Carol Rioux Kingwood High School, Kingwood, Texas

Edict of Fountainebleau – 1540 Edict of Chateaubriand

Death of a Dynasty The Demise of the Valois Henri II – an unfortunate death

Plays both sides in the civil wars Developed a reputation for cruelty A manipulative mother

Francis II & His Wife, Mary Stuart

The Catholics led by Guises The Huguenots led by the Bourbons and Montmorency-Chatillons vs

A failed attempt by the Bourbons and Chatillon to wrest power by abducting the young king, Francis II and arresting Francis, the Duke of Guise and his brother Charles, the cardinal of Lorraine. Rumors of the plot reached Charles ahead of time, due to poor planning. The army was easily defeated. In the following weeks, 1200 bodies hung on iron hooks on the façade of the Chateau d’Amboise and from nearby trees.

Who was attracted to Protestantism? Why?

In the first phase of the wars, Catherine sided with the Guise. After the death of Francis II, Catherine hoped that she could resolve differences between the two factions at a colloquy at Poissy. When the attempt failed she sought an allies among the Protestants by issuing the January Edict which granted Protestants the right to worship publicly outside of towns and to hold synods.

The first religious war was provoked by the Massacre at Vassy in The Duke of Guise, traveling to his estates, stopped in Vassy on a Sunday and decided to hear Mass. A few of his servants got into a scuffle with some Huguenots who were attending a service in a nearby building, and the whole thing escalated until the Guise faction had fired on the unarmed Huguenots, set the church on fire, and killed a number of the congregation.

Huguenot leadership passed to Admiral Gaspard d’Coligny. Better Military strategist Became Charles IX’s most trusted advisor Third Phase of War

Ended the third phase of the wars Granted Huguenots religious freedoms within their territories and the right to fortify their cities

On August 22, as Admiral de Coligny was returning from a visit with the king, an assassin fired at him wounding him severely, but not killing him outright. At a meeting on the night of August 23, the decision was made to kill Coligny. Attending the meeting was Charles IX, Catherine de' Medici, and Henri d'Anjou. Charles IX was reputedly badgered into this decision by Catherine and his councilors, and when he finally broke he is alleged to have said, "Well, then kill them all that no man be left to reproach me."

Classical Huguenot resistance theories appeared in three works: Franco-Gallia On the Right of the Magistrates Over their Subjects Defense of Liberty Against Tyrants

Granted almost complete religious and civil freedom to the Huguenots Henry III truncated peace October 1577 Catholic League vs. Protestant Union

France was left divided by religion Royal power had weakened Reign of Valois ended

A New Dynasty: The Bourbons

After 30 years of warfare, civil order was restored when Henry of Navarre became King Henry IV, first king of the Bourbon dynasty. As king, Henry Converted to Catholicism to please the majority. Issued the Edict of Nantes -- recognized Catholicism as the official religion of France, but also gave the Huguenots the right of worship and full political privileges Devoted his reign to rebuilding France and its prosperity (helped by the Duke of Sully). Laid the foundation for royal absolutism

Henry IV signing the Edict of Nantes

1610: Henry IV was stabbed to death by a religious fanatic. With his death the throne passed to the very young, Louis XIII.