The Influence of Religious Factors

France – The Wars of Religion, 1562-98

In this course, Professor Penny Roberts (University of Warwick) explores the French Wars of Religion (1562-98). The course begins by exploring the interplay of religion and politics in the period, and thinking about the extent to which the French Wars of Religion were really about religion at all, as opposed to other, underlying tensions. After that, we turn to the French monarchy which some historians have seen as undergoing a collapse of authority in this period. In the third module, we turn our focus to one of the most important individuals of the period, Catherine de Medici, before considering the role of religious violence and political assassinations in the fourth and fifth modules. In the final module, we think about the peace-making efforts of the period, focusing in particular on the Edict of Nantes, which was signed in 1598.

The Influence of Religious Factors

In this module, we think about the extent to which the French Wars of Religion were really about religion at all, as opposed to being a pretext for pre-existing political or social tensions.