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François Dubois 1529-1584 · Public domain
Conflict Europe

French Wars of Religion

1562 CE – 1598 CE · 36 years

Eight devastating civil wars between Catholics and Huguenots tore France apart for 36 years, killing 2–4 million people. The St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre of 1572 shocked Europe. Peace came only when Henry IV converted to Catholicism and issued the Edict of Nantes.

Wikipedia

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French Wars of Religion on Wikipedia.

Belligerents

The main peoples, kingdoms and states involved.

  • French Catholics (Guise faction & Crown)
  • Huguenots (French Protestants)

Key moments

Defining events in the French Wars of Religion.

  1. 1562 Massacre of Wassy
  2. 1562 Battle of Dreux
  3. 1572 St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre
  4. 1590 Battle of Ivry

Elsewhere in Europe at the time

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Image credits7 pictures from Wikimedia Commons