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| "Huguenot" by Armand Le Veel |
After the hecatomb of the St. Bartholomew, when
royal power authorised the assassination of about 20,000 French Huguenots
in August 1572, the Reformed of the South started to organise themselves to
face the new raising of arms. The Calvinists redressed themselves after the
torment. “We saw new Genevas, saint cities, arise everywhere in the kingdom,
whose virtue and bravery defied the decadence of the court” (Jacques Madaule, Histoire
de France, Tome I, p. 315). Commando raids give the Reformed many necessary
strategic points for creating a vast defensive dispositive.
At the same time, political assemblies take
place in Realmont (High-Languedoc), St. Antonin and St. Pierre-de-Salles (Cevennes Guyenne , Honorat of Savoy, reports
mobilisations of “confederates” to his suzerain the King of France. In February
1573, a first bulky congress takes place in Anduze (Low-Languedoc) with
representatives of multiple Occitan provinces (Albigeois, Quercy, Rouergue,
etc.). The assemblies continue in Realmont in March, Montauban and Nimes
At Millau, the Southern Huguenots decide to
establish a true civil power to steward their operational military structure.
We call this confederation of cities and territories the “United Provinces of
the Midi ”. According to the laws in vigor in
this sovereign authority, Municipal Councils (elected by communal suffrage)
delegate deputies to the Provincial Assemblies whom in turn delegate deputies
to the General-Estates or General Assembly. These different levels of
government each named their respective Permanent Councils.
Suggested map of the United Provinces of the South respecting the boundaries of the former provinces of the kingdom of France, 1573-1594
Legend:
- Light blue = controlled provinces United Provinces of the Midi (including Catholic cities such as Toulouse and Bordeaux)
- Dark Blue = State Calvinist independent Béarn-Navarre
- Yellow-orange = provinces controlled by the monarchy of Valois and / or the Catholic League
- Green = current French regions not part of France in the late sixteenth century
- Brown = other countries
Historians have debated whether or not the
United Provinces of the Midi
really formed a secessionist republic of the kingdom of France Western
Occitania
(they were not numerous enough to resist in Provence kingdom of France France Valois and the French nation” (so says the preamble
quoted further). The medium term goal of their enterprise therefore had the
aspect of a mission of national renovation.
However, in the short term, the United
Provinces of the Midi did represent a true temporary secession from Parisian
power, as the second article of the Rule reveals: “by provision and while
waiting the restoration of a good state, the public power and authority will be
restrained, kept and conserved by the country [controlled by the Union] on the
advice and deliberations of the Estates[-General].”
Apart from this, notwithstanding an
eventual restoration of a trustful relationship between the Parisian monarchy
and the subjects-citizens of the South East, the Huguenots wished, not only to
have Charles IX recognize the permanency of the political institutionalization
of Calvinism in the Midi, but even more, to have the king recognize the
integration of this new system in an international alliance of Reformed states
(this is what a request sent by the
Assembly of Montauban to Charles IX in August 1573, cf. Janine
Garrisson, Protestants du Midi, p. 177-224 and 339-348, which is the main source for this study.)
Therefore, the architects of the United Provinces of the Midi
saw their construction as a definitive reengineering of the European political
space. They were ready to cooperate with Paris ,
but didn’t plan to dissolve themselves immediately after an arrangement would
by found with the monarch of the North. This informal republic (the nobility,
bourgeoisie and commoners shared the offices) prepared the terrain for a
potential effective secession (Conner, 2002, p. 136), which was attempted to erase
too late, in 1621-1628 (Charles
Weiss, 1853, p. 13-24).
The legislative, executive and judicial powers
were clearly distinguished in the political constitution of the United
provinces of the Midi
(a long time before Montesquieu!). It is pertinent to underline the theonomic
principles in this Calvinist historical documentation. Since the Millau text
(December 1573) expressively refers to the authority of the anterior versions
of the Rule (and copies its content), I allow myself to firstly refer to the
Anduze text as an official legislation of the United Provinces of The Midi. We
will come back to the Millau text (which is more definitive but not numbered in
the version we have) later on.
