Page:General History of Europe 1921.djvu/456

 336 General History of Europe France renewed in civil war all the horrors of the English inva- sions of the Hundred Years' War. 568. Massacre of St. Bartholomew (1572). For a time Charles IX and his mother, Catherine of Medici, established friendly terms with the great Huguenot leader Coligny, who even became a sort of prime minister. He was anxious that both Catholics and Huguenots should join in a great na- tional war against France's old enemy the Hapsburgs of Spain. The strict Cath- olic party of the Guises frustrated this plan by a most fearful expedient. They easily induced Cath- erine of Medici to believe that she was being de- ceived by Coligny, and an assassin was engaged to put him out of the way ; but the scoundrel missed his aim and only wounded his victim. Fearful lest the young king, who was faithful to Coligny, should discover her part in the attempted murder, Catherine invented a story of a great Huguenot conspiracy. It was arranged that at a given signal a general massacre of the Huguenots should begin on the eve of St. Bartholomew's Day (August 23, 1572). No less than two thousand Protestants were ruthlessly murdered in Paris before the end of the next day. The news of this attack spread into the provinces, and it is probable that, at the very least, ten thousand more Protestants were put to death outside of the capital. 569. Henry IV ( 1589-ieio ) accepts the Catholic Faith. Civil war again broke out and was accompanied by a complicated HENRY IV OF FRANCE This spirited portrait of Henry of Na- varre gives an excellent impression of his geniality and good sense