Editing French Wars of Religion (section)

== 1574–1580 ==

=== {{anchor|1574–1576|fifth}} Death of Charles IX and the "fifth" war (1574–1576) ===
In the absence of the [[Henry III of France|duke of Anjou]], disputes between [[Charles IX of France|Charles]] and his youngest brother, the [[François, Duke of Anjou|duke of Alençon]], led to many Huguenots congregating around Alençon for patronage and support. A failed coup at [[Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye|Saint-Germain]] (February&nbsp;1574), allegedly aiming to release [[Henri I de Bourbon, prince de Condé|Condé]] and [[Henry IV of France|Navarre]] who had been held at court since [[St. Bartholomew's Day massacre|St Bartholemew]]'s, coincided with rather successful Huguenot uprisings in other parts of France such as [[Lower Normandy]], [[Poitou]], and the [[Rhone|Rhône]] valley, which reinitiated hostilities.<ref>Knecht 2000, p.&nbsp;181.</ref>

Three months after Henry of Anjou's coronation as [[King of Poland]], his brother Charles&nbsp;IX died (May&nbsp;1574) and his mother declared herself regent until his return. Henry secretly left Poland and returned via [[Venice]] to France, where he faced the defection of [[Henri I de Montmorency|Montmorency-Damville]], ex-commander in the [[Southern France|Midi]] (November&nbsp;1574). Despite having failed to have established his authority over the Midi, he was crowned King Henry&nbsp;III, at [[Rheims]] (February&nbsp;1575), marrying [[Louise de Lorraine-Vaudémont|Louise Vaudémont]], a kinswoman of the Guise, the following day. By April, the crown was already seeking to negotiate,<ref>Knecht 2000, p.&nbsp;190.</ref> and the escape of Alençon from court in September prompted the possibility of an overwhelming coalition of forces against the crown, as [[John I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken|John Casimir of the Palatinate]] invaded [[Champagne, France|Champagne]]. The crown hastily negotiated a truce of seven months with Alençon and promised Casimir's forces 500,000&nbsp;livres to stay east of the [[Rhine]],<ref>Knecht 2000, p.&nbsp;191.</ref> but neither action secured a peace. By May&nbsp;1576, the crown was forced to accept the terms of Alençon, and the Huguenots who supported him, in the [[Edict of Beaulieu]], known as the Peace of Monsieur.{{sfn|Knecht|2016|p=109}}

=== {{anchor|1576–1577|sixth}} Catholic League and the "sixth" war (1576–1577) ===
[[File:Procession de la Ligue 1590 Carnavalet.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|Armed procession of the [[Catholic League (French)|Catholic League]] in Paris in 1590, [[Musée Carnavalet]], Paris]]
The [[Edict of Beaulieu]] granted many concessions to the Calvinists, but these were short-lived in the face of the [[Catholic League (French)|Catholic League]]&nbsp;– which the ultra-Catholic, [[Henry I, Duke of Guise]], had formed in opposition to it. The [[House of Guise]] had long been identified with the defense of the [[Roman Catholic Church]] and the Duke of Guise and his relations&nbsp;– the [[Charles of Lorraine, Duke of Mayenne|Duke of Mayenne]], [[Charles, Duke of Aumale|Duke of Aumale]], [[Charles I, Duke of Elbeuf|Duke of Elbeuf]], [[Philippe Emmanuel, Duke of Mercœur|Duke of Mercœur]], and the [[Charles III, Duke of Lorraine|Duke of Lorraine]]&nbsp;– controlled extensive territories that were loyal to the League. The League also had a large following among the urban middle class.{{sfn|Knecht|2016|p=110}}{{sfn|Babelon|2009|p=331}}{{sfn|Salmon|1975|pp=236-237}}{{sfn|Salmon|1975|pp=247-250}}

King Henry III at first tried to co-opt the head of the Catholic League and steer it towards a negotiated settlement.<ref name="Knecht65">Knecht 1996, p.&nbsp;65.</ref> This was anathema to the Guise leaders, who wanted to bankrupt the Huguenots and divide their considerable assets with the King. A test of King Henry&nbsp;III's leadership occurred at the meeting of the [[Estates General of 1576|Estates-General at Blois in December&nbsp;1576]].<ref name="Knecht65" /> At the meeting of the Estates-General, there was only one Huguenot delegate present among all of the three estates;<ref name="Knecht65" /> the rest of the delegates were Catholics with the Catholic League heavily represented. Accordingly, the Estates-General pressured Henry&nbsp;III into conducting a war against the Huguenots. In response Henry said he would reopen hostilities with the Huguenots but wanted the Estates-General to vote him the funds to carry out the war.<ref name="Knecht65" /> Yet, the Third Estate refused to vote for the necessary taxes to fund this war.{{sfn|Sutherland|1980|p=263}}

The [[Estates General of 1576]] failed to resolve matters, and by December, the Huguenots had already taken up arms in [[Poitou]] and Guyenne. While the Guise faction had the unwavering support of the Spanish Crown, the Huguenots had the advantage of a strong power base in the southwest; they were also discreetly supported by foreign Protestant governments, but in practice, England or the [[Holy Roman Empire|German states]] could provide few troops in the ensuing conflict. After much posturing and negotiations, Henry&nbsp;III rescinded most of the concessions that had been made to the Protestants in the Edict of Beaulieu with the [[Treaty of Bergerac]] (September&nbsp;1577), confirmed in the Edict of Poitiers passed six days later.<ref>Knecht 2000, p.&nbsp;208.</ref>

=== {{anchor|1579–1580|seventh}} "Seventh" war (1579–1580) ===
Despite Henry according his youngest brother [[Francis, Duke of Anjou|Francis]] the title of [[Duke of Anjou]], the prince and his followers continued to create disorder at court through their involvement in the [[Dutch Revolt]]. Meanwhile, the regional situation disintegrated into disorder as both Catholics and Protestants armed themselves in 'self defence'. In November&nbsp;1579, [[Henri I de Bourbon, prince de Condé|Condé]] seized the town of [[La Fère]], leading to another round of military action, which was brought to an end by the [[Treaty of Fleix]] (November&nbsp;1580), negotiated by [[François, Duke of Anjou|Anjou]].{{sfn|Holt|2002|p=70}}{{sfn|Jouanna|Boucher|Biloghi|Thiec|1998|p=1248}}{{sfn|Salmon|1975|p=204}}{{sfn|Holt|2002|p=140}}