Signing of the Edict of Nantes. XXVI

The Edict of Nantes was a law that granted religious rights to French Huguenot Protestants. The issuance of the edict ended the thirty-year period of the Wars of Religion in France and marked the beginning of a century of relative peace, known as the ʼʼʼʼʼ. The edict was drawn up by order of the French king Henry IV and approved in Nantes (April 13, 1598). Abolished by Louis XIV in 1685.
The Edict of Nantes consisted of 93 articles and 36 secret decrees; the latter were not considered by the parliaments and were not included in their protocols. Its publication was preceded by countless complaints from the Huguenots and lengthy negotiations with them by the king. No sixteenth-century edict in Western Europe granted such extensive tolerance as that of Nantes. Subsequently, he gave reason to accuse the Huguenots of forming a state within a state.
The Edict of Nantes granted full equality to Catholics and Protestants. The first article of the edict introduced Catholic worship wherever it was discontinued. The Catholic clergy were given back all their former rights and estates. Calvinism was tolerated wherever it was before. All the nobles who held the highest judicial positions had the right to perform Calvinistic worship and to admit outsiders to it. In the castles of ordinary nobles, Protestant worship was allowed if the number of Protestants did not exceed 30 people and if the castles were not located in an area where the Catholic owners enjoyed the right of the supreme court.
In cities and villages where the Huguenots were allowed to worship until 1597, this right was restored. Calvinistic worship was formally forbidden in Paris and some cities closed to it on the basis of capitulations; but Protestants were allowed to live there. In all other places, the Huguenots could have churches, bells, schools, and hold public office. For religious reasons, it was forbidden to disinherit relatives, attack Huguenots and persuade their children to convert to Catholicism. All those sentenced to punishment for religious beliefs were pardoned.
The government pledged to help the Huguenots with subsidies for schools and churches. At the same time, the Huguenots were granted a number of privileges of a political, judicial and military nature: they were allowed to convene periodic meetings (consistory, synods), keep deputies at the court to submit petitions and complaints through Sully, Morne and d'Aubigne. In Paris, a chamber of justice (Chambres de l'Edit) was established for the Protestants of Normandy and Brittany, in Castres for the Toulouse district, in Bordeaux and Grenoble - mixed chambers (Chambres miparties) for the Provences of Provence and Burgundy.
The exiles were returned to their homeland. In the power of the Huguenots were left for 8 years 200 fortresses and fortified castles that belonged to them until 1597 (places de sûreté); the garrisons were kept here at the expense of the king, and the chiefs were subordinate to the Huguenots. The main fortresses were: La Rochelle, Saumur and Montauban. The Pope called the Edict of Nantes impious. The Huguenots demanded even more, interpreting the edict in terms of expanding its content.
Henry IV persuaded the parliaments with great tact to enter the edict into their minutes; only the Rouen parliament persisted until 1609. Having fastened the edict with a large state seal, Henry called it ʼʼeternal and irrevocableʼʼ, protected it from misinterpretations, sometimes limiting it or expanding it temporarily, especially in relation to the term of the fortresses belonging to the Huguenots.

Century Edict of Nantes, approved in 1598 and granting French Protestants equal rights with Catholics, turned out to be short-lived - in 1685 he canceled it.

The Edict of Nantes is a law that granted religious rights to French Huguenot Protestants. The issuance of the edict ended the thirty-year period of the Wars of Religion in France and ushered in a century of relative sectarian peace known as the "Great Age". The edict was drawn up by order of the French king Henry IV of Bourbon and approved in Nantes. Abolished by Louis XIV in 1685.

For almost the entire second half of the 16th century, France was shaken by religious wars (the well-known St. Bartholomew's Night, which opened the fourth of them, belongs to this era). Brief periods of calm gave way to hostilities, armies of Catholics and Huguenots (as the Calvinists were called here) roamed the country, no one wanted to yield, the people were exhausted.

