Disputes between the contending parties proved futile, debates in
the States or legislative assembly of Paris availed nothing, and the
successive "treaties" of the long war period failed to bring lasting
peace.
At length Henry decided to abjure the Protestant faith, and his
abjuration was followed by the surrender to him of the chief cities
of the kingdom (1593), including Paris.
Still, although the King secured the general recognition of the
Roman Catholics, and was crowned, as Henry IV, in July, 1594, war
was continued by the League and its Spanish allies. In April, 1598,
Henry issued the famous Edict of Nantes, whereby Huguenots were
granted the political rights enjoyed by Catholics, and religious,
military, and judicial concessions were made to the Protestants.
This edict ended the long religious wars, and in May the Peace of
Vervins with Spain and the League was concluded. The central event
selected for this work is the securing by Henry of the sovereign
power, whereby the end of these prolonged troubles was finally
reached.
Alternate succession of war and debates lasted all the time that the
States of Paris continued to be held, and even till the day that the
King abjured the Protestant religion.
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