Theodore Beza and the Quest for Peace in France, 1572-1598

This volume examines the changing religious attitudes, political strategies, and resistance activities of Theodore of Beza and other French Protestant leaders between the Saint Bartholomew's Day massacres (1572) and the Edict of Nantes (1598). Drawing on the reformer's published and unpublished letters, city archival materials in Geneva, and rare Huguenot books and pamphlets, this study documents how Beza and his Reformed colleagues attempted to ensure the survival of the Protestant churches in France in the face of protracted civil war and repeated political and religious setbacks.More than a biography of Beza, this book will be of interest to scholars of early modern Europe who wish to understand the political struggles and internal tensions of the Huguenot movement during this crucial period.