History of the French Reformation & the Huguenots

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Order of Contents

Histories
.      Shorter  4
.      Longer  5
Specific Periods  12
Historical Theology  4
Latin  1


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Short & Medium Histories

1800’s

Religious Tract Society

The History of Protestantism in France, from the Earliest Ages to the end of the Reign of Charles IX [1574]  (1848)  200 pp.

The History of Protestantism in France from the End of the Reign of Charles IX [1574] to the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes [1685]  (1848)  200 pp.

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1900’s

Grant, A.J. – The Huguenots  Buy  (1934)  255 pp.

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2000’s

ed. Klauber, Martin – The Theology of the French Reformed Churches: From Henry IV [1553] to the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes [1685]  (RHB, 2014)  432 pp.

The first half of this work gives a very clear, helpful and brief history of the time period in question.  The second half delves into the historical theology of significant reformed, French theologians.


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Large Histories

1700’s

Laval, Stephen – A Compendious History of the Reformation in France… from the First Beginnings of the Reformation to the Repealing of the Edict of Nantz [1685], vol. 1, 2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2  (1737)

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1800’s

Smedley, Edward – History of the Reformed Religion in France, vol. 1, 2, 3  (1834)

Baird, Henry M.

The History of the Rise of the Huguenots, vol. 1 (1500’s-1562), 2 (1562-1574)  (1880)

Baird was a professor of the University of the City of New York.

“Vehemently pro-Huguenot…  the only full narrative in English, and had real learning as well as vigour.” – Owen Chadwick

The Huguenots & Henry of Navarre, vol. 1 (1574-1587), 2 (1588-1610)  (1886)

The Huguenots & the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, vol. 1 (1610-1685), 2 (1685-1802)  (1895)


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Specific Historical Periods

Early 1500’s

Books

Plummer, Alfred – The Continental Reformation in Germany, France & Switzerland, from the Birth of Luther to the Death of Calvin [1564]  (1912)  230 pp.  Especially ch. 8, ‘Calvin in France & Switzerland: Servetus’

Collett, Barry – A Long & Troubled Pilgrimage: the Correspondence of Marguerite D’Angouleme & Vittoria Colonna, 1540-1545  (1993)  175 pp.

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Mid-1500’s

Books

Watkins, David – The Second Commandment & Church Reform: the Colloquy of St. Germaine-en-Laye, 1562  (1994)  88 pp.

Kingdon, Robert M. – Geneva & the Coming of the Wars of Religion in France (1555-1563)  Buy  (1956)  170 pp.

“Valuable monograph.” – Owen Chadwick

ed. Barker, S.K. – Revisiting Geneva: Robert Kingdon & the Coming of the French Wars of Religion  St. Andrews Studies in French History & Culture  (Centre for French History and Culture, 2012)  107 pp.

Kingdon, Robert – Geneva & the Consolidation of the French Protestant Movement, 1564-1572; a Contribution to the History of Congregationalism, Presbyterianism & Calvinist Resistance Theory  (Univ. of Wisconsin Press, 1967)  240 pp.  ToC

Hannah, William – Wycliffe & the Huguenots, or Sketches of the Rise of the Reformation in England & of the Early History of Protestantism in France [1515-1572]  (1860)  290 pp.

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Late-1500’s

Articles

Baird, Henry M. – ‘Hotman & the ‘Franco-Gallia’ [1573]’  (1896)  23 pp.  in The American Historical Review

Francois Hotman (1524–1590) was a Huguenot lawyer, writer and leader of those who resisted absolute monarchy.

Hotman, Franco-Gallia: Or an Account of the Ancient Free State of France & most other Parts of Europe before the Loss of their Liberties (1573)

Hotman wrote this in the late 1560’s, though it was only published after St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre (the treacherous Roman Catholic slaughter of Protestants) in 1572.  See R.H. Murray on this work.  From the Translator’s Preface:

“Tis certainly as much a treason and rebellion against this constitution, and the known laws, in a Prince to endeavor to break through them, as ’tis in the people to rise against him, whilst he keeps within their bounds and does his duty.  Our constitution is a government of laws, not of persons.  Allegiance and protection are obligations that cannot subsist separately; when one fails, the other falls of course.  The true etymology of the word ‘loyalty’ (which has been so strangely wrested in the late reigns) is an entire obedience to the Prince in all his commands according to law; that is, to the laws themselves, to which we owe both an active and passive obedience.

By the old and true maxim, that the King can do no wrong, no body is so foolish as to conclude, that he has not strength to murder, to offer violence to women, or power enough to dispossess a man wrongfully of his estate, or that whatever he does (how wicked soever) is just: but the meaning is, he has no lawful power to do such things; and our constitution considers no power as irresistible, but what is lawful.”

Baird, Henry M. – ‘The Strength & the Weakness of the Edict of Nantes [1598]’  (1898)  9 pp.

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Books

Kingdon, Robert – Myths about the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacres, 1572-1576  (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1988)  270 pp.  ToC

Neale, J.E. – The Age of Catherine de Medici  Buy  (1943)  272 pp.

Catherine de Medici (1519-1589) was an Italian noblewoman who was queen consort of France from 1547 until 1559, by marriage to King Henry II, and Queen mother of kings Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III from 1559 to 1589.  The years during which her sons reigned have been called “the age of Catherine de’ Medici” as she had extensive, if at times varying, influence in the political life of France.

Baird, Henry M. – Theodore Beza, the Counselor of the French Reformation, 1519-1605  (1899)  440 pp.  ToC


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Historical Theology

General

ed. Klauber, Martin I.

The Theology of Early French Protestantism: from the Affair of the Placards [1534] to the Edict of Nantes [1598]  in Reformed Historical-Theological Studies  Pre  (RHB, 2023)  ToC

The Theology of the French Reformed Churches: From Henry IV [1553] to the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes [1685]  (RHB, 2014)  432 pp.

The first half of this work gives a very clear, helpful and brief history of the time period in question.  The second half delves into the historical theology of significant reformed, French theologians.

The Theology of the Huguenot Refuge: From the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes [1685] to the Edict of [Toleration of] Versailles [1787]  in Reformed Historical-Theological Studies  Ref  Buy  (RHB, 2020)  334 pp.  ToC

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Amyrauldianism

Armstrong, Brian G. – Calvinism & the Amyraut Heresy; Protestant Scholasticism & Humanism in Seventeenth-Century France  (Univ. of Wisconsin Press, 1969)


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Latin Article

1600’s

Voet, Gisbert – Of the Swiss, French, Scottish, Belgic, Polish, Bohemian, Hungarian, Transylvanian & Numerous German Churches  in Syllabus of Theological Problems  (Utrecht, 1643), pt. 1, section 2, tract 4   Abbr.

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Related Pages

Reformation & Puritan History

Church History

Historical Theology