Treaty of Nemours
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The Treaty of Nemours was signed in Nemours on July 7, 1585 between Catherine de' Medici and members from the House of Guise. Several days later, the treaty was signed at Saint-Maur between King Henry III of France and the leader of the Catholic League, Duke Henry Guise. The king, specifically, was pressured by members of the Catholic League to sign the accord.
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[edit] Terms
The treaty, overall, forced King Henry to capitulate to the demands of the Catholic League. Moreover, the Duke of Guise was given Chalons as a security. As a result, the entire north-eastern half of France was controlled by the House of Guise. Moreover, the Guises were promised significant subsidies to fulfill all of their expenses. King Henry bluntly told the Cardinal of Bourbon that the overall accord would bring chaos and ruin to France. Yet, the king signed the treaty in his attempts to disempower Duke Henry Guise's position and become leader of the Catholic League.
On July 19, the Catholic League developed an edict that reinforced the effects of the Treaty of Nemours. Based on the terms of the accord, all previous edicts granting religious and political concessions to the Huguenots were revoked. In short, the accord forbade the practice of all religions except Roman Catholicism in France. Heretics were not permitted to attain public office and ministers from other religions were banned. All subjects had to convert to Catholicism or risk being expelled from France.
[edit] Aftermath
It is said that when the news of the treaty reached the King of Navarre, one-half of his moustache turned white. However, such a tale pales in comparison to the actions of Pope Sixtus V when he heard of the treaty. Basically, Sixtus sealed the Treaty of Nemours by excommunicating the King of Navarre and his cousin, the Prince of Condé. He based his excommunication on the grounds that the throne of Navarre was vested in Saint Peter, his successors, and the eternal power of God. As a result, the Papal Bull stripped the King of Navarre of his titles, and denied him and his cousin the right to succeed the French throne. Moreover, the Papal Bull broke all allegiances sworn to the King of Navarre by his vassals. The Treaty of Nemours, and the events shortly after its signing, was responsible for the advent of the War of the Three Henries.
[edit] References
- Baumgartner, Frederic J. The Case for Charles X. Sixteenth Century Journal, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 87-98 (October 1973).
- Konnert, Mark. Urban Values versus Religious Passion: Chalons-sur-Marne during the Wars of Religion. Sixteenth Century Journal, Vol. 20, No. 3, pp. 387-405 (Autumn 1989).
