"Un foi, un loi, un roi," (one faith, one law, one king). This traditional phrase gives some.
indication of the sixteenth century mindset of France on the subject of the state, society,.
and religion. The religious wars of France, that began with overt hostilities in 1562 and.
lasted until the Edict of Nantes in 1598, carried several basic parallels to the Dutch Wars.
of 1566 to 1587. In both conflicts, the abrasive relations occurred between the Catholic.
and Protestant factions. However it was more than a question of superior religion. They.
were both power struggles, driven by devout, ambitious nobles. Not only were these.
nobles seeking victory for their religion, and power for their families, but many were also.
seeking singularity of religion for their country.
In 1556, Charles V abdicated the throne dividing his territories between his brother.
and Phillip II, his son. To Phillip II, Charles V left Spain, the Low Countries, Milan and.
the Kingdom of Sicily. Phillip did not speak Flemish and was a staunch Catholic,.
immediately alienating the Protestants of the Netherlands. His intentions to break the.
autonomy did not help matters. Many citizens chose to immigrate to the city of Emden.
rather than renounce their beliefs. This royal animosity towards an opposed religion was.
repeated in France when the House of Guise, a very Catholic family, took over the French.
monarchy by marrying Mary, Queen of Scots to the young king, Francois II. This.
immediately resulted in tensions between the royal house and the powerful Protestant.
Bourbons. These tensions reached a peak at the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre, where.
Catherine de"Medici led the Massacre of the Huguenot gentry attending Henry Navarre's.
wedding in Paris. This occurred due to Catherine's concern that through marring into.
Royalty, the Huguenots were gaining too much power despite the fact that it was she who.
had originally arranged the marriage.
