Protestants and Catholics: not BFFs

One of the main problems with France was their economic base. The government would overtax the weakest class, who could not afford it. They also sold public offices for extra revenue, but then these officers would be exempt from future taxes.

Peoples' differences in religion led to the St. Bartholomew's massacre in France. The Catholics attacked the Protestants for being Protestants, and I don't think they liked it very much.

It got a little graphic…..

*Shields eyes*

This led to the War of the 3 Henrys. It was Catholic Henry of Guise v. Protestant Henry of Navarre v. Henry III, who was a politique. The politiques were moderates who believed that the only way to save France was to restore the monarchy. They, along with Henry IV who converted to Catholicism, helped bring about peace.

The Edict of Nantes gave Huguenots liberty of conscience and worship, but only in select towns. This did not establish an atmosphere of absolute pluralism in France, but it was a step. This was not the hug that the Huguenots needed, it was one of those awkward, insincere hugs that you give to someone you secretly hate.

The Netherlands was a whole other pot of worms. Charles abdicated his provinces to his brother and his son. To his brother Ferdinand he gave Austria and to his son Philip he gave his Spanish territories.
During Philip's rule, there was a civil war between Protestants and Catholics in the Netherlands, as well as a war between all 17 provinces and Spain. The capturing of Antwerp by the Spanish general Farnese  signaled the religious division on the Netherlands.

After 1500, all the Habsburg empire consisted of was Austria; all of the Spanish territories had broken up from the empire.


The newly independent territories formed the United provinces. Elizabeth decided to send them money and food for economic, not religious, reasons. One of the main reasons was because the Low Countries was England's chief market for wool.

And then everyone lived happily ever after…… right?