Dealing with the Huguenots

Europe in the seventeenth century was a time of religious upheaval. Protestants argued that there was corruption within the church and that it needed to be reformed. The protestant movement started, as the name implies, as a protest against the corruption alleged by Martin Luther's Ninety-five Thesis. In some countries violence ensued between the Protestants and Catholics. In others, they were able to live together peacefully.

The Huguenots in France, one such Protestant group, was not so lucky under the reign of Catholic King Louis XIV. Louis XIV asserted that his reign was guaranteed by God. It makes sense why any king would believe this, especially in a time dominated by Christianity.

The Bible states: "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves against the Lord .... He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision, then he shall speak unto them His wrath .... Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear." (Psalm 2:1-11)

Therefore, it makes sense why a king ought to take a firm stance against heresy within their realm. It also makes sense why a king might be set up by God, if they only serve as king at the mercy of God's judgment.
   
Beik makes a similar argument. He argues that in order for Louis XIV to claim sacred authority that necessitated religious uniformity within France. In France the protestants were roughly 10% of the population and this resulted in a generation of religious war. King Henry IV issued the Edict of Nantes in order to end these wars. The Edict of Nantes gave the Huguenots official legal status in France. It allowed them to own property, to establish churches where they had already been established with the exception of Paris, and it allowed them the right to trials in court. (Beik p.183) 

To a Catholic zealot this must have looked like surrender. It would have been an insult to God to claim that you are God's representative in France and allow heresy to exist in France. Therefore, Louis XIV had to revoke the Edict of Nantes. The revocation occurred on October 25, 1685 and some of the text is as follows:

1. All temples of the Hugeunots situated in our kingdom, country, lands and all seigneuries within our obedience be immediately demolished. 
2. Our subjects of the supposedly reformed religion are not to assemble for worship in any place or house for any reason. 
3. Ministers of the supposedly reformed religion are to convert or leave the kingdom within fifteen days and are not to preach or perform any functions in the meantime, or they will be sent to the galleys.  
8. Children of parents belonging to the supposedly reformed religion are to be baptized by the chief priests of their parishes and raised as Catholics, and local judges are to oversee this. 


Sources:

Beik, William, editor. Louis XIV and Absolutism: A Brief Study with Documents. Bedford: St.

Martin’s, 2000

Holy Bible, Scofield Reference Bible