Edict of Saint-Maur

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 Saint-Maur was a prohibitive religious edict, promulgated by Charles IX of France at the outbreak of the third war of religion.

Ultimately the edict would be overturned in the landmark peace of Saint-Germain-en-Laye at the end of the third religious war in 1570 which restored recognition to Protestantism, alongside many other concessions.

[1] Concurrently, the hardliner Cardinal of Lorraine, who had been absent from the court, both due to the war and a lack of favour, returned, and the duke of Anjou, heir to the throne, fell under his influence.

[2] With the return of his enemy Lorraine, and conscious his conciliatory response to the Surprise of Meaux had lost him Catherine's favour, the Chancellor Michel de l'Hôpital withdrew from attending court in June.

[1] Though the costly war was over, the crown remained hard pressed financially, and desired to alienate church lands to cover shortfalls.

[2] Despite Longjumeau's prohibitions on the formation of foreign alliances by crown subjects, the aristocratic Huguenots had busied themselves aligning with the Dutch Protestant rebels.

[4] In early September the leading aristocratic Huguenots were warned of a plot to arrest them by Gaspard de Saulx, who while hostile to them felt the plan dishonourable.

[6] He argued before Catherine that to accept such a deal would be to surrender traditional Gallican liberties and that the king had the right to seize church lands without the consultation of the Pope.

[7] A few days later on 2 October, the secretary Brûlart would arrive, to pick up his Chancellor's seals, and give them to René de Birague who could apply them as was required to the edict of Saint-Maur.

[13] In a rear-guard action in March 1569 at Jarnac Condé was captured and killed, leaving the Huguenot army under the command of Gaspard II de Coligny.