Kelly C. Nolan History 356 Dr. Jeffrey R. Watt September 17, !

The St. Bartholomews Day Massacre "#e 16t#$ %ent&ry 'as a time of (reat &p#ea)al as t#e stran(le#ol* of t#e Cat#oli% C#&r%# on +&rope,s politi%al an* reli(io&s base 'as bein( %#allen(e* by t#e (ro't# of -artin .&t#er,s /rotestant mo)ement. 0n 1"#e Saint 2art#olome'3s Day -assa%re4 5 2rief History 'it# Do%&ments6, 2arbara 2. Diefen*orf pro)i*es )ario&s perspe%ti)es of t#e /rotestant mo)ement on t#e reli(io&s an* politi%al lan*s%ape in 7ran%e. 5&t#ore* by Cat#oli% an* /rotestants, t#e *o%&ments o&tline t#e %a&ses of t#e massa%re t#ro&(# %onfli%tin( attit&*es, t#e reasons people parti%ipate* an* t#e #o' ea%# si*e %onstr&e* t#e e)ents 8Diefen*orf, 39:. Cat#oli%ism 'as t#e reli(io&s mainstay of +&rope an* t#e C#&r%# 'as not intereste* in ot#er beliefs %#allen(in( t#em for 'ors#ippers or politi%al po'er 8Diefen*orf, ;:. D&rin( t#is era, reli(ion 'as t#e most important part of a person,s life as it (a)e t#em meanin(. Ho'e)er, t#e /rotestant mo)ement 'as for%in( %#an(e not only in reli(ion, b&t politi%ally an* so%ially. "#e Cat#oli% C#&r%# ta&(#t 'ors#ipers t#at priests an* C#&r%# staff 'ere t#e only people '#o %o&l* rea* an* interpret <o*,s 'or*s. "#e C#&r%# also &se* 1in*&l(en%es6 t#at inferre* t#at anyone payin( t#is fee 'o&l* be better off in <o*,s eyes. "#e rise of t#e /rotestant mo)ement le* to intoleran%e as t#ose '#o spo=e of *ifferent beliefs or 'ante* to lea)e t#e Cat#oli% C#&r%# 'ere trie* as 1#ereti%s6 8Diefen*orf, ;:. "#e /rotestant 8H&(&enots: mo)ement in 7ran%e 'as

sta&n%#ly a(ainst Cat#oli%ism as t#ey follo'e* t#e reli(io&s tea%#in(s of Jo#n Cal)in. Cal)in 'as a %on)ert to t#is ne' reli(ion an* base* #is t#eolo(y in .&t#er,s Reformation. Cal)in p&s#e* t#e H&(&enots to belie)e t#at <o*s messa(e 'as 1re)eale* *ire%tly in s%ript&re6 to ea%# person an* t#ey nee*e* to 'ors#ip 'it# fello' /rotestants 8Diefen*orf, 6:. "#ese *ifferent reli(io&s attit&*es lea* to t#e n&mero&s )iolent Reli(io&s Wars in 7ran%e bet'een 156 an* 15>; 8Diefen*orf, 19:. Cat#oli%s 'or=e* tirelessly to %r&s# t#e H&(&enots attempts to pra%ti%e t#eir reli(ion an* often sai* t#ey 'ere *oin( it to prote%t t#e monar%#y 8Diefen*orf, ;:. 0n t#e *o%&ments 'ritten by 5rt&s Desire an* Cla&*e Haton, t#ey a%%&se t#e H&(&enots of ta=in( 1%arnal liberty6 an* bein( 1se?&al libertines6 8Diefen*orf, 96 an* 9>:. "#ese 'ritin(s 'ere attempts to s'ay p&bli% sentiment t#at t#e H&(&enots s&pporte* se?&al free*om an* *e)ian%y '#i%# 'ere sins in Cat#oli%ism. Heresy trials 'ere &se* to try an* #alt t#e /rotestant mo)ement as t#e C#&r%# %ite* t#ese ne' beliefs as atta%=in( <o* by allo'in( Satan to 1assa&lt6 t#em 8Diefen*orf, 9;:. 0n t#e *ra'in( by Jean /errissin an* Ja%@&es "ortorel, it *epi%ts t#e b&rnin( of 5nne D& 2o&r( '#o spo=e in front of 1/arlement6 *efen*in( t#e .&t#eran beliefs 8Diefen*orf, 6!:. 5fter t#e Kin( #ear* abo&t #is %omments, #e %alle* for #im to be p&t to *eat# imme*iately. 0n a**ition, 5rt&s Desire note* /rotestant beliefs 'ere atta%=in( <o* by simply #a)in( t#eir o'n i*eas abo&t '#at #is 'or*s meant 8Diefen*orf, 96:. Desire,s *ra'in( s&pports #is i*ea t#at Cat#oli%s nee*e* to %ome to its *efense an* #elp ri* t#e %ities of t#ose 1miserable people6 8Diefen*orf, 96:. 5t e)ery opport&nity, t#e C#&r%# trie* to %r&s# t#e H&(&enots an* &se* e)ery pat# a)ailable to s#o' t#e p&bli% t#at <o* 'as on t#eir si*e an* e)ent&ally p&nis# non$belie)ers. Wit# reli(io&s intoleran%e (ro'in( it 'as only a matter of time before )iolent %onfli%t bet'een t#e si*es be(an. Ho'e)er, t#e e)ents *es%ribe* in many of t#e *o%&ments are s=e'e*

