Dissertation
Peacemaking and religious tolerance in the Valentinois-Diois during the French Wars of Religion (c. 1560-1600)
University of Iowa
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
Spring 2022
DOI: 10.17077/etd.006353
Abstract
This study analyzes how communities in the Valentinois-Diois region of southeastern France were able to formulate and implement policies of religious tolerance and intolerance to establish a viable communal peace during the French Wars of Religion between Catholics and Reformed Protestants. Whether through generous accommodations of religious tolerance or through more exclusionary measures, communities were able to respond to the evolving situation in the French kingdom to maintain civic stability. Historians have long noted that communities with a small religious minority (less than 10 percent of the population) or with near parity between the confessions largely avoided extreme instances of violence. Towns in between these demographic poles tended to experience more bloodshed during the wars. Many towns in the Valentinois-Diois fell into this latter category, although quite a few also approached near parity. Despite these stark confessional divisions, many communities avoided large-scale instances of violence. The novelty of this study lies in going beyond demographic explanations to investigate how specific procedures and practices regulated daily life to foster civic cohesion and avert violence.
Overall, religious tolerance proved a feasible framework to implement peace in the Valentinois-Diois during the 1560s. Local governments preserved civic solidarity by assuring full communal privileges to all inhabitants irrespective of confession. Arrangements changed with the renewal of religious warfare in the kingdom from 1567 to 1570. Afterwards, communities across the Valentinois-Diois began to shun practices of religious pluralism as confidence in tolerance faded and instead embraced policies that privileged one confession over the other. The province in effect became a patchwork of towns dominated either by Catholics or Huguenots.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Peacemaking and religious tolerance in the Valentinois-Diois during the French Wars of Religion (c. 1560-1600)
- Creators
- Joseph TenHulzen
- Contributors
- Raymond Mentzer (Advisor)Michael Moore (Committee Member)Roland Racevskis (Committee Member)Elizabeth Yale (Committee Member)
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
- Degree in
- History
- Date degree season
- Spring 2022
- DOI
- 10.17077/etd.006353
- Publisher
- University of Iowa
- Number of pages
- ix, 304 pages
- Copyright
- Copyright 2022 Joseph TenHulzen
- Language
- English
- Description bibliographic
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 286-304).
- Public Abstract (ETD)
- This study looks at how communities in southeastern France formulated policies of religious tolerance, or even intolerance, to foster civic peace during the French Wars of Religion between Catholics and Protestants. The Valentinois-Diois region hosted a religiously diverse population during the wars, thus communities could not escape addressing religious differences among their populace. Initially, communities successfully deployed generous provisions of religious tolerance to maintain communal peace. Such arrangements allowed those of both religions to participate fully in public life: civic solidarity thus took precedence over religious persuasions. But repeated outbreaks of warfare within the French kingdom destabilized the region, prompting much of the populace to develop jaded views against religious tolerance. Many communities then turned to promoting the dominance of one religion within town to achieve peace. Only those of one religion enjoyed full civic privileges; those of the other religion often found themselves marginalized. Whether through tolerance or intolerance, communities were able to avoid extreme instances of religious violence that blighted other communities throughout France.
- Academic Unit
- History
- Record Identifier
- 9984271255402771
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