The doctrine of lawful rebellion in the princely proclamations of the French wars of religion

Andrei Constantin SĂLĂVĂSTRU

DOI: 10.47743/asui-2021-0012

Abstract: The historiography of the French Wars of Religion has devoted a lot of attention to the “monarchomach” literature of that period, examining the ideas of legitimate resistance and popular sovereignty expressed in these works. But the “monarchomach” authors, influential as they might had been in the field of ideas, were not key policy-makers, even though some of them got close to the centers of power by being part of the inner circle of the potentates of that time. The “official” position of the rebellious factions was expressed in the proclamations issued by their princely leaders when hostilities broke out anew. These princes embraced the idea of lawful rebellion of the “monarchomachs”, but did so on their own terms. This paper aims to analyze how was the doctrine of lawful rebellion constructed in these proclamations, in contrast with the popular radicalism in some of the “monarchomach” tracts.

Keywords: France; Wars of Religion; Rebellion; Royal Power; Huguenots.