Religious divisions of Europe in XVIe century
Chart Luc Rehmet
The expansion of the Calvinism in France finds in front of it a hostile royalty (edicts of Henri II) and a Catholicism armed to fight it (formation and action about the Jesuits). The parties of religion (calvinists and catholics) are organized in political parties and soldiers, directed by the noble ones. It is the occasion for the princely big families (Own way, Bourbons and Morello cherry) to dominate the royal power, weakened after 1560 (under François II, Charles IX and Henri III). The royalty is first of all anxious to maintain peace and is thus led to the tolerance. After the release of the conflict of the wars of religion (1562) and especially after the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre (1572), it undergoes the supervision of the Own way and is shown increasingly intransigent.
While making assassinate Henri de Guise and by designating Henri de Navarre like his successor, Henri III restores the conditions of the independence of the throne. Convert with Catholicism, the new sovereign, Henri IV, can put an end to the wars of religion by the edict of Nantes (1598).