Editing French Wars of Religion (section)

=== {{anchor|1562–1563|first}} "First" war (1562–1563) ===
{{main|First French War of Religion (1562-1563)}}
[[File:Massacre de Vassy 1562 print by Hogenberg end of 16th century.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|''Massacre de Vassy'' by Hogenberg, end of the 16th century]]

Although the Huguenots had begun mobilising for war before the [[Massacre of Vassy|Vassy massacre]],{{Sfn|Knecht|2000|p=86}} many claimed that the massacre confirmed claims that they could not rely on the [[Edict of Saint-Germain|Edict of Saint Germain]]. In response, a group of nobles led by Condé proclaimed their intention of "liberating" the king from "evil" councillors and seized Orléans on 2 April 1562.{{Sfn|Knecht|1996|p=35}} This example was quickly followed by Protestant groups around France, who seized and garrisoned [[Angers]], [[Blois]] and [[Tours]] along the [[Loire]] and assaulted [[Valence, Drôme|Valence]] in the [[Rhône River]].{{Sfn|Knecht|1996|p=35}} After capturing [[Lyon]] on 30 April, the attackers first sacked, then demolished all Catholic institutions in the city.{{Sfn|Hamilton|Spicer|2005|p=?}}

Hoping to turn [[Toulouse]] over to Condé, local Huguenots seized the ''Hôtel de ville'' but met resistance from angry Catholic mobs which resulted in [[1562 Riots of Toulouse|street battles]] and over 3,000 deaths, mostly Huguenots. On 12&nbsp;April 1562, there were massacres of Huguenots at Sens, as well as at [[Tours]] in July.{{Sfn|Knecht|1996|p=35}} As the conflict escalated, the Crown revoked the Edict under pressure from the Guise faction.{{sfn|Baird|1880|p=37}}{{sfn|Durot|2012|p=702}}

[[File:Le Sac de Lyon par les Réformés - Vers1565.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.3|Looting of the churches of [[Lyon]] by the Calvinists in 1562, by Antoine Carot]]

The major engagements of the war occurred at [[Rouen]], [[Dreux]], and [[Orléans]]. At the Siege of Rouen (May–October&nbsp;1562), the crown regained the city, but [[Antoine of Navarre]] died of his wounds.<ref>Trevor Dupuy, Curt Johnson and David L. Bongard, The Harper Encyclopedia of Military Biography, (Castle Books: Edison, 1992), p.&nbsp;98.</ref> In the [[Battle of Dreux]] (December&nbsp;1562), [[Louis I de Bourbon, Prince de Condé|Condé]] was captured by the crown, and the constable [[Anne de Montmorency|Montmorency]] was captured by those opposing the crown. In February&nbsp;1563, at the Siege of Orléans, [[Francis, Duke of Guise]], was [[Assassination of the Duke of Guise (1563)|shot and killed]] by the Huguenot [[Jean de Poltrot de Méré]]. As he was killed outside of direct combat, the Guise considered this an [[assassination]] on the orders of the duke's enemy, [[Gaspard II de Coligny|Admiral Coligny]]. The popular unrest caused by the assassination, coupled with the resistance by the city of [[Orléans]] to the siege, led [[Catherine de' Medici]] to mediate a truce, resulting in the [[Edict of Amboise]] on 19&nbsp;March 1563.{{sfn|Knecht|1996|p=37}}