Lecture 8 (11-30-17) French Wars of Religion

Note

Page 1

  • French Monarchy from Capet to Valois

    • Capet to Valois Dynasty

      • Hugh Capet (987-996)

      • Robert of Artes (996-1031)

      • Henry I (1031-1060)

      • Louis VI (1108-1137)

      • Philip II Augustus (1180-1223)

      • Louis IX (1226-1270)

      • Philip III (1270-1285)

      • Charles IV (1322-1326)

      • Charles VI (1380-1422)

    • Key Figures

      • Adela, Constance, Anna, Richard, Baldwin, Bertha, Bertrada, Adelaide, Cecile, Eleanor, Alice, Raymond, Margaret, Agnes, Elizabeth, Blanche, Isabella, Joan, Catherine

    • Marriages and Alliances

      • Bohemond of Antioch, Robert of Champagne, Henry of Blois, Agass of Hainsult, Blanca of Castile, Margaret of Provence, Edward I of England, Flower of Bohemia, Edward II of England, Isabelle of Bavaria

Page 2

  • French Monarchy Continued

    • Key Figures

      • Louis X, Clemence, Jeanne, Isabelle, Edward II, Charles IV, John I, Margaret, Blanche, Edward III, Louis II, Bona, Henry IV, Isabelle of Bavaria, Catherine, Charles VII

    • Marriages and Alliances

      • Edward I of England, Louis II of Navarre, Philip of Burgundy, Louis II of Anjou, John II of France, Jenne of Bourbon, Henry VI of England

This note provides a detailed overview of the French Monarchy from the Capet to Valois Dynasty, highlighting key figures, their reigns, and significant marriages and alliances that shaped the course of French history during this period.

Page 3

  • Royal Lineage

    • Marie Louis Louis Joan Joan Philip of Valois Blanche, princess

      • Reign: 1326-1333

    • John II, the Good

      • Reign: 1350

    • Charles II, king of Flanders

      • Reign: 1342-1404

    • Charles VI, the Mad

      • Reign: 1366-1408

    • Henry VI of Lancaster

      • Crowned King of France in 1431 under Henry VII

    • Marie of Anjou

      • Secured throne with help of Joan of Arc

    • Louis XI

      • Reign: 1451

    • Louis XII

      • Reign: 1498-1515

  • Succession and Descendants

    • Descendants of Isabelle of Hainault and Richard II would lead to Henry VI of Lancaster

    • Charles VII succeeded by Marie of Anjou

    • Louis XI succeeded by Charlotte of Savoy

    • Louis XII succeeded by Francis I

    • Francis II succeeded by Mary Stuart

    • Henry IV of Bourbon succeeded by Marquerite of Valois

Page 4

  • Royal Lineage Continued

    • John of Valois, count of Angouleme

    • Charles of Valois, count of Angouleme

    • Francis I

    • Charles IX

    • Henry IV of Bourbon

    • Mary of Medici

  • Marriages and Titles

    • Louise of Savoy married Charles of Valois

    • Claudia of Valois married Philip II of Spain

    • Isabelle of Habsburg married Charles IX

    • Mary Stuart married Francis II

    • Henry IV of Bourbon married Catherine of Medici

  • Other Royal Figures

    • James V Stuart, king of Scotland

    • Manoel, duke of Savoy

    • Joan III d'Albret, queen of Navarre

    • Antoine of Bourbon, duke of Vendome

    • Henry II d'Albret, king of Navarre

  • End of Royal Lineage

    • Marquerite of Valois, duchess of Etampes

    • Mary of Medici, princess of Tuscany

Page 5

  • Kings of France family tree: 4th Dynasty - Bourbon (1589-1793)

    • Henry IV starts the Bourbon line after the death of his brothers-in-law.

    • Marguerite cannot inherit the throne due to Salic Law.

    • Henry IV's claim to the throne is due to his priority in the House of Bourbon descent.

  • Marriages and Descendants

    • Henry IV of Bourbon married Marguerite of Valois.

    • Louis XIII married Anne of Austria.

    • Louis XIV married Marie-Therese of Habsburg.

    • Louis XV married Maria Leszczynska.

    • Louis XVI married Marie Antoinette.

  • Secret Marriage

    • The marriage to Madame Françoise d'Aubignè of Maintenon is kept secret.

Page 6

  • Charles VII (1422-1461)

    • Won the 100 Years War with Joan of Arc's help.

    • Instituted the Companies d'ordonnance in 1445, a permanent standing army.

    • Introduced the taille and gabelle taxes.

    • Established a standing army to protect the king and fight foreign wars.

    • Contributed to transforming the Middle Ages.

  • Louis XI (1461-1483)

    • Focused on rebuilding France after the 100 Years War.

    • Domestic policy aimed to reestablish royal authority over the nobles.

    • Louis XI selected advisors from the upper middle class.

Page 7

  • Louis XI's reign:

    • Met the Estates General once in 1468

    • Levied tax by decrees and organized an efficient bureaucracy

    • Increased royal power and revenue through royal control over the judicial branch

  • Foreign affairs of Louis XI:

    • Known as the "Spider King" for creating an effective army to suppress noble revolts

    • Acquired territories like Burgundy, Picardy, Anjou, Maine, and Provence

  • Successors of Louis XI:

    • Charles VIII invaded Italy, starting the Habsburg-Valois Wars

    • Louis XII invaded and annexed Brittany

    • Francis I continued the centralization of France

Page 8

  • Centralization of France in the 1st half of the 16th century:

    • Francis I exercised sovereign authority through royal officials and a mercenary army

    • Estates General did not meet between 1484-1560

    • Levied taxes like taille and gabelle mostly on peasants

    • King controlled the church through the Concordat of Bologna

  • Limits to royal power:

    • Parlements acted as local noble courts reviewing the king's laws

    • Brittany and Burgundy enjoyed special privileges

    • Nobles were tax-exempt and had control over local administration

Page 9

  • France in the 1530s:

    • Calvinists opposed the sacrament of the mass

    • Calvinism attracted nobles seeking independence from royal authority

  • French Wars of Religion:

    • Three rival aristocratic factions vied for power

    • Henry II's reign marked by conflicts with nobles and religious tensions

  • Reign of weak male rulers:

    • Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry III were feeble and dominated by their mother

    • Nobles turned to Calvinism to resist royal authority

Page 10

  • Weak rulers and religious tensions:

    • Nobles sought to weaken royal power like in the Holy Roman Empire

    • Trigger of the French Wars of Religion was the massacre on St. Bartholomew's Day

  • War of the Three Henries:

    • Conflict between Guise, Valois, and Navarre factions

    • Henry III allied with Huguenots against the Catholic League

Page 11

  • Events of the War of the Three Henries:

    • Henry III's alliance with Henry of Navarre led to conflict with Paris

    • Henry III assassinated, leaving Henry of Navarre as the heir

  • Rise of Henry IV:

    • Henry IV faced opposition from Philip II and converted to Catholicism for the throne

    • Passed the Peace of Nantes in 1598 for religious toleration

Page 12-15

  • Implications of the French Wars of Religion:

    • Catholic victory with France remaining Catholic under a strong monarchy

    • Edict of Nantes granted religious toleration to Huguenots in certain areas

  • Political lesson learned:

    • Stability in France required