The Edict of Versailles, also known as the Edict of Tolerance, was an official act that gave non-Catholics in France the access to civil rights formerly denied to them, which included the right to contract marriages without having to convert to the Catholic faith, but it denied them political rights and public worship. The edict was signed by King Louis XVI on 7 November 1787, and registered in the Parlement of Paris during the Ancien Régime on 29 January 1788. Its successful enactment was caused by persuasive arguments by prominent French philosophers and literary personalities of the day, including Anne-Robert-Jacques Turgot; Étienne François, duc de Choiseul, Americans such as Benjamin Franklin and especially the joint work of Guillaume-Chrétien de Lamoignon de Malesherbes, minister to Louis XVI, and Jean-Paul Rabaut Saint-Étienne, spokesman for the Protestant community in France.[1]
King Henry IV had granted Huguenots significant amount of freedom to practice their faith when he announced the Edict of Nantes on 13 April 1598. Those rights were revoked by Louis XIV during the Edict of Fontainebleau (18 October 1685). Enforcement of the revocation relaxed under the reign of Louis XV, but the revocation remained law for a century.
Under the Edict of Versailles, Roman Catholicism continued as the state religion of the Kingdom of France, but relief was offered to non-Catholic worshippers: Calvinist Huguenots, Lutherans and Jews alike. Considering the long-standing dominance of the state religion, restrictions were still placed on non-Catholics around the country. The time's outliers were kept behind the scenes at the workplace and in educational settings to avoid misrepresenting the kingdom.[2]
The most notable example restriction was in Metz, whose Parlement's actions explicitly excluded certain rights for Jews within its domain, such as drafting of lists of grievances, unlike in the rest of France.
The Edict of Versailles did not proclaim freedom of religion across France, which would occur only by the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen of 1789, but was an important step in pacifying religious tensions and officially ended religious persecution in France.
^Encyclopedia of the Age of Political Ideals, Edict of Versailles (1787) 2012-07-14 at the Wayback Machine, downloaded 29 January 2012
^. chnm.gmu.edu. Archived from the original on 2017-02-06. Retrieved 2017-02-06.
Baird, Henry Martyn. History of the Rise of the Huguenots of France. Kila, MT: Kessinger, 2006
Kuiper, B. K. The Church in History. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1995
Martyn, W. Carlos. A History of the Huguenots. Ann Arbor: Scholarly Publishing Office, University of Michigan Library, 2005
Sutherland, N. M. The Huguenot Struggle for Recognition. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1980.
External links
Édit de Versailles (7 novembre 1787), transcription of the original text, in French
January 21, 2023
edict, versailles, also, known, edict, tolerance, official, that, gave, catholics, france, access, civil, rights, formerly, denied, them, which, included, right, contract, marriages, without, having, convert, catholic, faith, denied, them, political, rights, p. The Edict of Versailles also known as the Edict of Tolerance was an official act that gave non Catholics in France the access to civil rights formerly denied to them which included the right to contract marriages without having to convert to the Catholic faith but it denied them political rights and public worship The edict was signed by King Louis XVI on 7 November 1787 and registered in the Parlement of Paris during the Ancien Regime on 29 January 1788 Its successful enactment was caused by persuasive arguments by prominent French philosophers and literary personalities of the day including Anne Robert Jacques Turgot Etienne Francois duc de Choiseul Americans such as Benjamin Franklin and especially the joint work of Guillaume Chretien de Lamoignon de Malesherbes minister to Louis XVI and Jean Paul Rabaut Saint Etienne spokesman for the Protestant community in France 1 Edict of Versailles signed by Louis XVI in 1787 Archives nationales de France King Henry IV had granted Huguenots significant amount of freedom to practice their faith when he announced the Edict of Nantes on 13 April 1598 Those rights were revoked by Louis XIV during the Edict of Fontainebleau 18 October 1685 Enforcement of the revocation relaxed under the reign of Louis XV but the revocation remained law for a century Under the Edict of Versailles Roman Catholicism continued as the state religion of the Kingdom of France but relief was offered to non Catholic worshippers Calvinist Huguenots Lutherans and Jews alike Considering the long standing dominance of the state religion restrictions were still placed on non Catholics around the country The time s outliers were kept behind the scenes at the workplace and in educational settings to avoid misrepresenting the kingdom 2 The most notable example restriction was in Metz whose Parlement s actions explicitly excluded certain rights for Jews within its domain such as drafting of lists of grievances unlike in the rest of France The Edict of Versailles did not proclaim freedom of religion across France which would occur only by the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen of 1789 but was an important step in pacifying religious tensions and officially ended religious persecution in France See also EditFrench Wars of Religion Persecution of Huguenots under Louis XV Religions in France Freedom of religionReferences Edit Encyclopedia of the Age of Political Ideals Edict of Versailles 1787 Archived 2012 07 14 at the Wayback Machine downloaded 29 January 2012 Edict of Toleration November 1787 chnm gmu edu Archived from the original on 2017 02 06 Retrieved 2017 02 06 Baird Henry Martyn History of the Rise of the Huguenots of France Kila MT Kessinger 2006 Kuiper B K The Church in History Grand Rapids MI Eerdmans 1995 Martyn W Carlos A History of the Huguenots Ann Arbor Scholarly Publishing Office University of Michigan Library 2005 Sutherland N M The Huguenot Struggle for Recognition New Haven CT Yale University Press 1980 External links EditEdit de Versailles 7 novembre 1787 transcription of the original text in French Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Edict of Versailles amp oldid 1111779062, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
