Friday, November 2, 2007

Questions:

• What circumstances influenced the way the Protestant reform was able to develop in France, as opposed to Spain or England? What kind of control did the monarch have over religion, for example?
• Why did French Catholics and Calvinists hate each other so desperately?
• What was the position of the Queen mother, Catherine de Medici, in relation to the Protestant reform?
• What effect did factions in the nobility have on the French Wars of Religion?
• How did the conflicts find resolution?

Timeline for France, 1559--1610 (for reference purposes)

1559: Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis settles the division of Italy.  Philip II of Spain marries Elizabeth of Valois.  Death of Henry II of France, wounded in a jousting accident at the marriage celebration. 

1559--1560: Reign of Francis II of France, married to Mary Stuart, niece of the Duke of Guise.  March of 1560: Conspiracy of Amboise, Huguenot plot to kidnap the king, in order to free the country from Guise influence, and replace him with a member of the Boubon family.  Mary moves to Scotland upon her husband's death in December. 

1560--1574: Reign of Charles IX of France

January 1562: Catherine de Medici grants edict of toleration to Huguenots

March 1562: Duke Francis of Guise masterminds a massacre of Huguenots at Vassy, thus launching the first religious war.  Huguenots advance on Paris, are eventually repulsed and defeated.  Huguenot leader Henri of Condé and Duke Francis of Guise die in the conflict in 1563.   

March 1563: Peace of Amboise

Fall 1567: Hostilities resume, Huguenots attack Paris and are again pushed back. 

August 1568: Third civil war erupts. 

August 24, 1572: Peace of Saint Germain, marriage of Marguerite of Valois and Henry of Navarre.  St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre.  Admiral Coligny is murdered, along with two thousand Calvinists.  

1574--1589: Reign of Henry III of France. 

1584: Death of Francis, Duke of Alençon, last of the sons of Catherine de Medici. 

1589: January: Death of Catherine de Medici; August: Death of Henry III.

1589--1610: Reign of Henry IV of Navarre, king of France. 

April 13, 1598: Edict of Nantes puts an end to civil war. 

Laurel Carrington carringt@stolaf.edu
Most recent update: November 2, 2007

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