This book is a 2005 edition of Mack P. Holt's classic study of the French religious wars of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Drawing on the scholarship of social and cultural historians of the Reformation, it shows how religion infused both politics and the socio-economic tensions of the period to produce a long extended civil war. Professor Holt integrates court politics and the political theory of the elites with the religious experiences of the popular classes, offering a fresh perspective on the wars and on why the French were willing to kill their neighbors in the name of religion. The book has been created specifically for undergraduates and general readers with no background knowledge of either French history or the Reformation. This edition updates the text in the light of new work published in the decade prior to publication and the 'Suggestions for further reading' has been completely re-written.

A new look at the French wars of religion, designed for undergraduate students and general readers.

Fresh analysis of the political thought of the French Holy League, active during the religious wars, within its intellectual context.

This text explores in depth the impact of the French wars of religion on the inhabitants of one French city, Troyes, in Champagne. Drawing on previously neglected sources, the author examines the individual and collective experience of the religious conflict in Troyes. She considers how the religious divisions created such brutal conflict between neighbours.

In the second half of the sixteenth century, France was racked by religious civil wars and peace was only restored when Henry of Navarre finally converted to Catholicism, deciding – in his immortal phrase – that 'Paris is worth a mass'. In this lucid introduction to a complex period in French history, Robert Knecht: Explains the evangelical and Lutheran origins of the Huguenot Church in France Challenges simplistic interpretations of the religious conflict as purely a cloak for political rebellion Provides concise analysis of the wars themselves and the ferment of political ideas which they generated Evaluates the extent of France’s recovery under Henry IV This third edition has been updated throughout to take account of the latest scholarship, particularly on the Massacre of St. Bartholomew and the reign of Henry III when the monarchy almost succumbed to the challenge posed by the Catholic League. There is a new colour plate section and the main text is supported by a full glossary of terms, maps and three detailed genealogical tables, as well as a carefully chosen selection of original documents. Each book in the Seminar Studies in History series provides a concise and reliable introduction to complex events and debates. Written by acknowledged experts and supported by extracts from historical Documents, a Chronology, Glossary, Who’s Who of key figures and Guide to Further Reading, Seminar Studies in History are the essential guides to understanding a topic.