Here are non-exhaustive excerpts. In the
translating process, I have modernised the punctuation somewhat, but I have
left the old phraseology and syntax intact (for the most part). The subtitles
are my addition (but not the article titles).
Rule of the United
Provinces of the Midi
Enacted by the
Interprovincial Assembly of Anduze
To all present and to come,
Take note that today, February Seventh, 1573,
the peasants and inhabitants of the country of Languedoc [and Occitania at
large] – as much from the nobility as the commoners – professing the Reformed
faith, convened and assembled [...] in the city of Anduze after having invoked
the name of the Lord for the assistance and virtue of the Holy Spirit, have
unanimously advised, concluded and arrested what follows.
[...] They protest and swear hand raised before
God and His angels [...] that they have not undertaken this uprising and do not
pursue the path of arms neither by hate nor by ambition or other bad affection.
[... by diplomatic precaution, the redactors
then pretend to grant the presumption of innocence to Charles IX for the St.
Bartholomew massacre, even if they are fully aware that he is half guilty ...]
In these just occasions, the peasants and
inhabitants of the country have resolved to prevent from their part [Catherine
of Medici and the Duke of Guise] the inconvenients which seem leaning on our
heads, they will take and hold all the weapons to in their hands to become
stronger than these monsters of inequity, conspirating enemies of God and
kingship, dishonesty of public law and of common rest. And if they can weaken
or divert them from their wickedness, they have deliberated [the Huguenots] to
join to some force with which they can help each other and employ themselves to
chase away the consuls authors and feeders of the tyranny exercised upon the
youth, the state and the will of the king [...] they also wish by this mean and
accessory weapon conserve the freedom of predication of the Gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ, [and] the advancement of His reign [...].
Article I — [preliminary explanation]:
And to route all things to this good and
praise-worthy end, by a good order has been arrested and the advice of many of
the main magistrates of justice who are of the Reformed religion preserved like
a residue in province [remember that the Huguenot party had recently been
decapitated in Paris] with which the deputies of the Assembly have to this
effect conferred.
Ensuring the morality of the
leaders
Article VII — Police of the cities and places:
For the police of the cities and places, the
elections of the consuls will be made according to custom without distinction
of religion in the places where the Catholics will have behaved reasonably, and
in the other places, between those of the reformed religion solely.
Article XVII — Confirmation and nomination of
the captains:
[We] will make them be presented to the Counsel
of the country so we can recognize by testimony their past manners, conditions
and behavior and upon this apprehend or refuse them as they will see expedient.
Limitation of taxation
Article XI — Prohibition on imposition:
No general or particular imposition will be
made without express commission or ordinance of the [Confederal] Estates [...].
Lawlessness of fiscal
corruption
Article XVI — Touching the Governor general of
the country:
[…] A general [and?] provincial Governor will
be elected and the [confederal and provincial?] Estates will know its actions
in case there is complaint against it for embezzlement or other thing important
to the safety of the country, in all things general and particular.
Alienation of the material
possessions of the pagans warring against God’s people:
Article XXIII — Goods of the papists:
As for the goods of the papists making war or
favouring it, each city may do to its discretion.
Submission of the magistrates
to the law
Article XXIX — Observations and ordinances:
The general and particular governors will be
obliged to enforce the respect of this ordinance [XXVIII: on the distribution
of legitimate booty].
Civic duty of the
subjects-citizens
Article XXXVI — Exhortation to all to declare
themselves for the cause:
All the gentlemen and others apt to the public
service of this cause will be exhorted to declare themselves for it and to
employ without differing otherwise, and if they don’t do so they will be held
as deserters and enemies.
Military structuring of the
civic body
Article XLIIII — The enrollment of men:
Will be enrolled in every place [...] all the
men apt to bear weapons and [...] [those who do not have weapons shall] procure
some within three days after the summoning [...and those who have the means
shall help the one who don’t.]
Article XLV — Injunction to the consuls for the
enrollment of men:
[It is] enjoined to the consuls and syndics of
the cities and places [...] to “reduce” the all [organise the able-bodied men]
in companies, in which their will by at least one hundred men, commanded by a
captain, [...].
