Huguenots

In the 16th and 17th centuries, Protestants in France were called Huguenots. During most of the 16th century, the Huguenots faced fierce prosecution, which to the end of the century led to large internal religious wars. However, in 1598, king Henry IV in the Edict of Nantes granted the Protestants full religious freedom and equal rights to the Cathlics. Louis XIV in 1685 renounced the edict and declared Protestantism illegal. After this, many Huguenots fled to surrounding Protestant nations.