by t#ose in)ol)e* as t#ey retell t#e story from t#eir point of )ie'. 7or e?ample, in t#e battle at Saint$-e*ar* 8156 : a Cat#oli% priest name* Cla&*e *e Sain%tes, *es%ribe* t#e (at#erin( of Cat#oli%s at 'ors#ip one *ay 8Diefen*orf, 66:. He sai* Cat#oli%s 'ere A&st rin(in( %#&r%# bells '#en t#e H&(&enots be%ame an(ry at #o' lo&* t#ey 'ere. He 'rote t#at t#e H&(&enots bro=e into t#e %#&r%# for no reason an* be(an =illin( Cat#oli% 'ors#ippers A&st be%a&se of t#e lo&* bells. "#e ot#er si*e of t#e story 'as tol* by an &n=no'n /rotestant a&t#or. 0n it, #e sai* it 'as t#e Cat#oli%s '#o 'ere tryin( to *isr&pt t#eir ser)i%es an* t#ey A&st respon*e* be%a&se t#ey 'ante* respe%t for t#eir ri(#t to 'ors#ip 8Diefen*orf, 67:. "#e a&t#or 'rote t#at t#e Cat#oli%s &se* 1*eliberate mali%e6 in rin(in( t#e bells to *isr&pt t#e H&(&enots ser)i%e so t#ey 'ent to t#e Cat#oli% C#&r%# simply to @&iet t#em 8Diefen*orf, 6;:. He also note* t#ey resorte* to )iolen%e only after t#ey fo&n* one of t#eir members #a* been #el* in t#e Cat#oli% %#&r%# an* #a* been 1o&tra(eo&sly beaten an* =ille*6 8Diefen*orf, 6>:. W#ile it,s #ar* to tell '#i%# story is t#e tr&t#, it is ob)io&s ea%# si*e 'ante* to p&s# t#eir position to ens&re t#ey (ot p&bli% sympat#y. 5 loo= at t#e &n*erlyin( reasons ea%# si*e too= part in t#e )iolen%e 'as not a s&rprise base* on t#e #istori%al a%%o&nts. Cat#oli%s 'ere in)ol)e* to prote%t t#eir reli(ion an* =eep t#e C#&r%# in its po'erf&l politi%al position. "#e C#&r%# )ie'e* ot#er reli(ions as a *ire%t assa&lt on t#eir po'er, t#eir profits an* t#e #ol* t#ey #a* o)er t#e monar%#y '#i%# ba%=e* t#em. "#e H&(&enots 'ere also tryin( to prote%t t#e pra%ti%e of t#eir reli(io&s beliefs an* 'ere not imm&ne to ta=in( part in )iolen%e as a 'ay to prote%t t#emsel)es. Cat#oli%s an* H&(&enots too= part in )iolen%e a(ainst ea%# ot#er as it 'as pre*i%ate* on t#e nee* to remo)e ot#er reli(io&s beliefs, or in retaliation for s&%# an atta%=. Biolen%e 'as %arrie* o&t by many people at all le)els in a %omm&nity, b&t 'as espe%ially #ars# by t#ose in positions of a&t#ority. "#e St 2art#olome',s Day -assa%re 'as spar=e* by t#e r&mors s'irlin(