Adoption of the Edict of Nantes

By the end of the century, it became clear to everyone that this confrontation was turning into a bad infinity, and King Henry IV, in the recent past one of the leaders of the Huguenots, who converted to Catholicism in 1593, in 1598 signed an edict on religious tolerance in Nantes, under the terms of which the Calvinists were equalized in rights with the Catholics, called by historians Edict of Nantes, by the name of the city where it was adopted.

Terms Edict of Nantes the Huguenots were allowed to have their own military forces; the king left in their hands about 200 fortresses and castles - as he himself said, in case his successors decide to again oppress the Huguenots.

Henry IV looked into the water. For what good is absolute power for its bearer? That's right: the fact that the monarch has the right to both adopt any laws and repeal them. However, the provisions of the Edict of Nantes were in effect with more or less success for almost a century.

Repeal of the Edict of Nantes

In the 1620s, under Louis XIII, military clashes on religious grounds resumed (think of the Three Musketeers), but were quickly “pacified” - with some modernization of the Edict of Nantes in favor of the Catholics. Louis XIV in the early 1660s, that is, when he became not a nominal, but a real ruler of France, still spoke of the need to adhere to the provisions of the Edict of Nantes as a guarantee of a peaceful civil life, but all his further activities were contrary to this statement.

The articles of the treaty were successively repealed or rewritten - until the king in 1685 announced that the Edict of Nantes would henceforth lose its legal force - under the pretext that "the best and most of our subjects, who called themselves Reformed, returned with joy into the bosom of the Catholic Church” (that was a lie).

The edict to repeal the Edict of Nantes was prepared by Chancellor Michel Letslie, a staunch opponent of Protestantism. A mass exodus of Huguenots from France began.

Introduction

Edict of Nantes (fr. Edit de Nantes) - a law that granted religious rights to French Huguenot Protestants. The issuance of the edict ended the thirty-year period of the Wars of Religion in France and marked the beginning of a century of relative peace, known as the "Great Age". The edict was drawn up by order of the French king Henry IV and approved in Nantes (April 13, 1598). Abolished by Louis XIV in 1685.

1. Regulations

The Edict of Nantes consisted of 93 articles and 36 secret decrees; the latter were not considered by the parliaments and were not included in their protocols. Its publication was preceded by countless complaints from the Huguenots and lengthy negotiations with them by the king. No sixteenth-century edict in Western Europe granted such extensive tolerance as that of Nantes. Subsequently, he gave reason to accuse the Huguenots of forming a state within a state.

The Edict of Nantes granted full equality to Catholics and Protestants. The first article of the edict introduced Catholic worship wherever it was discontinued. The Catholic clergy were given back all their former rights and estates. Calvinism was tolerated wherever it was before. All the nobles who held the highest judicial positions had the right to perform Calvinistic worship and to admit outsiders to it. In the castles of ordinary nobles, Protestant worship was allowed if the number of Protestants did not exceed 30 people and if the castles were not located in an area where the Catholic owners enjoyed the right of the supreme court.

In cities and villages where the Huguenots were allowed to worship until 1597, this right was restored. Calvinistic worship was formally forbidden in Paris and some cities closed to it on the basis of capitulations; but Protestants were allowed to live there. In all other places, the Huguenots could have churches, bells, schools, and hold public office. For religious reasons, it was forbidden to disinherit relatives, attack Huguenots and persuade their children to convert to Catholicism. All those sentenced to punishment for religious beliefs were pardoned.

The government pledged to help the Huguenots with subsidies for schools and churches. In addition, the Huguenots were granted a number of privileges of a political, judicial and military nature: they were allowed to convene periodic meetings (consistory, synods), keep deputies at the court to submit petitions and complaints through Sully, Morne and d’Aubigne. In Paris, a chamber of justice (Chambres de l'Edit) was established for the Protestants of Normandy and Brittany, in Castres for the Toulouse district, in Bordeaux and Grenoble - mixed chambers (Chambres miparties) for the Provences of Provence and Burgundy.

