Massacre of Mérindol
Encyclopedia
The Massacre of Mérindol took place in 1545, when Francis I of France
ordered the Waldensians
of the city of Mérindol
to be punished for dissident religious activities.
the Waldenses joined the local Protestant churches in Bohemia, France and Germany. They had regrouped in the Luberon
and followed their religions in a carefully concealed manner, but this became apparent when Lutherans started to penetrate their region. The Waldensians also became more militant, fortifying themselves as in Cabrières
, or attacking an abbey.
Their increasing interaction with the Protestant churches having brought the Waldenses to the attention of the authorities, the Parlement of Provence
issued the "Arrêt de Mérindol" on 18 November 1541. This was confirmed in 1545 by Francis I
after a series of appeals eventually failed. In April, Maynier raised an army of Provençal troops, who were joined by forces from the Papal Comtat Venaissin
against the Waldensians of Merindol and Cabrières.
The leaders in the 1545 massacres were Jean Maynier d'Oppède, First President of the parlement of Provence
, and Antoine Escalin des Aimars
, who was returning from the Italian Wars
with 2,000 veterans, the Bandes de Piémont. Polin was on his way to fight against the English in the area of Boulogne after returning from an embassy to Constantinople
, where he was French Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. While in Marseilles in 1545, he was requested to assist Jean Maynier d'Oppède in the repression.
These soldiers took villages of Mérindol and Cabrieres and also devastated neighbouring Waldensian villages.
Deaths ranged from hundreds to thousands, depending on the estimates, with hundreds of others sent to forced labour in the French galleys, and several villages (between 22 and 28) were devastated. The execution of one young man, a servant, may well be the first example of execution by firing squad
in Europe, at least for causes of ideology.
In the aftermath, both Francis I
and Pope Paul III approved of the actions taken, and Maynier was awarded Imperial honours by the Pope. When Henry II
took the French throne, however, he promised to investigate the affair, and had the leaders of the expedition tried by the Parlement of Paris
, though all but one of them was eventually acquitted. The massacres may have been influential in the process wherein the Waldenses became more and more attached to the Calvinist churches.
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
ordered the Waldensians
Waldensians
Waldensians, Waldenses or Vaudois are names for a Christian movement of the later Middle Ages, descendants of which still exist in various regions, primarily in North-Western Italy. There is considerable uncertainty about the earlier history of the Waldenses because of a lack of extant source...
of the city of Mérindol
Mérindol
Mérindol is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...
to be punished for dissident religious activities.
Arrêt de Mérindol
Outside the PiedmontPiedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
the Waldenses joined the local Protestant churches in Bohemia, France and Germany. They had regrouped in the Luberon
Luberon
The Luberon or Luberon Massif , also called Lubéron, has a maximum altitude of 1,256 m and an area of about 600 km²...
and followed their religions in a carefully concealed manner, but this became apparent when Lutherans started to penetrate their region. The Waldensians also became more militant, fortifying themselves as in Cabrières
Cabrières
Cabrières is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:* Cabrières, Gard, in the Gard department* Cabrières, Hérault, in the Hérault department* Cabrières-d'Aigues, in the Vaucluse department...
, or attacking an abbey.
Their increasing interaction with the Protestant churches having brought the Waldenses to the attention of the authorities, the Parlement of Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
issued the "Arrêt de Mérindol" on 18 November 1541. This was confirmed in 1545 by Francis I
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
after a series of appeals eventually failed. In April, Maynier raised an army of Provençal troops, who were joined by forces from the Papal Comtat Venaissin
Comtat Venaissin
The Comtat Venaissin, often called the Comtat for short , is the former name of the region around the city of Avignon in what is now the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of France. It comprised roughly the area between the Rhône, the Durance and Mont Ventoux, with a small exclave located to the...
against the Waldensians of Merindol and Cabrières.
The massacres
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
, and Antoine Escalin des Aimars
Antoine Escalin des Aimars
Antoine Escalin des Aimars , also known as Captain Polin or Captain Paulin, later Baron de La Garde, was French ambassador to the Ottoman Empire from 1541 to 1547, and "Général des Galères" from 1544.-Italian Wars:Polin was noticed by Guillaume du Bellay as a valuable officer of the French Army...
, who was returning from the Italian Wars
Italian Wars
The Italian Wars, often referred to as the Great Italian Wars or the Great Wars of Italy and sometimes as the Habsburg–Valois Wars, were a series of conflicts from 1494 to 1559 that involved, at various times, most of the city-states of Italy, the Papal States, most of the major states of Western...
with 2,000 veterans, the Bandes de Piémont. Polin was on his way to fight against the English in the area of Boulogne after returning from an embassy to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, where he was French Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. While in Marseilles in 1545, he was requested to assist Jean Maynier d'Oppède in the repression.
These soldiers took villages of Mérindol and Cabrieres and also devastated neighbouring Waldensian villages.
Deaths ranged from hundreds to thousands, depending on the estimates, with hundreds of others sent to forced labour in the French galleys, and several villages (between 22 and 28) were devastated. The execution of one young man, a servant, may well be the first example of execution by firing squad
Execution by firing squad
Execution by firing squad, sometimes called fusillading , is a method of capital punishment, particularly common in the military and in times of war.Execution by shooting is a fairly old practice...
in Europe, at least for causes of ideology.
In the aftermath, both Francis I
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
and Pope Paul III approved of the actions taken, and Maynier was awarded Imperial honours by the Pope. When Henry II
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
took the French throne, however, he promised to investigate the affair, and had the leaders of the expedition tried by the Parlement of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, though all but one of them was eventually acquitted. The massacres may have been influential in the process wherein the Waldenses became more and more attached to the Calvinist churches.