the edict of nantes

Field
HistoRY
THE EDICT OF NANTES
Introduction
Level
PrimaRY
SecondaRY
In compliance with the promises he had made to the pope in 1595 in order to
receive absolution, and with the approval of the Protestant synod held in Loudun in
1596, Henri IV wanted to draw up a new pacification edict. The new edict, signed
at Nantes on 30 April 1598, introduced civil tolerance between all of the kingdom's
Document
Édict of Nantes, 1598
AN AEII763, ancien J943
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Commentary
Far from putting an end to the Wars of Religion, the accession to the throne of
a French Protestant (on 2 August 1589) fanned the flames of opposition among
the hard-line Catholic League. It took Henri IV nearly four years to convert to
Catholicism (25 July 1593), five years for him to be crowned (27 February 1594) and
nine years for him to bring peace to his kingdom.
The Edict of Nantes had to be registered by France's eight Parlements. The main
stumbling-block was the Leaguist sensibilities of most parliamentarians. The
manuscript in the collections of France's National Archives, written on 17 sheets of
parchment, is the version registered by the Parlement of Paris. The texts has three
parts: the "perpetual and irrevocable" Edict, containing 95 articles designed to bring
past violence to a close and to organise the peaceful co-existence of Catholicism and
Protestantism within France's borders. A second part lists 56 specific articles that
deal with measures to be taken for certain cities, regions and individuals. The third
part contains letters patent, the most well known of which concerns the granting of
safe cities to the Huguenots.
Following its registration, the Edict of Nantes was de jure applicable throughout
the kingdom of France. But the kingdom did not yet comprise the holdings of
the Bourbon dynasty. Unlike his predecessors, Henri de Navarre had maintained
legal separation between the kingdom of France and the lands inherited from his
parents, Jeanne d'Albret and Antoine de Bourbon. They were administered by
his sister, Catherine de Bourbon, who had been appointed regent. In the end, in
order to be completely faithful to his 1595 commitments, Henri IV undertook the
creation of another edict, which historians have interpreted as the counterpart of
the Edict of Nantes in his ancestral territories – in 1599, the Edict of Fontainebleau
re-established the Catholic faith in the king's lands, which had been exclusively
Calvinist since the conversion of Jeanne d'Albret in the early 1560s.
Historical debate has long focused on the sealing of this edict – the seal, which is
in a fragmentary state, appears to be yellowish brown in colour. According to the
custom of the royal chancellery, only acts sealed in green wax have a perpetual
validity, whereas those in yellow wax are only temporary in nature. Historians have
interpreted the Edict of Nantes as a measure of convenience. However, recent
analyses have shown that the pigments used in the composition of the seal changed
over time from green to brown. Henri's decision was thus intended to be irrevocable.
Suggestion for student activities
L’édit est connu de tous, des extraits figurent systématiquement dans les manuels
scolaires, mais les transcriptions sont souvent approximatives. La forme du
document original est, elle, souvent méconnue. Pourtant, tout autant que le contenu,
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Have students discuss how the Edict of Nantes marked the independence of politics
from religion, by separating "believers" from "subjects" of the king.
The preamble and three articles of the Edict of Nantes
Henry, by the grace of God king of France and of Navarre, to all to whom these
presents come, greeting: Among the infinite benefits which it has pleased God to
heap upon us, the most signal and precious is his granting us the strength and
ability to withstand the fearful disorders and troubles which prevailed on our advent
in this kingdom. The realm was so torn by innumerable factions and sects that the
most legitimate of all the parties was fewest in numbers. God has given us strength
to stand out against this storm; we have finally surmounted the waves and made
our port of safety, -- peace for our state.
II. We forbid all of our subjects (…) to renew the memory, attack, feel, injure
and provoke each other by reproach of what has taken place, for whatever cause
or excuse, to dispute, protest, quarrel or offend by word or deed, but to contain
themselves and live peacefully together as brothers, friends and fellow citizens, on
pain of punishment of the offenders as the disturbers of the peace and public rest.
III. We ordain that the Catholic, Apostolic and Roman religion shall be restored and
re-established in all places and localities of this our kingdom (…) in order that it
may be peaceably and freely exercised, without any trouble or hindrance (…) and
that all those who during the troubles have taken possession of churches, houses,
goods or revenues, belonging to the said ecclesiastics, shall surrender to them entire
possession and peaceable enjoyment (…)
VI. And in order to leave no occasion for troubles or differences between our
subjects, we have permitted, and herewith permit, those of the said religion
called Reformed to live and abide in all the cities and places of this our kingdom
(…) without being annoyed, molested, or compelled to do anything in the matter
of religion contrary to their consciences, . . . upon condition that they comport
themselves in other respects according to that which is contained in this our present
edict.
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