French Huguenots

What is a French Huguenot (pronouced Hue-ga-naught)?  Why did they leave France?  How might have French Huguenots' experiences help shape and contribute to Charleston, South Carolina's early colonial life and culture?  This exhibit explores these questions and illuminates why their contributions played an important role in shaping life in colonial Charleston.  

During the 1530's, early French protestants embraced the writings of John Calvin, a French theologian whose views became widely known as Calvinism.  Calvinistic beliefs challenged the religious authority of the Catholic church, and as such, the foundations of the French monarchy. John Calvin objected to the Catholic church's insistence that Christian salvation could only be attained through the church itsself and by strict adherence to Catholic rituals and beliefs.  A clear affront to the Cathloic church's power, Calvinism and other Protestants drew immediate condemnation from the church and French Catholics.  

By 1562, France entered the Religious Wars, fought primarily between Catholics and Protestants.  Protestants were a minority in France accounting for roughly twelve percent of France's population in 1570. Persecution of Huguenots was pervasive and affected every aspect of Protestant life.  Huguenots were imprisoned for minor offences, often based on laws prohibiting them from practicing their beliefs, or failing to attend Catholic mass. Laws were inacted that caused considerable harm to Protestant merchants and professionals such as lawyers. Ultimately, persecution led to mobs of Catholics attacking Protestants with increasing violence and murdering sprees that killed entire villages of Protestants.  Throughout the latter half of the 16th century, massacres of Protestant believers were relatively frequent and widespread throughout France.