Section 3.15

The Disintegration and Reconstruction of France

Political and Religious Disunity• France

and Germany collapsed as a result of religious turmoil

Political and Religious Disunity• France and

Germany collapsed as a result of religious turmoil

• Religious wars in France were political and religiously based

Political and Religious Disunity• France and

Germany collapsed as a result of religious turmoil

• Religious wars in France were political and religiously based

• New form of feudal rebellion against a higher central authority

What divided France?• Feudal

Rights and Religious Diversity

• Centralism vs. Localism

• Religious Diversity– Catholicism official state religion (Concordat of

Bologna (1516)– Calvinism attracted nobles (Huguenots)

• Over 33% nobility became Calvinist• laws allowed lords to regulate religion in their

estates –gave them opportunity to appoint Calvinistic

preachers– Towns leaned toward Protestantism (bourgeois

oligarchy)– Unskilled laboring population remained Catholic

What divided France?

What divided France?• Feudal Rights and Religious

Diversity• Centralism vs. Localism

– New Monarchies tried to centralize administration

– Challenges to the centralization came from• over 300 different legal

systems in 300 small regions

• bonnes villes (good towns) stubbornly held onto their corporate rights

Civil and Religious Wars 1560-1600 • Huguenots saw opportunity to

gain power over weak monarchs (Francis II (d. 1560), Charles IX (d. 1574), and Henry III (d. 1589)

• Catherine de Medici –regent ruler

– Perpetrated the The St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre

– against the Huguenots in Paris for Navarre’s wedding

– 20 thousand murdered

Civil and Religious Wars 1560-1600 • Huguenots saw opportunity to

gain power over weak monarchs (Francis II (d. 1560), Charles IX (d. 1574), and Henry III (d. 1589)

• Catherine de Medici –regent ruler

– Perpetrated the The St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre

– against the Huguenots in Paris for Navarre’s wedding

– 20 thousand murdered

• Out of chaos rose third party called the Politiques

– said that too much was being made of religion

– What was needed was civil order

– Had a secular rather than a religious view

– King should overlook religious ideas if citizens obey the king

The Politiques

Henry Bourbon of NavarreA PolitiquePragmatist and would use the Politique idea to gain the throneJean Bodin

first to discuss the modern theory of sovereigntyevery society must have one power strong enough to give lawin France = absolutismSovereignty of the state emerges as the political model in the west to the present

• A Politique• Pragmatist and would use the

Politique idea to gain the throne

• Jean Bodin – first to discuss the modern

theory of sovereignty– every society must have one

power strong enough to give law

– in France = absolutism– Sovereignty of the state

emerges as the political model in the west to the present

Henry Bourbon of Navarre

End of the Wars: Reconstruction under Henry IV

– 1589 Henry III of France and Henry of Guise are assassinated

• next legal inheritor is Henry Bourbon (of Navarre) (Henry IV)

End of the Wars: Reconstruction under Henry IV

– 1589 Henry III of France and Henry of Guise are assassinated

• next legal inheritor is Henry Bourbon (of Navarre) (Henry IV)

• Henry of Navarre brings the Bourbon dynasty to the throne

– a Huguenot but recognized that Catholicism was the faith of the majority

– Converts to Catholicism in 1593

» “Paris is well worth a mass.”

End of the Wars: Reconstruction under Henry IV

• Henry of Navarre brings the Bourbon dynasty to the throne

– a Huguenot but recognized that Catholicism was the faith of the majority

– Converts to Catholicism in 1593

» “Paris is well worth a mass.”

• Issued the Edict of Nantes to quiet the Huguenots–Protestants’ civil rights were protected–Gave Protestants the rights to defend

themselves and maintain private armies (had 100 fortified towns)

–Parlements refused to recognize the Edict

–Silenced them by granting favors to Jesuits

End of the Wars: Reconstruction under Henry IV

• Henry IV began rebuilding France:

• “A chicken in the pot for every Frenchmen”

• repaired roads, began rebuilding of business, ect.

»Never summoned the estates general

»Laid the foundations for absolutism

»1610: Henry IV was killed by Catholic fanatic

End of the Wars: Reconstruction under Henry IV

Cardinal Richelieu

• Governments of Marie de Medici and her son Louis XIII administered by Cardinal Richelieu

• Cardinal but really a politique

Cardinal Richelieu• Governments of Marie de

Medici and her son Louis XIII administered by Cardinal Richelieu

• Cardinal but really a politique• Advanced mercantilism• Encouraged nobility to

develop interests in commerce without loss of title or status

• Encouraged merchants with grants of titles of nobility

• Developed “commercial companies”

Peace of Alais• Prohibits private warfare

and orders the destruction of fortified castles not used by the king

• Peace of Alais amends the Edict of Nantes after Protestant uprising is put down

Cardinal Richelieu at the Siege of La Rochelle.

Peace of Alais• Prohibits private warfare and

orders the destruction of fortified castles not used by the king

• Peace of Alais amends the Edict of Nantes after Protestant uprising is put down

• Huguenots can not share political power, can not keep private armies

• Huguenots can practice Protestantism

• Path toward absolutism is being widened