Peace of Amboise

French history

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 18, 2026

Quick Summary

The Peace of Amboise was a treaty signed in 1563 that temporarily ended the first of the French Wars of Religion. These conflicts, spanning from 1562 to 1598, were fought between Protestants (Huguenots) and Roman Catholics in France. The spread of French Calvinism angered the powerful Catholic Guise family, leading to violence and a series of inconclusive skirmishes and compromises. The Peace of Amboise granted limited religious freedom to the Huguenots in specific areas, aiming to quell the conflict. However, religious tensions persisted, leading to further outbreaks of war, including the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre in 1572, before religious toleration was more firmly established by the Edict of Nantes in 1598.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

France
The Wars of Religion
…compromise was reached at the Peace of Amboise in March 1563: liberty of conscience was granted to the Huguenots, but the celebration of religious services was confined to the households of the nobility and to a limited number of towns.
Read More
…compromise was reached at the Peace of Amboise in March 1563: liberty of conscience was granted to the Huguenots, but the celebration of religious services was confined to the households of the nobility and to a limited number of towns.
Read More