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From:
Subject: Re: [HWE] Protestant Huguenots
Date: Mon, 22 Nov 2004 11:19:10 -0800

Hello tis me again,

Now now young Chloe. History is not so complicated, it is only the historians who make it so.

> I didn't realise that the history was so complicated!

It isn't, some just don't want too many with high SAT scores.

> Surely huguenots were those who stood up for their faith, whether or not they fled France. But I'll probably get told that that isn't the case.

Ah ! See ? You do know your history. In a nut-shell.. exactly.. Huguenots were the French speaking followers of Jean Cauvin (Calvin). They also happened to be part of the protest movement against the Catholic church's teachings on the co-existence of church and state and some other more religious things.

Some, really became carried away with religion and so there in lays the confusion on just who they were.

There were indeed 'Huguenots' who for reasons of their own saw a way of seperating the King from the Popes demands and by doing so, would raise France from the depths of feudalism and religious bigotry. oh and also make a few francs out of the whole deal. Weapons manufacturing, castle repairs after being besieged, food supply for the army.. all that kind of thing.

And folks think it was about silk weaving and all.

In many ways, it can be said that the Reformation eventually brought on the Revolution, as many made the initial attempt at freedom of expression and the rights of a person to own property and sell it if they so chose.

> I don't know much about the history. Who were the DE GUISE family?

Hmmm that family !! Before I go rattling on about them, I should explain that they did some very nasty things to my family.. stole land, money, women, estates etc. Now am I still bitter ? umm no, I forgave them years ago. ok so last week at least.

History is in the past and remains that way and so I refuse to dwell on things.

So!.. the DE GUISE family.

Catholic by faith and an off-shoot of the D'LORRAINE and DE BAR family.

Never would have come to much except that one Claude De LORRAINE managed to get himself married into the then Royal family of France.

Now he did good and fought well in the Italian wars and eventually became govenor of Champagne. Frank, Francis I, saw that Claude might be handy to have around. But already the sneaky side of the now called DE GUISE genes were in action and so Frank began to wonder about him.

Now were they being sneaky or was it love at first sight ?

Claude had a sister who suprise suprise married Jim, James V, up in Scotland. And lo and behold she produces Mary Stuart. Mary, Queen of Scots.

So all in all the DE GUISE were doing very nicely thank you very much. Had the control of Scotland without having to do much and some influence over young Frank down in France.

While all that is going on, Claude produces him!!! Frank the second one (1519 to 1563 and should have been shorter).

Now this bit gets tricky.. now Frank the king one, has a son also a Frank, Francis II, but he is only a kid when he becomes King but happens to be married off to Mary Stuart. See how sneaky they were.. ?

Ok so the other character in all this is Franks (DE GUISE) brother Charles DE GUISE. He happens to become Cardinal DE LORRAINE and between them they take over the government of France.

Some time passes and the DE CONDE's, nicely family, gentle kind, generous oh and Huguenot, along with the DE BOURBON's get together and swipe the young King Frank mk 2. Conspiracy of Amboise (1560) it was called. A good yarn if you have the time, ok so it didn't work out but the good guys done good, almost.

Well, young Chloe, the youngster, Francis II, ups and dies. Poor kid. And I tell you.. laugh !! those pesky DE GUISE lost all power over the French throne. Because !!! along comes Cathy DE MEDICI who is Catholic but kind of has a warm spot for these Huguenots.

So! what does DE GUISE do?

He teams up with a couple of other deperados in DE MONTMORENCY and Marshal Saint-André. These three band together against both the Huguenots and the Regent (Cath DE MEDICI).

These mean spirited folks gather an army and off they go to a place called Vassy, where they do terrible things. Began the wars of religion actually.

Ha! but guess what happens to Francois DE GUISE (de LORRAINE) ?

The good guys trick him and he is assassinated. Go Huguenot Go !! (Orleans if you wish to look that up.)

Meantime... brother Chuck, remember he was Cardinal DE LORRAINE ? Well Charles is just one S.O.B. when it comes to changing anything in the Catholic church and didn't he order some nasty things to happen to many many of our Huguenot ancestors.

There is a great story about how Theodore BEZA, another nice man, and Charles the nasty nasty Cardinal had a bit of a set too at Trent (Council of Trent 1562-63).

So after all that Frank Guise's son, Henri DE GUISE, grew up and it is he who planned the St Barts Day Massacre (24th August 1572)

Anyway, lots of good in-depth history stuff in this part of the Huguenot campaign but the good news is.. Henri DE GUISE is also assassinated eventually and after some more begatting the family eventually dies out with the death of Francois Joseph DE LORRAINE who was the 7th Duc (Duke) DE GUISE.

My goodness I should have made that a post on its own. Oh well I hope Chloe is so excited now to know more that it is off to the library for further research.

Now then.. back to these protesting protestors and Huguenots and Calvinists.

Kind Regards,
Peter Leroy

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