La conscience nationale du protestantisme français

Abstract

From a selection of representative examples, this article shows that at the time of the Wars of Religion, French Protestants finally gave their loyalty to the natural prince, going beyond religious diversity to form the base of an unwavering patriotism. Because the nation and the homeland were defined first by recognizing common ancestors and the avowal of a single political sovereignty, religion no longer entered into the regard for a compatriot. This resulted in a strictly secular conception of foreigners: finally, whether Catholic or Protestant, when they were not French they could not promote the kingdom’s interests.

Keywords

• patriotism
• Machiavel
• Philippe Canaye de Fresnes
• Innocent Gentillet
• protestantism
• François de La Noue