Peace of Fleix, November 1580
The peace of Fleix (November 1580) ended the short Seventh War of Religion, and largely repeated the terms of earlier treaties.
The war had been declared by Henry of Navarre in April 1580, but most of the Huguenots refused to take part. Henry had successfully captured Cahors (28-31 May 1580), but elsewhere the Royal armies had achieved some successes, and by the autumn both sides were ready to negotiate. Peace talks took place at Fleix in Perigord.
Henry III was represented by the Duke of Montpensier, M. de Bellievre and Marshal Cossé, later joined by the king’s brother and heir the duke of Anjou, who had recently suggested as a candidate for the throne of the Netherlands, and wanted peace in France so he could concentrate on that.
The peace of Fleix was almost a reissue of the peace of Bergerac, which had ended the Sixth War of Religion. Huguenots were to be allowed to live anywhere in France, were granted to right to worship and no longer had to actively celebrate the feat of Corpus Christi. Just about every nobleman and official was ordered to swear to obey the terms of the treaty. The Huguenots were also allowed to keep their security towns for another six years after the original deadline for their return, and Figéac and Monségur were given to them in return for the return of La Réolle.
The peace of Fleix actually produced a short period of uneasy peace, which lasted for five years, one of the longest gaps between the Wars of Religions. The peace only collapsed after Anjou died leaving the Protestant Henry of Navarre as the heir to the throne of France, triggering a Catholic backlash that led to the Eighth War of Religion (1585-89), also known as the War of the Three Henrys.
The French Religious Wars 1562-1598, Robert Jean Knecht.
A useful guide to the complex series of nine French Wars of Religion, including an examination of who the wars began and the main players on both sides, narrative accounts of the wars, overviews of the most important battles and sieges. Also looks at the impact of the wars on France’s neighbours, many of whom got dragged into the conflict, and on a selection of soldiers and civilians. Supported by a series of maps that help show how complex the conflict was
How to cite this article:
Rickard, J (12 January 2018), Peace of Fleix, November 1580 , http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/peace_fleix.html
