HUGUENOTS, French Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. The origin of the word is obscure. It may have been a local nickname given to the Protestants of Tours, who were believed to meet nightly near the gate of the mythical King Huguet, or Hugon; a derivation from the German Eidgenossen, "confederates," is also plausible. The first Huguenots were often regarded as Lutherans; there is no doubt, however, that a strong evangelical movement existed in France during the early decades of the 16th century, independent of the German Reformation. The new church grew rapidly, in spite of official opposition and the dubious outcome of the Colloquy of Poissy in 1561, which failed to establish religious freedom or tolerance.
From 1562 to 1598, French Catholics and Huguenots fought each other in a succesion of violent encounters. The Catholics had organized the Holy League with the support of Spain, and the Protestants, while professing an absolute loyalty to the king, constituted a theocracy under the leadership, successively, of Louis I de Bourbon, Prince de Conde; Gaspard (II) de Coligny; and Henry of Navarre. The civil disorders culminated in the massacre of a great number of Protestants throughout the entire kingdom, on August 23-24, 1572, the eve of St. Bartholomew's Day. The definitive victory of Henry of Navarre over the League, followed by his accession to the throne of France under the name of Hevry IV in 1594, marked the end of the struggle. He adopted Catholicism for political reasons, but the Edict of Nantes in 1598 granted the following to the Huguenots: private worship and liberty of conscience throughout France; public worship in about 200 towns and 3,000 castles; financial support from the state to Protestant schools and ministers; legalized publication of Protestant books; full civil and political rights, with freedom to trade, inherit property, enter all schools, and serve in both local and national parlements; special courts, les chambres d'edit, with both Catholic and Protestant members, to deal with disputes concerning Protestants; free assembly to handle judicial functions; and the control of about 200 towns and cities for eight years (later extended).
During the reign of Louis XIII, Cardinal Richelieu undertook to recall the privileges of the Protestants, and they lost all political power with the loss of La Rocelle in 1628, though they retained most civil liberties. Louis XIV initiated a policy of forced conversion, and soldiers were billeted in Protestant homes until the inhabitants would embrace the king's religion. The Edict of Nantes was revoked on October 18, 1685, and Huguenots emigrated in large numbers to England, the Netherlands, Germany, and America. French communities were founded in New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, and the Carolinas. In France, Protestant beliefs continued even after the emigration. The Huguenots were now mostly middle-class tradesmen and artisans. Though persecution continued intermittently, the general official attitude during the 18th century was one of indifference. The Edict of Toleration (1787) restored their civil liberties and Napoleon I granted them state subsidies in return for state control of their church. In 1905 all churches were separated from the state but the Huguenots in France have continued, despite factional differences among themselves, to grow in number and today they make up a small but industrious and influential group.
(George A. Barrois and Nancy McGuire)
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