The Edict of Nantes

Author: After he came to the throne in 1589, Henry IV of France was one of the most popular French kings, both while he was ruling and still to this day. He was baptized Catholic and the converted to the Huguenot faith. He was very involved in the French Wars of Religion and barely escaped death at the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre. Clearly, he may have some bias towards protestants since he himself converted to Protestantism, but he believed that political stability could only be achieved through religious toleration.

Context: This document was one of Henry IV's first acts of reconciliation, offering Huguenots partial religious freedom within officially Catholic France. The edict produced a "cold war," as it were, between the many religious factions within France. During this time, the Thirty Years War was going on in Europe and there was much hatred and distrust between Protestants and Catholics.

Summary: Basically, this document permits those of the "so-called Reformed Religion" to live in all the districts of France without any backlash from the Catholic people provided that they follow the terms set forth within the Edict. The Edict permits the Huguenots to practice their religion in all the towns and districts of France, but forbids them to practice in "our court and suite, in our domains beyond the mountains, in our city of Paris, or within five leagues thereof."

Key Quotation:
"We permit those of the so-called Reformed Religion to live and abide in all the towns and districts of this our Realm...free from inquisition, molestation, or compulsion to do anything in the way of Religion, against their conscience...provided that hey observe the provisions of this Edict..."