(Dr. Schärfe, 4th
Supplement, June 1984)
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The persons in France
who changed in the middle of the 16th century in finally very large number to
the Calvinist Protestantism and who had established immediately communities
denoted themselves as "Huguenots".
Very early also families of the high nobility, among other things the
house bourbon, joined them. After 2
years fighting they reached a strongly restricted toleration of their faith by
means of the friendly regent Katharina of Medici through the Edict of
Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1562).
The cruel break of this Edict by
the duke of Guise caused the Huguenots to fight against with changing success
during eight bloody, so-called “Huguenot Wars” (1562 -1598). They had reached 1576 finally almost the
same rights as the Catholic church.
The newly forming holy League supported
by the pope, however, caused 1585 the undecided king Henry III. to cancel again
all rights of the Huguenots in the Edict of Nemours, to forbid their religious
services and to request them to return to the Catholicism or to emigrate. His successor Heinrich IV., even former
Huguenot and only because of country reasons again converted, reorganized 1598
in the Edict of Nantes their position in the state and made them to equal
citizens, that were allowed to exercise also highest government velvets. Because of their high ethical and moral
claims, they performed often excellent work, antagonized however
unscrupulousness and cruelty.
Richelieu operating France to the
European great power was hindered by their influence thus provided that they
lost their political position. In the
Edict of Nîmes (1629) all special political rights were taken from them, their
security places were transformed into open cities, however their religious
freedom was conserved.
Louis XIV. further restricted
their freedom and rights and finally released 1685 the Edict of
Fontainebleau. This edict confirmed
especially the depressions practised since 1661 for example by Dragonades, i.e.
forced quartering of, by order badly depriving troops. It forbid the reformed type confession,
expelled reformed type clergymen of the country, threatened however the
emigration of layman with heavy punishments.
Nevertheless hundred thousands fled to Great Britain, into the
Netherlands and into the Calvinist territories of the empire.