Author Bio: Henry IV was born on December 13, 1553, and took to the throne in 1589; he died in 1610. As a man wearied by war and religious struggles, he believed that political stability could be achieved only through religious toleration. The Edict of Nantes gave Huguenots (French Protestants) partial religious freedom within France, which was officially Catholic. Although he converted to Catholicism in order to bring peace to France and ascend the throne, he was formerly Protestant. This no doubt affected his sympathies toward the Protestants and possibly gave them more freedoms than would have been enjoyed under a different king. He was not inclined to give rights to other groups such as Calvinists and Lutherans.
Speaker: See above.
Date/Context: The edict was passed in 1598. In the past century, Erasmus and Luther had been at work in northern Europe, inciting the flames of rebellion that would spark several religious conflicts in countries like Switzerland, England, and Germany. In 1572, the Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre takes place, in which 3,000 Huguenots in Paris and 20,000 in the rest of France were murdered. The destruction of Spanish Armada by the English navy occurred in 1588. Clearly, these events point to religious turmoil; as stated in the previous section, Henry IV was worried that such violence would engulf all of Europe and so decided to pass the edict in order to hopefully quell this religious fervor. After the Edict of Nantes, a sort of cold war ensued, followed later by the Thirty Years War from 1614 to 1648, quite possibly the worst catastrophe Europe had encountered since the Black Death.
Summary: The document opens by Henry IV stating that Catholics should continue to peacefully practice their religion. Then, he goes on to say that those who practice "Reformed Religion" (Protestantism) are permitted to live in his "Realm" (France), so long as they follow the rules. He states that they are permitted to practice their faith in all the towns/districts of his region which were pre-approved in 1596 and 1597. He states that the practice of Protestantism is banned in all places save those mentioned in the previous paragraph. Such banned areas include the "court and suite," French controlled areas beyond the mountains, Paris, and those within "five leagues thereof."
Key Quotations: "And to leave no occasion for trouble or difference among our subjects: We permit those of the so-called Reformed Religion to live and abide in all the towns and districts of this our Realm . . . free from inquisition, molestation or compulsion to do anything in the way of Religion, against their conscience . . . provided that they observe the provisions of this Edict . . ."
Great job with this Jake. You gave great background on both Henry VI and the time period when the Edict was issued. You specifically mention not only Henry's personal religious struggles but also Saint Bartholomew's Day of Massacre to show the oppression of Huguenots at the time. In regards to the edict itself, you do a wonderful job of describing the document in an easy manner by describing the defining characteristics. First, the ability to practice their religion. Then, the rules about practice that Henry puts in place to keep control and peace. Finally, the areas where protestantism is and is not allowed to be practiced. The quote you included accurately summarizes the main ideas of the document, with the freedom of religion but also the restrictions of the edict. Overall, fantastic job, Jake!
ReplyDeleteWe also need to consider the weaknesses of the Edict of Nantes. Most notably, this document only offers some protections to Huguenots in defined areas and does not recognize Lutherans or Baptists or any other protestant religions.
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