The War of Religions

What is The War of Religions?

The French Wars of Religion, or Huguenot Wars took place in the 16th century. These two names are names for a period of civil infighting, military operations and religious war mainly fought between Roman Catholics and Huguenots in the Kingdom of France.

Key Facts:

The different wars involved several premodern day territory around the borders of today's France, For example, the Kingdom of Navarre and parts of Burgundy, and sometimes beyond the French region, for instance, in the war with Spain, from 1595-1598, into northern Italy, some of the German states of the Holy Roman Empire and the Duchy of Burgundy possessions in the Low Countries.

Background of Battle: 

The conflict involved disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, mainly the Reformed House of Condé and the Roman Catholic House of Guise, and both sides received assistance from foreign sources. Protestant England and Scotland supported the Protestant side led by the Condés and the Navarrese faction, while Hapsburg Spain and the Duchy of Savoy supported the Roman Catholic side concentrated around the Guises. They tried to balance the situation and avoid an war between the two religious groups, generally introducing gradual concessions to Huguenots. Catherine de' Medici initially held that stance until she sided with Roman Catholics after the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre. Which caused a wave of violence in which Catholic mobs killed tens of thousands of Protestants throughout the entire kingdom.

Conclusion of Battle:

In conclusion of the conflict in 1598, Huguenots were granted substantial rights and freedoms by the Edict of Nantes, however, it did not end hostility towards them. The wars weakened the authority of the monarchy, already fragile under the rule of Francis II and then Charles IX, though it later recovered its role under Henry IV.

Interesting Facts:

• Approximately 3,000,000 people perished as a result of violence, famine and disease in what is accounted as the second deadliest European religious war.
• Behind the Thirty Years' War, it took 8,000,000 lives in present-day Germany.
• Their were eight different wars between 1562-1598

Personal Reflection:

In my opinion i honestly don't think its necessary to fight eight different wars for something that could've been solved in one war. 

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