The exiles were returned to their homeland. In the power of the Huguenots were left for 8 years 200 fortresses and fortified castles that belonged to them until 1597 (places de sûreté); the garrisons were kept here at the expense of the king, and the chiefs were subordinate to the Huguenots. The main fortresses were: La Rochelle, Saumur and Montauban. The Pope called the Edict of Nantes impious. The Huguenots demanded even more, interpreting the edict in terms of expanding its content.

Henry IV persuaded the parliaments with great tact to enter the edict into their minutes; only the Rouen parliament persisted until 1609. Having sealed the edict with a large state seal, Henry called it “eternal and irrevocable”, protected it from misinterpretations, sometimes limiting it or temporarily expanding it, especially in relation to the term of the fortresses owned by the Huguenots.

2. Under Louis XIII

Under the accession of Louis XIII, the regency approved the Edict of Nantes, stating that it must be "observed inviolably." Richelieu robbed the Protestant party of its political influence, but the principle of religious tolerance remained in force.

In 1629, in Ala, after the end of the wars with the Huguenots, the Edict of Nîmes (édit de grâce) was issued, repeating the articles of the Edict of Nantes. After the death of Louis XIII, a declaration was issued (July 8, 1643) in which the Protestants were granted the free and unrestricted exercise of their religion and the Edict of Nantes was affirmed "as far as it turned out to be necessary." Louis XIV declared in a declaration on May 21, 1652: "I wish that the Huguenots do not cease to use the Edict of Nantes completely."

3. Cancel

Reluctantly submitting to the Edict of Nantes, the Catholic clergy under Louis XIV tried by all means to destroy it or paralyze its significance. Religious persecution began in 1661. On October 17, 1685, Louis XIV signed the edict at Fontainebleau repealing the Edict of Nantes.

Literature

    Élie Benoit, "Histoire de l'Édit de Nantes";

    Bernard, "Explication de l'Édit de Nantes" (H., 1666);

    Meynier, "De l'execution de l'Édit de Nantes dans le Dauphiné"

When writing this article, material from the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron (1890-1907) was used.

Regulations

The Edict of Nantes consisted of 93 articles and 36 secret decrees; the latter were not considered by the parliaments and were not included in their protocols. Its publication was preceded by countless complaints from the Huguenots and lengthy negotiations with them by the king. No sixteenth-century edict in Western Europe granted such extensive tolerance as that of Nantes. Subsequently, he gave reason to accuse the Huguenots of forming a state within a state.

The Edict of Nantes granted full equality to Catholics and Protestants. The first article of the edict consigned to oblivion the events of the Wars of Religion and forbade any mention of them.

I. ... the remembrance of everything that happened on both sides from the beginning of March 1585 until our coronation and during the other previous troubles will be blotted out as if nothing had happened. Neither our Attorneys General nor any other person, public or private, will ever be allowed to mention this for any reason...

- "Edict of Nantes"

The third article of the edict introduced Catholic worship wherever it was discontinued. At the same time, in cities and villages where the Huguenots were allowed to worship until 1597, this right was restored.

III. We command that the Catholic Apostolic Roman religion be restored in all places of our kingdom ... where its administration was interrupted and may it be practiced peacefully and freely without any confusion or obstacles.

In order not to give any cause for confusion and strife among our subjects, we have allowed and allow those professing the so-called reformed religion to live and dwell in all the cities and places of our kingdom and their subordinate areas without persecution and compulsion to do anything in the matter of religion contrary to their conscience. ; they will not be searched on this occasion in the houses and places where they wish to live ...

- "Edict of Nantes"

The Catholic clergy were given back all their former rights and estates. Calvinism was tolerated wherever it was before. All the nobles who held the highest judicial positions had the right to perform Calvinistic worship and to admit outsiders to it. In the castles of ordinary nobles, Protestant worship was allowed if the number of Protestants did not exceed 30 people and if the castles were not located in an area where the Catholic owners enjoyed the right of the supreme court.

