Comparing The Massacre Of St. Bartholomew's Day And The Protestant Reformation

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With the creation of the printing press Martin Luther’s ninety-five theses spread across Europe confirming people’s beliefs and strengthening their thoughts that the Pope and the Catholic Church were corrupt. Luther nailed his ninety-five theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle church around 1517 with only the thought of reforming the Pope and the Catholic Church, but it became the foundation of the Protestant Reformation, the creation of a new religion called Lutheran, a branch of Protestantism. Luther created such a huge following, making it clear that Protestants were very much a new force to be reckoned with in Europe. Luther’s unexpected reformation divided Europe based on religions. It went from being predominantly Catholic, ruled …show more content…

Bartholomew's Day took place during The French Wars of Religion. The people of France, which at the time were mainly Catholic, and Queen Catherine de' Medici, being one of them, instigated the attack on the Huguenots (French Protestants) while in Paris for her daughter's wedding. On August 24, 1572, St. Bartholomew's Day, more than 12,999 Protestant aristocrats and citizens of France were killed (Cole & Symes p. 378). Jacques Auguste de Thou writes The Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Day from his point of view as a young man witnessing the events firsthand. He was frightened watching Gaspard de Coligny II, a well-known French Huguenot leader, and others being murdered, and Paris burned. De Thou was appalled by the ferocity of the attacks and cruelty of the crowd. Coligny was known by all and thought he was safe because he had an agreement with Catherine de' Medici (Queen Mother of France), that her daughter, a Catholic was marrying a Protestant. This was their compromise that guaranteed there would not be any conflict between the two religions, Protestants and Catholics. Coligny did not protect himself in any way, surprised at being targeted by the mob. He was stabbed, dragged through the city, hung, burned, and later taken and buried by friends. De Thou captured the horrible details of history. The Catholics were temporarily victorious in stopping the Huguenots rebellion, which contributed to France remaining

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