Edict of Romorantin

Second; 1567–1568Saint-Denis; Chartres Third; 1568–1570Jarnac; La Roche-l'Abeille; Poitiers; Orthez; Moncontour; Saint-Jean d'Angély; Arney-le-Duc Fourth; 1572–1573Mons; Sommières; Sancerre; La Rochelle Fifth; 1574–1576Dormans Sixth; 1577La Charité-sur-Loire; Issoire; Brouage Seventh; 1580La Fère War of the Three Henrys (1585–1589)Coutras; Vimory; Auneau; Day of the Barricades Succession of Henry IV of France (1589–1594)Arques; Ivry; Paris; Château-Laudran; Rouen; Caudebec; Craon; 1st Luxembourg; Blaye; Morlaix; Fort Crozon Franco-Spanish War (1595–1598)2nd Luxembourg; Fontaine-Française; Ham; Le Catelet; Doullens; Cambrai; Calais; La Fère; Ardres; Amiens The Edict of Romorantin, was a decree designed to alter the prosecution of heretics, promulgated by the King of France, François II, in May 1560.

Conscious that the previous policy of persecution embodied in the edicts of Châteaubriant and Compiègne had thus failed, the crown and the chancellor altered their strategy by distinguishing for the first time between heretics and rebels.

[1][2][3] When at last those wars were concluded in 1559 with the Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis he prepared to switch his focus to the matter of heresy, however during a joust celebrating the peace he was struck by a lance, and died, leaving his young son François II on the throne.

[4] The substance of his policy had been in the model of the Spanish system, with the Chambre Ardente established to collectively burn accused heretics and special commissioners who would be sent out into the provinces to oversee heresy cases.

[1] His son initially sought to continue and further his policy; with suspected houses of Protestant worship to be razed, and landlords to be prosecuted for harbouring heretics among their tenants.

[6] Further issues arose in the more militant demonstration of the Amboise conspiracy where a cabal of provincial Protestant nobles attempted to seize him, so as to remove him from the influence of his uncles, François, Duke of Guise and Charles, Cardinal of Lorraine.

[13] The edict would come before the scrutiny of the Estates General of 1560-1 and on their recommendation Catherine de' Medici would see it confirmed on January 7, on the agreement that it would stand until such time a church council could be called to settle the religious question.