valois Dynasty Art Credit: Sodacan

The Netherlands under Charles V Late 16th C. international politics centered on the Netherlands. Emperor Charles V inherited the seventeen provinces that make up present day Belgium and Holland. The Netherlands was a center of commercial activity. As elsewhere, corruption in the Roman church led to calls for reform. Calvinism’s intellectual seriousness, moral gravity, and emphasis on any form of labor well done appealed to urban merchants, financiers, and artisans. It also tended to encourage opposition to political authorities that were judged to be ungodly. In 1556 Charles V divided his realm between his brother Ferdinand and his son Philip.

The Revolt of the Netherlands (1566-1587) By 1560s Calvinism had made rapid progress among wealthy Netherland merchants. Phillip II of Spain appointed his half-sister Margaret regent of the Netherlands in 1559. She brought the Inquisition into area to crush Protestantism, and raised taxes. Aug. 1566, Calvinists rioted, destroying churches and libraries. Philip sent troops to crush the rebellion and civil war raged for 10 years between 1568-78. Eventually 10 southern provinces, the Spanish Netherlands (future Belgium), came under the control of the Spanish Habsburg forces. Seven northern provinces, led by Holland, formed the Union of Utrecht and in 1581 declared their independence from Spain North was protestant and the south remained Catholic Spain invaded again in 1581, and England aided the Protestant govt. there. (Spanish Armada 1588) Hostilities continued until 1609 when Spain recognized the independence of the United Provinces