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What religious rights did the Edict of Nantes grant French Protestants?

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The Edict of Nantes, promulgated by Henry IV in 1598, granted significant religious and civil rights to the Huguenots, the French Protestant minority, to end the Wars of Religion.1

Key rights granted included:

  • Freedom of Conscience: Protestants were upheld in their freedom of conscience throughout the kingdom.1
  • Public Worship: They were permitted to hold public worship in many areas, though this was explicitly prohibited in Paris.1
  • Civil Rights: The edict granted full civil rights, including access to education.1
  • Legal Protections: A special court, the Chambre de l’Édit, was established with both Protestant and Catholic members to resolve disputes related to the edict.1
  • State Support: Protestant pastors were to be paid by the state and exempted from certain obligations.1
  • Military Security: Protestants were permitted to maintain their existing strongholds, or places de sĆ»retĆ©, for eight years, with the king covering garrison expenses.1

While these rights were groundbreaking, the edict also restored Roman Catholicism in areas where it had been interrupted and forbade the expansion of Protestant worship.1