aro&n* a possible pea%e plan t#e Kin( mi(#t be t#in=in( abo&t. "#e massa%re 'as set in motion after an assassination attempt on 5*miral Coli(ny 8lea*er of t#e H&(&enots: an* r&mors ran 'il* t#at re)en(e on t#e monar%#y 'as planne* 8Diefen*orf, >6:. Ho'e)er, it 'as t#ose &nfo&n*e* r&mors t#at lea* Kin( C#arles 0C to or*er #is royal (&ar* to =ill all of t#e H&(&enot lea*ers to en* any possible t#reat. 0t 'as t#is or*er t#at le* to t#o&san*s of H&(&enots bein( =ille* on St. 2art#olome',s Day 85&(&st 9, 157 : in a 1'a)e of =illin(6 8Diefen*orf, 1:. +?amples of Cat#oli%s ta=in( part in t#e )iolen%e 'ere p&blis#e* by Simon <o&lart in t#e 1-emoirs if t#e State of 7ran%e &n*er C#arles 0C6 8Diefen*orf, 1!3:. 0n #is *o%&ment, n&mero&s )i%tims *es%ribe t#e in*is%riminate =illin( *one &n*er t#e 1=in(s or*ers6 not only by #is (&ar*s, b&t Cat#oli% %itiDens '#o Aoine* in 8Diefen*orf, 1!3:. Ho'e)er, not e)eryone 'as o&t to =ill H&(&enots *&rin( t#is time 'it# many or*inary Cat#oli% %itiDens an* %ity offi%ials #elpin( to #i*e t#em from t#e )iolen%e. -any Cat#oli%s #i* in t#eir #omes, b&t some in%l&*in( Henry, D&=e of <&ise, #i* H&(&enots in t#eir o'n #omes 8Diefen*orf, :. C#arlotte

D,5rbaleste,s *es%ribe* in #er 1+s%ape from t#e -assa%re6 'ritin( t#at s#e es%ape* from /aris by stayin( 'it# t#e lo%al 1bla%=smit# militia %aptain6 8Diefen*orf, 11!:. "#e impa%t of t#e St. 2art#olome',s Day -assa%re on Cat#oli%s an* /rotestants 'as also *ifferent. "#e massa%re #a* a #&(e impa%t on t#e H&(&enots as many members 'ent ba%= to t#e Cat#oli% C#&r%# to s&r)i)e 'it# some es%apin( to ot#er %o&ntries. -any lost fait# in /rotestant beliefs as t#ey %o&l* not &n*erstan* #o' <o* 1%o&l* allo' t#eir sla&(#ter6 8Diefen*orf, 5:. H&(&es S&rea& D& Rosier in #is 1579 *o%&ment 1Confession of His Des%ent into /opery6, note* t#at #e ori(inally belie)e* in /rotestantism. Ho'e)er, after t#in=in( it o)er #e simply felt <o* 1r&ine* t#is %#&r%# an* fa)ore* instea* t#e Roman one6 8Diefen*orf, 131:. En t#e ot#er si*e, Cat#oli%s )ie'e* t#e massa%re as a #&(e 'in an* ma*e s&re to tell t#e 'orl*

t#at <o* 'as on t#eir si*e. "#ey 'ent so far as to promote t#e i*ea t#at <o* 'as p&nis#in( t#e H&(&enots as non$belie)ers an* t#ey *eser)e* to be %r&s#e*. /ope <re(ory C000 seeme* please* 'it# t#e massa%re an* 1%ommissione* t'o permanent %ommemorations of Saint 2art#olome',s Day6 8Diefen*orf, 5: to s#o' t#e fait#f&l t#at <o* 'as Cat#oli%. Diefen*orf p&t to(et#er a )ariety of *o%&ments re)ealin( t#e reli(io&s intoleran%e an* #orrible )iolen%e t#at too= pla%e as t#e /rotestants trie* to pra%ti%e t#eir reli(ion. .ife 'as not simple in t#at %ent&ry an* reli(ion playe* an important role in e)ery*ay life an* 'as 'ort# *efen*in(. 0n 1>>7, almost 9!! years after t#e massa%re, Cat#oli% /ope Jo#n /a&l 00 spo=e of t#e nee* for 1re%on%iliation6 an* 1for(i)eness6. He 'as a*amant t#at people s#o&l* remember t#is past intoleran%e an* learn t#e 1pat# of f&ll &nity6 for e)ery reli(ion 8Diefen*orf, 15;:. "#e St. 2art#olome',s Day -assa%re is as an e?ample of intolerant attit&*es, t#e min*set t#at %an lea* to )iolen%e an* #o' *ifferent people interpret #istori%al e)ents.