The Wars of Religion (1560s-1648)

Europe is a country of wars. The Crusades were wars of religion, but nowhere in the Bible does it advocate for war

The Civil War in France (1562-1598)

• domestic war

• over 600,000 people died

The Valois Family: the beginning of the end

• Henri II was the last powerful Valois

• Three weak sons followed

  • Francis II (married to Mary Stuart)

  • Charles IX

  • Henri III

• Cathrine de Medici controlled the sons

  • was the mother to the boys

  • played both sides in the Civil War

  • developed a reputation for cruelty

French Civil War

• Two sides

  • Guise family led the Catholics in the North

  • Bourbon family led Hugenots in the South

  • fighting over royal inheritance

• Cathrine supported the Guises in the first phase

St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre

• August 24, 1572

• 20,000 Hugenots were killed

• Henri of Navarre, a Bourbon, survived

• Cathrine started supporting Bourbons

Catholic League → Civil War ← Protestant Union (Bourbons)

• Henri of Navarre defeated Catholic League and becomes Henri IV of France

Effects of the Civil War

• France was left divided by religion

• Royal power had weakened

• Valois family replaced by Bourbons

Henry IV of France

• Ended Spanish interference in France

• Converted to Catholicism

  • did this to compromise and make peace

  • Paris is worth a mass

  • this was an example of politique (the interest of the states comes first before any religious consideration)

  • fighting for royal inheritance

• Passed Edict of Nates in 1598

  • granted religious freedom to Hugenots

  • did not grant religious freedom for all