Editing Huguenots (section)

===Reformation and growth===
Early in his reign, [[Francis I of France|Francis I]] ({{reign|1515|1547}}) persecuted the old, pre-Protestant movement of [[Waldensians]] in southeastern France. Francis initially protected the Huguenot dissidents from [[Parlement]]ary measures seeking to exterminate them. After the 1534 [[Affair of the Placards]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.renaissance-amboise.com/dossier_renaissance/ses_evenements/affaire_des_placards/affaire_des_placards.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100318035222/http://www.renaissance-amboise.com/dossier_renaissance/ses_evenements/affaire_des_placards/affaire_des_placards.htm|url-status=dead|title=L'affaire des placards, la fin de la belle Renaissance|archive-date=18 March 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.herodote.net/histoire/evenement.php?jour=15341018 |title=18 octobre 1534: l'affaire des placards |publisher=Herodote.net |access-date=2 August 2010}}</ref> however, he distanced himself from Huguenots and their protection.<ref>Geoffrey Treasure, ''The Huguenots'' (New Haven CT: Yale University Press, 2013), 70–71. {{ISBN|9780300196191}}</ref>

Huguenot numbers grew rapidly between 1555 and 1561, chiefly amongst nobles and city dwellers. During this time, their opponents first dubbed the Protestants ''Huguenots''; but they called themselves {{lang|fr|reformés}}, or "Reformed". They organised their first national synod in 1558 in Paris.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07527b.htm |title=Catholic Encyclopedia: Huguenots |publisher=Newadvent.org |access-date=2 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090818042836/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07527b.htm |archive-date=18 August 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

By 1562, the estimated number of Huguenots peaked at approximately two million, concentrated mainly in the western, southern, and some central parts of France, compared to approximately sixteen million Catholics during the same period. Persecution diminished the number of Huguenots who remained in France.