John Calvin

1533 – John Calvin flees Paris

29 January 1536 – General Edict urging extermination of heretics (Huguenots)

1536 – John Calvin becomes pastor in Geneva

1550s – Calvinism comes to France with thousands of converts

25 May 1559 – First Synod of the French Reformed Church held in Paris, followed by persecutions and issuance of Edict prohibiting “heretical” worship

1559 – Attempt to replace Catholic Guises with Huguenot Conde as regent

1560 – Huguenots petition the King and threaten revolt if persecution persists

1 March 1562 – Massacre at Vassay begins French religious wars; Conde assassinated

1562 – Huguenots sign manifesto saying they were forced to take arms

1 May 1562 – Arrival at St. John’s River, in Florida, of the first pilgrimage by Huguenots to North America

1564 – Death of John Calvin

1565 – Huguenot colony massacred at St. John, FL

24 August 1572 – St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre in which tens of thousands of Huguenots were killed

1585 – Huguenots/Protestants expelled from France

13 April 1598 – Edict of Nantes by Henry of Navarre which granted religious and civil liberties to the Huguenots promises protection

18 October 1685 – Revocation of the Edict of Nantes by Louis XIV which was published 22 October 1685, and resulted in persecution of the Huguenots; 400,000 flee France to other countries

28 November 1787 – Promulgation of the Edict of Toleration