The Day Paris was Painted Red with Blood
“To clean the filth, one must get dirty.”
Let us bring to light one of the darkest episodes that found its stage in medieval Europe—France, to be exact. An episode where thousands of innocents, who didn’t even have the slightest idea why they were being butchered at the unlikeliest hours of the day,. An episode that left behind deep and profound scars that would keep stinging even after years of convalescence.
What is it to be a king?
What is it to be a king ? Francis II, son and successor of Henry II hardly knew it. After his death, that burden passed on to Charles IX, his brother, who was not better than him. He was a mother’s boy, in fact were both of them. He had one more brother, a Henry, and a sister, a Margaret. Charles IX mostly relied on his mother for the administration. He acceded to the throne when the time was tumultuous. The war of religions was ravaging everywhere. The so called Huguenots (protestants) and the Catholics were constantly at war. And of course, we won’t be deviating from that aspect shall we. Because that’s what would be needed to light the fireworks!
Two more Henry, too many
One Henry wasn’t already enough, there were two more: Henry of Navarre; Henry of Guise. They were arch-enemies since if one was a protestant the other a catholic. The incompatibility was evident and natural. Henry of Navarre, supported by his mother Jeanne d’Albret, was the flag-bearer of the protestants. On the other hand his antonym by the name of Henry of Guise , was a fervent champion of the Catholics. His father Francis of Guise was already a martyr of the catholic cause, assassinated by a Huguenot.
A marriage to save the kingdom
Catherine, the king’s mother wanted above all that peace be restored in her kingdom, which was at perpetual risk of war. For this purpose she had to bring together the ring leaders, especially Henry of Navarre who was so far away. She felt it unwise to leave him at his corner and to engineer god knows what scheme. But how? Marriage ? Why not! The young Margaret would finely do the job. In marrying a protestant with a catholic an example would be set of the harmony between the two.
Admiral Gaspard, the fuse
Maybe this history would not have existed at all if not for a certain Gaspard of Coligny. This individual right here, without his knowledge, would single handedly trigger a massacre. Gaspard was on the protestant side and a warmonger. He repeatedly insisted Charles IX to declare a war on the Catholic Spain. The peace loving Catherine was revolted by his malicious ideas and disliked his company around the king. By no means would she let him have his war.
It all comes together
Finally came the day of the marriage. The day where Catherine’s quest for peace would be fulfilled. The people of the two factions were assembled in Paris. However, it could not be said that peace was made. Deep down there was always a grudge. But Catherine was hopeful since the marriage passed well. Henry of Navarre, a protestant, and Margaret, a catholic were pronounced husband and wife. Everything was going well except for this demand of Admiral Gaspard which was getting stronger and stronger. He wants his war. Catherine, who is very anxious, has to do something about it and soon
Eliminate the admiral
The admiral must be eliminated or else everything would be blown off. An assassin was hired to do the job. A certain Maurevert fired an arrow upon the admiral of Coligny but executed the task with such clumsiness that the admiral survived albeit with some injuries. It was panic all around. What was going to happen now? The Huguenots will not sit back and watch: How dare the Catholics pick on our leader! It was a mess in Catherine’s head. The Huguenots will be after her and Paris. The kingdom was in peril!
To clean the filth, one must get dirty
After a lot of hesitations and torments it was decided that all of the protestants present in Paris had to be exterminated. The word was spread and bells rung in the morning. The massacre had just begun! It started with the leaders especially the admiral Gaspard. Henry of Guise took the charge for this big fish himself. Gaspard was stabbed and defenestrated from his stay. Huguenot leaders were being killed one after another. Then it was turn of the commoners. Men, women, children everyone were slashed and stabbed. Everywhere there were pools of blood. Paris was tainted with scarlet! Chariots filled with bodies still warm were sent off to be deposed in the river Seine. All in all not less than half a lakh protestants were killed that day on 24 august, 1572. The only spared were family relations among which the brother-in-law of the king, Henry of Navarre. Catherine and Charles IX were very much pained at this horrible purge. The pope on the other hand made drums to be beaten and coins to be struck at this beautiful spectacle.
Conclusion
That marks the end of this sickening episode that took place in France on 24 August 1572 by the name of the “Massacre of St. Bartholomew’s day” . It cannot be concluded who was right or who was not right in all of this because everyone has his own justification. And sadly, it happens to be that it was just one of such horrible incidents that took place in the dark ages.