Calvinist worship was formally forbidden in Paris and some cities closed to it on the basis of concluded capitulations; but Protestants were allowed to live there. In all other places, the Huguenots could have churches, bells, schools, and hold public office. For religious reasons, it was forbidden to disinherit relatives, attack Huguenots and persuade their children to convert to Catholicism. All those sentenced to punishment for religious beliefs were pardoned.

The government pledged to help the Huguenots with subsidies for schools and churches. In addition, the Huguenots were granted a number of privileges of a political, judicial and military nature: they were allowed to convene periodic meetings (consistory, synods), keep deputies at the court to submit petitions and complaints through Sully, Morne and d'Aubigne. In Paris, a judicial chamber (Chambres de l'Edit) was established for the Protestants of Normandy and Brittany, in Castres for the Toulouse district, in Bordeaux and Grenoble - mixed chambers (Chambres miparties), for Provence and Burgundy Protestants.

The exiles were returned to their homeland. In the power of the Huguenots were left for 8 years 200 fortresses and fortified castles that belonged to them until 1597 (places de sûreté); the garrisons were kept here at the expense of the king, and the chiefs were subordinate to the Huguenots. The main fortresses were: La Rochelle, Saumur and Montauban. The Pope called the Edict of Nantes impious. The Huguenots demanded even more, interpreting the edict in terms of expanding its content.

Henry IV persuaded the parliaments with great tact to enter the edict into their minutes; only the Rouen parliament persisted until 1609. Having sealed the edict with a large state seal, Henry called it “eternal and irrevocable”, protected it from misinterpretations, sometimes limiting it or temporarily expanding it, especially in relation to the term of the fortresses owned by the Huguenots.

Under Louis XIII

Literature

  • // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
  • Élie Benoit, "Histoire de l'Édit de Nantes";
  • Bernard, "Explication de l'Édit de Nantes" (H., 1666);
  • Meynier, "De l'execution de l'Édit de Nantes dans le Dauphiné";
  • O. Douen, "La Révocation de l'Édit de Nantes à Paris" (H., 1894);
  • J. Bianquis, "La Révocation de l'Édit de Nantes a Rouen" (Rouen, 1885);
  • Vaillant, "La Revocation de l'Éd. de Nantes dans le Boulonnais";
  • R. Reuss, "Louis XIV et l'Eglise protestante de Strasbourg au moment de la Révocation" (P., 1887).

Notes

Categories:

  • Religious legislation
  • Freedom of conscience
  • Reformation
  • History of Calvinism
  • Appeared in 1598
  • Law of the Ancien Régime in France

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See what the "Edict of Nantes" is in other dictionaries:

    EDICT OF NANTES- 1598, a law issued by the French king Henry IV of Bourbon (see HENRY IV of Bourbon); finally completed the Wars of Religion (see WARS OF RELIGION in France) of the second half of the 16th century. in France. The edict was signed in April 1598 in the city of ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

    EDICT OF NANTES- the law of 1598, issued in Nantes by Henry IV, according to which the Huguenots (the nickname given by Catholics to Protestants) received the right to freely practice their faith and some civil and political benefits. A complete dictionary of foreign words, ... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

    Edict of Nantes- (Nantes, Edict of) (1598), published by the French. King Henry IV ended the Wars of Religion in France. Signed in Nantes, a port city at the mouth of the river. Loire, Zap. France. The edict defined religion. and civil the rights of the Huguenots, gave them freedom ... ... The World History

    EDICT OF NANTES- 1598 edict issued by the French king Henry IV, finally ended the state of the Religious War. According to AD Catholicism remained the dominant religion, but the Huguenots were given freedom of worship and worship in the cities (except ... ... Legal Encyclopedia

    EDICT OF NANTES- 1598 issued by the French king Henry IV, finally ended the Wars of Religion. According to the Edict of Nantes, Catholicism remained the dominant religion, but the Huguenots were given freedom of worship and worship in cities (except Paris and ... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

    Edict of Nantes- see the Edict of Nantes ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

    Edict of Nantes- ♦ (ENG Nantes, Edict of) (1598) an agreement between the French king Henry IV and the Huguenots, which granted the latter freedom of conscience in certain geographical areas, granted civil liberties and fortified cities of refuge. ... ... Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms

EDICT OF NANTES 1598 - a law signed by the French king Henry IV on August 13, 1598 in the city of Nantes; over-the-shil Re-li-gi-oz-nye (gu-ge-not-skie) wars in France.

