Peace of Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Encyclopedia
The Peace of Saint-Germain-en-Laye was a treaty signed August 5, 1570 at the royal Château of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, ending the third of the French Wars of Religion
.
In the third war, fought between Catholic
s and Protestants from 1568 to 1570, the Protestant Huguenots had suffered a setback at the Battle of Jarnac
(1569), where their general, the prince de Condé
, was slain; and following the appointment of Henry of Navarre (later Henri IV
) as new leader of the Huguenot cause, the peace treaty was signed by King Charles IX
for the Catholics, and by Admiral Gaspard de Coligny
for the Huguenots, granting the Huguenots control of four 'fortified towns': La Rochelle
, Cognac
, Montauban
and La Charité for two years.
Moreover, Protestants were henceforth to be allowed to hold public office in France, and Catherine de' Medici
, mother of Charles IX, promised to give her daughter Marguerite de Valois
in marriage with Henry of Navarre. This peace would be of short duration, as two years later the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre
led to the resumption of hostilities.
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
.
In the third war, fought between Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
s and Protestants from 1568 to 1570, the Protestant Huguenots had suffered a setback at the Battle of Jarnac
Battle of Jarnac
The Battle of Jarnac on 13 March 1569 was an encounter during the French Wars of Religion between the Catholic forces of Marshal Gaspard de Saulx, sieur de Tavannes, and the Huguenots, near the nadir of their fortunes, financed by Reinhold von Krockow and led by Louis I de Bourbon, prince de...
(1569), where their general, the prince de Condé
Louis I de Bourbon, prince de Condé
Louis de Bourbon was a prominent Huguenot leader and general, the founder of the House of Condé, a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon.-Life:...
, was slain; and following the appointment of Henry of Navarre (later Henri IV
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
) as new leader of the Huguenot cause, the peace treaty was signed by King Charles IX
Charles IX of France
Charles IX was King of France, ruling from 1560 until his death. His reign was dominated by the Wars of Religion. He is best known as king at the time of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre.-Childhood:...
for the Catholics, and by Admiral Gaspard de Coligny
Gaspard de Coligny
Gaspard de Coligny , Seigneur de Châtillon, was a French nobleman and admiral, best remembered as a disciplined Huguenot leader in the French Wars of Religion.-Ancestry:...
for the Huguenots, granting the Huguenots control of four 'fortified towns': La Rochelle
La Rochelle
La Rochelle is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department.The city is connected to the Île de Ré by a bridge completed on 19 May 1988...
, Cognac
Cognac
Cognac is a commune in the Charente department in southwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-Geography:Cognac is situated on the river Charente between the towns of Angoulême and Saintes. The majority of the town has been built on the river's left bank, with the smaller right...
, Montauban
Montauban
Montauban is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France. It is the capital of the department and lies north of Toulouse....
and La Charité for two years.
Moreover, Protestants were henceforth to be allowed to hold public office in France, and Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici was an Italian noblewoman who was Queen consort of France from 1547 until 1559, as the wife of King Henry II of France....
, mother of Charles IX, promised to give her daughter Marguerite de Valois
Marguerite de Valois
Margaret of Valois was Queen of France and of Navarre during the late sixteenth century...
in marriage with Henry of Navarre. This peace would be of short duration, as two years later the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre
St. Bartholomew's Day massacre
The St. Bartholomew's Day massacre in 1572 was a targeted group of assassinations, followed by a wave of Roman Catholic mob violence, both directed against the Huguenots , during the French Wars of Religion...
led to the resumption of hostilities.
See also
- French Wars of ReligionFrench Wars of ReligionThe French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
- List of treaties