Editing Francis I of France (section)

===Religious policies===
Divisions in [[Christianity]] in Western Europe during Francis's reign created lasting international rifts. [[Martin Luther]]'s preaching and writing sparked the [[Protestant Reformation]], which spread through much of Europe, including France.

[[File:Massacre of the Vaudois of Merindol.jpg|thumb|left|[[Mérindol massacre|Massacre of Mérindol]] in 1545]]

Initially, Francis was relatively tolerant of the new movement, despite burning several heretics at the [[Place Maubert]] in 1523.<ref>[[Pierre Goubert|Goubert, Pierre]] (1991). ''The Course of French History'', Psychology Press, p. 92.</ref> He was influenced by his beloved sister [[Marguerite de Navarre]], who was genuinely attracted by Luther's theology.<ref>[[Pierre Goubert|Goubert, Pierre]] (1991). ''The Course of French History'', Psychology Press, pp. 91–92.</ref> Francis even considered it politically useful, as it caused many [[Imperial Estate|German princes]] to turn against his enemy Charles V.

Francis's attitude towards [[Protestantism]] changed for the worse following the "[[Affair of the Placards]]", on the night of 17 October 1534, in which notices appeared on the streets of Paris and other major cities denouncing the Catholic [[mass (Catholicism)|mass]]. The most fervent Catholics were outraged by the notice's allegations. Francis himself came to view the movement as a plot against him and began to persecute its followers. Protestants were jailed and executed. In some areas, whole villages were destroyed. In Paris, after 1540, Francis had heretics such as [[Étienne Dolet]] tortured and burned.<ref>Goubert, op. cit., p. 92</ref> [[Printing]] was censored and leading [[Protestant reformers]] such as [[John Calvin]] were forced into exile. The persecutions soon numbered thousands of dead and tens of thousands of homeless.{{Sfnp|Knecht|1982|pp=405, 406}}

Persecutions against Protestants were codified in the [[Edict of Fontainebleau (1540)]] issued by Francis. Major acts of violence continued, as when Francis ordered the extirpation of one of the historical pre-Lutheran groups, the [[Waldensians]], at the [[Massacre of Mérindol]] in 1545.{{sfn|Knecht|1997|p=69}}