Who were the Huguenots? Love and Faith Amidst the Wars of Religion

Written by Katy Phan

St. Bartholomew's Day massacre

A white armband could dictate whether one lived or was mercilessly executed. The French Protestants—or Huguenots—were a religious group during the 16th-17th centuries who followed theologian John Calvin’s teachings, whose differences from Catholic traditions were rendered heresy before long. Igniting the conflict was a multi-citywide incident called “Affair of the Placards", where anti-Catholic posters were plastered all over the kingdom, prompting a rescission of the protective policies. Officially declared as heretics, persecution against the Huguenots escalated into a devastating series of eight civil conflicts later titled “the French Wars of Religion”.

A Huguenot, on St. Bartholomew’s Day (1582) by John Everett Millais

The white armband or the cross on one’s cap was a pledge of allegiance to the Roman Catholic Church and, at the same time, a shield against ruthless killings of “heretics”. Two major massacres totalled up to several thousands of casualties: the Massacre of Vassy (1562) and the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre (1572). The former kickstarted a formal war, and the latter was the most notorious event of those 36 years. No matter the person, fellow men were murdered without hesitation under the idea of maintaining order in the country.

Most famously, the oil painting by Sir John Everett Millais depicts two lingering lovers on St Bartholomew’s Day: a woman insistent on saving the one she loved and a man who stood true to his faith. Their furtive embrace withstood just for a moment, amidst the violent commotions of the outside world, as both knew the imminent tragedy once they let go. She

tightened the armband in desperation. His eyes tenderly rejected the notion.

The political-religious war resumed until the introduction of the Edict of Nantes in 1598, signing away freedom of conscience for French Protestants. Even though the ban on Calvinism had been lifted, the compromises which took them to their safety consisted of lives that can never be retrieved and history that can and should never be buried. It lies in the blood washed down Parisian drains, in the boats that burdened their forced emigration, and in Millais’s eyes, where love and faith could not forever intertwine. 

Works Cited

Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. “Massacre of Saint Bartholomew’s Day | Definition, Background, & Facts.” Britannica, 17 August 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/Massacre-of-Saint-Bartholomews-Day.

Kresser, Katie. “Kiss of Death.” Christian Scholar's Review, 14 February 2023, https://christianscholars.com/kiss-of-death/.

Menendez, Pedro. “The Huguenots - Key Facts and Events.” Christianity.com, 2022, http://christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1501-1600/huguenots-driven-out-of-france-11630022.html.