One of the leading role of religious conflict that occurred in France
in the second half of the 16th century is the Guise family who was the
best of contemporary power. The duke of Guise and the cardinal of
Lorraine are the central figure of the family.
The duke of Guise established his political stature by many
achievements in battle until the first religious war. In other words, he
raised the prestige of France for he was defending Metz from the Holy
Roman Empire and recaptured Calais from England. But the militant
catholicism was more than France’s national interests contributed to the
interests of the catholic world. Also, his political power was harnessed
by the power of the kings. As a result, the political reconciliation efforts
of the Queen Mother Catherine de M?dicis was collapsed.
The cardinal of Lorraine established his religious stature by the
defense of catholicism until the third religious war. His passion for
catholic was acted as a reason of treason that the French kingdom had
to obey the Pope. In other words, he prevented the establishment of
tolerance edict, and because of that, Huguenots were forced to be a
stranger. And he tried to apply the code of the Council of Trent to France. As a result, he was more than the welfare of the people sought
the unity of the catholic world.
Therefore, the Guise family could? continued to? have the political
power to keep the Pope under pretext to defend catholicism and, based
on this, this family was act of treason against the throne.