Edict of Nantes revoked by Louis XIV (le Roi-Soleil)
![Picture](/uploads/5/7/6/0/57609593/9825870_orig.jpg)
(The painting on the left shows Louis XIV in 1685, the year he revoked the Edict of Nantes).
Up and including the reign of Louis' grandfather, there had been many wars of religion in France. His grandfather had enacted the Edict of Nantes as a realistic and logical concession to the Huguenots (French Protestants) in order to prevent any further wars of religion in France. However, Louis did not see this is as a concession, he saw it, instead, as a sign of weakness.
Another component of Gallican Catholicism (Louis' personal interpretation of Catholicism) was the concept that the king's religion should be the sole religion of the kingdom.
Louis started to discriminate against and persecute the Huguenots, and many of them, especially among the nobles, converted to Catholicism.
In 1681, Louis dramatically increased the severity of his persecution of Protestants. Louis banned emigration and insisted that all Protestants must be converted. Secondly, he began billeting soldiers in Protestant homes. The soldiers were a heavy financial burden for the Protestants and treated the Protestants very badly. Between 300,000 and 400,000 Huguenots converted as a result of these measures.
On 15 October 1685, Louis revoked the Edict of Nantes. Protestants who had resisted conversion were now to be converted forcibly.
About 200,000 Huguenots (roughly one-fourth of the Protestant population, or 1% of the French population) defied the royal ban on emigration and fled France for various Protestant states, and took their skills, knowledge and experience with them.
Reaction was mixed. Although French Catholic leaders were very happy, Pope Innocent XI still argued with Louis over Louis' interpretation of Catholicism (Gallicanism) and criticised the use of violence. Protestants across Europe were aghast, but most Catholics in France supported the measures. However, the effects on Louis's image in most of Europe, especially in Protestant areas, was very negative.
Eventually, in 1787, Louis XVI enacted the Edict of Versailles (the Edict of Tolerance), which restored civil rights and freedom of worship to non-Catholics.
On 15 October 1685, Louis revoked the Edict of Nantes. Protestants who had resisted conversion were now to be converted forcibly.
About 200,000 Huguenots (roughly one-fourth of the Protestant population, or 1% of the French population) defied the royal ban on emigration and fled France for various Protestant states, and took their skills, knowledge and experience with them.
Reaction was mixed. Although French Catholic leaders were very happy, Pope Innocent XI still argued with Louis over Louis' interpretation of Catholicism (Gallicanism) and criticised the use of violence. Protestants across Europe were aghast, but most Catholics in France supported the measures. However, the effects on Louis's image in most of Europe, especially in Protestant areas, was very negative.
Eventually, in 1787, Louis XVI enacted the Edict of Versailles (the Edict of Tolerance), which restored civil rights and freedom of worship to non-Catholics.