Catherinethoughttosucceedbetterin1562bypromulgatinganedictaccordingProtestantstherighttouniteinthepubliccelebrationoftheircult。
Thistolerance，veryadmirablefromaphilosophicalpointofview，butnotatallwisefromthepoliticalstandpoint，hadnootherresultbeyondexasperatingbothparties。IntheMidi，wheretheProtestantswerestrongest，theypersecutedtheCatholics，soughttoconvertthembyviolence，cuttheirthroatsiftheydidnotsucceed，andsackedtheircathedrals。IntheregionswheretheCatholicsweremorenumeroustheReformerssufferedlikepersecutions。
Suchhostilitiesastheseinevitablyengenderedcivilwar。Thusarosetheso—calledreligiouswars，whichsolongspilledthebloodofFrance。Thecitieswereravaged，theinhabitantsmassacred，andthestrugglerapidlyassumedthatspecialqualityofferocitypeculiartoreligiousorpoliticalconflicts，which，atalaterdate，wastoreappearinthewarsofLaVendee。
Oldmen，women，andchildren，allwereexterminated。AcertainBarond’Oppede，firstpresidentoftheParliamentofAix，hadalreadysetanexamplebykilling3，000personsinthespaceoftendays，withrefinementsofcruelty，anddestroyingthreecitiesandtwenty—twovillages。Montluc，aworthyforerunnerofCarrier，hadtheCalviniststhrownlivingintothewellsuntilthesewerefull。TheProtestantswerenomorehumane。TheydidnotspareeventheCatholicchurches，andtreatedthetombsandstatuesjustasthedelegatesoftheConventionweretotreattheroyaltombsofSaintDenis。
UndertheinfluenceoftheseconflictsFrancewasprogressivelydisintegrated，andattheendofthereignofHenriIII。wasparcelledoutintoveritablelittleconfederatedmunicipalrepublics，formingsomanysovereignstates。Theroyalpowerwasvanishing。TheStatesofBloisclaimedtodictatetheirwishestoHenriIII。，whohadfledfromhiscapital。In1577thetravellerLippomano，whotraversedFrance，sawimportantcities——