The Edict of Nantes was the first attempt to create your own ro-da de-la-ra-tion of the rights of subjects of the French monarchy not-for-wee-si -mo from their con-fes-sio-nal-noy affiliation. Having given the Edict of Nantes, Henry IV continued to live in a way of religious acceptance, someone-rui without-success-push-but tried the weight of the next co-ro-li from the dynasty of Va-lua (edicts of Charles IX, Gen-ri-ha III, etc.). The Edict of Nantes declared the official re-li-gi-her some-li-cism, returned some-personal church-vi con-fi-sko-van-nye over time -we are lands, but at the same time, pre-dos-tav-lyal French gu-ge-no-there is free-bo-du ve-ro-is-po-ve-da-niya. In the Edict of Nantes, dek-la-ri-ro-va-lis-va-pro-tes-tan-tov on the race-by-the-same-im-s-st-vom, about-ra-zo-va- nie, court, medical assistance, taking on public duties. At the same time, the Edict of Nantes oh-ra-ni-chi-vale is possible from-the-right-le-cult of the cult of pro-tes-tan-ta-mi: in major cities ro-dah, episcopal re-zi-den-qi-yah and their ok-re-st-no-stay (Paris, Tou-lu-za, Di-jon, Reims, Chartres, etc. ) bo-go-serving would-lo for-pre-sche-but, moreover, sp-tsi-al-but ho-va-ri-va-elk, which is under “ok-re-st- no-stu” in-no-ma-et-xia ter-ri-to-ria from 2 to 5 leagues. On pro-tes-tan-tov on-la-ha-moose, you must-for-tel-st-in you-pay-chi-vat de-sya-ti-well in favor of the Gal-Li-Kan church -vi (see Gal-li-kan-st-vo), do not work during some kind of personal holidays; the servants of the pro-testant churches (as well as some personal spirit-ho-ven-st-vo) were-in-bo-well-da-lied from not-se- niya military service-would and ta-li. For su-deb-nyh times-bi-ra-tions on de-lams pre-hundred-vi-te-lei re-for-mi-ro-van-noy re-li-gyi created-yes-va-lis special pa-la-you with par-la-men-tah in Pa-ri-same, Tou-lu-ze, Bor-do and Gre-noble-le, co-hundred-yav-shie on-po-lo-vi -well, from pro-tes-tan-tov. According to the Edict of Nantes, in the cities, where it would be possible to resolve the cult, it was possible to open about -tes-tant-sky schools and aka-de-mi (Mon-to-ban, Se-dan, Nimes, etc.). An important part of the edik-ta became secret articles, pre-du-smat-ri-vav-shie saving for gu-ge-no-ta-mi for - not-may-my by them since the time of the religious wars of the cities-cre-po-stays and uk-re-p-lyon-ny places (La Ro-chelle, Mont-to-ban, Mont-pe-lier, Nimes, Niort, etc.), many of them were port-ta-mi. This is the right to complain for 8 years with the possibility of extension.

The Edict of Nantes met with sharp opposition from the side of Rome. ku-rii, some-lich. du-ho-ven-st-va and par-la-men-tov, some-rye for-ty-well-whether his re-gi-st-ra-tion for several de-sya-ti-le- ty. Paris par-la-ment for-re-gi-st-ri-ro-val Edict of Nantes only after the change of pre-si-den-ta in 1599, Rouen-sky par-la-ment - in 1610. The Edict of Nantes did not satisfy the same gu-ge-no-tov, considering the concessions from the side of the ko-ro-left-authority of non-dos -ta-precise-us-mi. However, for some time, the Edict of Nantes provided internal political stability in France.