How did the Edict of Nantes give Huguenots equal civil rights?

The Edict of Nantes, promulgated by Henry IV in 1598, granted Huguenots significant civil rights to help end the Wars of Religion in France.

The edict provided the following measures to ensure these rights:

• Legal Protections: It established a special court, the Chambre de l’Édit, which was composed of both Protestant and Catholic judges to impartially handle disputes arising from the edict’s provisions.1
• Public Access: Huguenots were granted access to education and the right to hold public office.12
• Religious Liberty: The decree upheld freedom of conscience and permitted public worship in many areas of the kingdom, though it excluded Paris.1
• State Support: Protestant pastors were to be paid by the state and were released from certain obligations.1
• Military Security: To ensure their safety, Huguenots were permitted to retain control of specific fortified cities, known as places de sûreté, for eight years, with the king covering the costs of garrisoning them.12

These protections were intended to integrate the Protestant minority into the state, though the edict was later restricted and eventually revoked by Louis XIV in 1685.1