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François 1 takes power and conquered Milan for a while.His Italian expeditions bring Renaissance culture to France.
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Reign of Henri II rein begins. He is married to Catherine de' Medici. The House of Guiseis growing.
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Henri II is killed accidentaly in a tournament. His death created a political vacuum that the faction around the powerful, and ultra-Catholic, House of Guise was able to exploit as kinsmen of King Francis II’s wife, Mary, Queen of Scots.
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The French Wars of Religion is between French Catholics and Protestants (Huguenots), which also involved the factional struggles between the aristocratic houses of France such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise.
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Huguenots were persecuted and at the same time they formed a political party. The leaders of both parties endeavored to exploit the weakness of the crown and get control of the government. Very few peasants became Protestants. There were eight wars.
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Henri de Navarre took leadership of the Huguenot (Protestant) party in 1569.
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St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre.In the massacre thousands of Protestants were killed in Paris and in the provinces when Henri de Navarre was marrying to the sister of the Charles IX, Marguerite de Valois
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Henri de Navarre escapes the French court, returns to the Protestant faith, and becomes leader of the Huguenots.
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The wars was between Henri III de Valois, Henri de Navarre, and Henri de Guise.
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Battle of Ivrey, crucial battle of these wars. In this battle Henri IV defeated Mayenne.
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Henri IV crowned at Chartres
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Tired of ruling an empire for 42 years, Phillip II of Spain died on September 13, 1598.
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The Edict of Nantes is signed in April and gives Protestants full civil rights and freedom of conscience.