The French....!!!!

Origins of Difficulties in France

• General life in France:
• population losses created such a labor shortage that serfdom almost disappeared. This in turn hurt the nobility because it decreased the buying power of their money. (needed to pay peasants more)

including...taille (pronounced=tayy) was a land tax in place to support a standing army

• In 1539 Francis issued an ordinance that placed the entire country under the royal law court and made French the language of those courts (great now no one knows how to pronounce anything)
• Habsburg Valois Wars...were expensive so,
• the government increased taxes and engaged in borrowing as usual
• but also attempted to increase revenue by
• selling public offices
• this didn't work because it was a "one shot revenue Deal"(-Mr Yarnall) so the tax base was actually weakened
• making a treaty with the papacy known as the Concordat of Bologna: Francis recognized the supremacy of the papacy over a universal council and the French crown gained the right to appoint French bishops and abbots 
• -->this established Catholicism as the state religion, because it was the religion of the rulers, though Protestant numbers began to grow at this time. (the church was frustratingly corrupt)

This Catholicism as a State religion thing was very superficial/delicate-like the Bologna here apparently

• Speaking of the religion of rulers, we have the war of three Henrys

1. Catholic Henry of Guise
2. Protestant Henry of Navarre
3. Catholic King Henry III
• --> Guises wanted to create a Holy league to destroy Calvinism and replaced Henry III with a Guise family member-->led to domestic anarchy, decline in agriculture (land destroyed) and commercial life
• The politiques, moderates of both faiths who believed in strong monarchy saved the day
• Deaths of Catherine de'Medici and assassinations of Henry of Guise & King Henry III cleared the way for Henry of Navarre IV (watch the name change, it is because of his new position)

Henry IV did whatever he wanted...within reason

• Henry IV was fabulous, he tried to unite France, and, realizing that Roman Catholicism was the faith of the majority, he converted because "Paris is worth a Mass"
• His Edict of Nantes granted the Hug-You-Nots (-Dani) the freedom to practice their religion in certain cities only.

Huguenots got the awkward hug, they were only kinda sorta accepted

The Low Countries: Holland & Belgium

• These 17 provinces were part of Chucky V's enormous inheritance that developed important trading cities between the Baltic and Italy, particularly Antwerp.


• Each province was self governing& self taxing, delegates met in the States General, though the the provinces were largely independent (this is known as federation-central government, independent states)...

they were big kids so they did what they wanted

• The corrupt Roman Catholic Church of the time fostered the growth of Protestant sects which Chucky V tried to repress but failed
• Calvinism exploded amongst the working middle class and Calvinist preaching lead to attacks on Roman Catholicism, including the burning of libraries.
• Philip II (of Spain) then sent in the duke of Alva to clean up the mess and he exterminated religious and political dissidents and set up the Inquisition's cousin the "Council of blood"
• Civil war continued and finally the provinces unite under William of Orange against Spain. Philip II meanwhile sent Alexander Farnese to crush the revolt. Spain regained the Southern Netherlands except for Antwerp.
• Antwerp falls when Farnese lays siege on Antwerp, the Spanish built a ship bridge to the city (which the rebels destroy). When the Antwerp and Dutch troops make final attempt to break the siege and their leader announces victory, Farnese restores Spanish spirit and wins.
• The 10 Southern Provinces, the Spanish Netherlands, (to be Belgium) remained under the control of the Spanish Habsburgs
• The 7 Northern provinces, led by Holland, formed Union of Utrecht and declared their independence from Spain.

****Remember Emilia's brilliant words "all religious wars were both religious and political"*****

• Philip wasn't just fighting for religion, but territory and power
• The Henry's were fighting for power too, clearly they weren't all centered around religion if one ended up converting.

Millie When she was right

*trick question* When you are asked who saved France, the politiques or Henry of Navarre, say Henry Navarre, the politique. 

Also know: 

religious pluralism: when several religions are being practiced in one place (definition courtesy of Nicole, surprisingly not Cring)

Catherine de Medici: just wanted her kids (the three weak sons of Henry II) to rule and peace

Let my kids rule...or else