The army lives on its
logistics and not on looting
Article XLV — [continued]:
[...The companies...] will march when the
governor will command them, without using of oppression against anybody and
without oppressing their hosts by an unfavourable treatment.
Article XV — For the Provost:
In each [civil] diocese a Provost of the
Marshal will be ordained and a stopover and dwelling commissioners which will
be mandated to furnish the lodging of the companies both on foot and on horse.
Article XXI — Supply commissioners:
Some supply commissioners will be ordained for
the army when it will march, one well testified for each [civil] diocese, and
each will serve for his diocese or viguerie [medieval administrative
jurisdiction in Occitania] with some controllers.
Property and economic rights
Article LI — Labourers and commerce:
The labourer and his journeymen will not be
troubled in their labouring, labour tools and labour cattle or likewise the
commerce of merchandise which will not be contraband.
+++++
 |
| Following the horrible
St. Bartholomew Day's Massacre sanctioned by Catherine de Medici (depicted above), the French Huguenots formed the United Provinces of the Midi to defend themselves from future massacres. |
Rule of the United
Provinces of the Midi
Enacted by the
Estates-General of Millau
Preamble
Having judged very necessary that the salvation
and conservation of all those of the reformed religion depends on the union,
good intelligence and correspondence that must be between them and narrowly
kept and sweared [...] all and each of the assistants and deputies in the said
Assembly [of Millau ... have] contracted union, full association, and mutual
fraternity, perfect and forever continuing, in all thing saint and civil, [...]
and to constantly persevere until death to make together only one body.
Powers, competences and
prerogatives of the United Provinces
Between all and by all generally, all laws
divine [religious] and humane, constitutions ecclesiastical as military, of
justice, police and finance, made by all legitimate assemblies, and especially
by this present [confederative Assembly], shall have superiority and dominion
over all, [...] that all the rest of the persons making profession of the
Reformed religion, of whatever state and condition they be, must respectively
answer to them [the legitimate assemblies], under penalty of being substracted
from the civil union of the Reformed church above sweared.
Protection of public modesty
and private morality
Misters the ministers of the Word of God and
other [members] of the [parish] consistories will be exhorted to monitor the
crimes and dissolutions that are committed daily to denounce them and give
warning to the judges [of the] Presidials or to the Lieutenant or Seneschal
Syndic and the cause or other [information] which will belong [to the case],
give the instructions and means [necessary to] verify the denounced cases, so
that the proper punishment ensues.
[...]
And likewise the generals and Counsels will be
enjoined to provide that in all the cities and other places that are of the
reformed religion, the exercise of it will be established to contain all kind
of persons under the censorship and discipline of the church.
Political autonomy of local
collectivities
Police will be administered by the consuls and
other public officers of the cities and villages [...] so they cannot be
troubled or precluded neither by misters the generals and Counsel, nor
similarly by the diocesan governors, but will be kept to this end all the
municipal privileges and statutes, franchises and liberties of the city bodies and
other places that are in the obedience of the reformed religion.
Reproduced in Eugene & Emile Haag, La France
+++++
Janine Garrisson, partly relying on precedent
historians, made the following observations on the accomplishments and
aspirations of the United Provinces of the Midi in the above-mentioned work:
“The city is the essential base of the envisaged
political organisation. [...] The city and its countryside are organised in an
autonomous cell.” (181)
“The gentlemen charged with making war have a
limited power.” (186)
“According to the Millau Rule, [the
Estates-General] unite twice a year. [...] The Estates-General possess kingly
rights. [...] The Millay Assembly therefore constitutes the first
Estates-General of the Protestants, and its Rule, the first legislative work of
this sovereign instance.” (186)
“The relative flexibility of the deputation that
presides the assemblies testifies that at the origin of the Protestant state,
there really is a confederation of autonomous cities and countries.” (202)
“The United Provinces have ensured an
administrative continuity in the South of the kingdom. [...] The vigor of the
Protestant financial administration also appears in [...the account books], an
impeccable order reigns in them. [...] The Huguenot state also ensured the continuity
of justice [...and...] contributed to maintaining the unity of the South of the
kingdom.” (211-213)
“In Dauphine Union commanded by Lesdiguières stopped
the invasion army thrown by the Duke of Savoy. [...] In the entire Midi , the aggressions of the [Catholic]
League, from 1588 and especially 1589, are fought back by the forces of the
United Provinces. [...] The defense of the churches has been, as it should be,
the essential work of the Union .
[...] Thus, a force ratio where Protestants are in an advantageous position is
established.” (214)
“In 1585, […] the ministers united in synod in
Privas [Vivarais] go to the Protestant [political] assembly which is seating at
the same time in the same city. […] The pastors suggest a precise program of
good Christian conduct and especially the prohibition of ‘blasphemy, […] of
profane, vile and dirty talking’, the punishment of ‘larceny and extortion’.
This plan of moral recovery is heard by the assembly. Jacques of Chambaud, the
President, [...] then replies in the name of all: ‘The assembly praises greatly
the said ministers and synod and for the care they have for their flocks and
thanks them a lot for the remonstrances and excitements that they were pleased
to do by the said articles [...] which the assembly receives with a very good
heart and in all humility as coming from their true and legitimate pastors,
servants of God and annunciators of his saint Word’.” (217)
“The final success of the Huguenot political
project would have brought the Meridional provinces towards a Swiss or Dutch
becoming.” (220)
“[It’s] a new kind of republic, composed of all
its parts and separated from the rest of the [French] state, which had its laws
on religion, civil government, justice, military discipline, liberty of
commerce, tax levying and financial administration.” (220)
In Huguenot Heartland: Montauban and
Southern French Calvinism during the Wars of Religion, Philip Conner explains that the
Edict of Nantes of 1598 (granting Calvinists freedom of conscience in all the
kingdom and freedom of religion in a number of cities and areas) was the fruit
of the efforts f the Huguenot republic (pages 136 and 139). Effectively, after
that the Protector (top magistrate) of the United Provinces, Henri IV (since
1575), illegitimately ordered this state to dissolve itself (this totally
exceeded his legal prerogatives), the personnel of the Union prepared to enter war against the
depraved monarch. The old diplomat of Henri IV (and author of the famous
Monarchomach pamphlet Vindia Contra Tyrannos), Philippe of Mornay,
warned him that “our people [...] will cheerfully pass the Rubicon.” Henri IV,
cornered, then accepted to negotiate a new edict with the Permanent General
Assembly of the United Provinces of the Midi, who kept a strong pressure on
Paris from 1596 until 1598 (Léonce Anquez, 1859, p. 62-71).
At the Estates-General of Ste-Foy-la-Grande in
1594, the United Provinces had expanded their representative dispositive to the
whole of France
+ + + + +·
Non-exhaustive list of the Estates-General of the United Provinces of the Midi:
- 1573: Montauban (Tarn)
- 1573: Millau (Aveyron)
- 1554: Millau (Aveyron)
- 1575: Montauban (Tarn)
- 1581: Montauban (Tarn)
- 1582: St-Jean d'Angely (Saintonge)
- 1588: La Rochelle (Aunis)
- 1593: Mantes (Ile de France)
- 1594: Ste-Foy-la-Grande (Perigord)
- 1595: Saumur (Maine-et-Loire)
- 1596-1598: Loudon (Poitou) + Vendome (Loir-et-Cher) + + Châtellerault Saumur (Poitou)
For the original article, visit The Monarchomaque here. To read the article in English, click the "translate" option.
Note about the Theonomy Applied Series: In quoting any particular law, we do not necessarily endorse every aspect of that law as biblical, whether it be the prohibition, sanction, court procedure, etc. Rather, we are merely showing the more or less attempt to apply biblical law in history, whether or not that application was fully biblical. Moreover, in quoting any particular law, we do not necessarily consider those who passed and/or enforced such a law as being fully orthodox in their Christian theology. Professing Christian rulers in history have ranged in their theology from being orthodox (that is, Reformed Protestants) to heretical (for example, Roman Catholics).
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