‘La ville eut l’éphémère honneur d’être comme la capitale du
Royaume': A Spatial History of Charles IX’s Royal Tour of France,1564–1566 (Angoulême, Lyon, Sens)

Abstract

This project aims to investigate how monarchical and religious influence interacted with civic
authority during the early French Wars of Religion. France in this period experienced
widespread violence, resulting in a collapse of royal power. To counter this, Charles IX
sought to stabilise royal authority and promote religious peace across France by embarking
on a Royal Tour from 1564–1566.
As Charles IX crossed France, the attempt to enforce monarchical control and religious peace
was met with resistance by city councillors, which manifested in power negotiations during
royal entries into cities. By examining royal entries for cities on the periphery of France –
Lyon and Angoulême – and the centre of France – Sens – a clearer picture can emerge about
ideas of centre and periphery in the kingdom, frontstage performance and backstage
preparations for the ceremonies, and how religious toleration and co–existence manifested in
different urban spaces.
Lyon and Angoulême – on the periphery of France – had significant Protestant minorities and
attempted to showcase to the monarchy how religious toleration and co–existence could be
achieved. Whereas Sens was near the heart of monarchical influence and tried to justify its
support of the crown and Catholicism during the religious wars. In addition to these city case
studies, a chapter focusing on Abel Jouan, a member of the royal kitchen who recorded the
entirety of the Royal Tour, will investigate how the young king attempted to promote
religious peace across the kingdom.
By incorporating festival books, financial records, correspondences, city council minutes, and
maps, this project aims to answer how royal, civic, and religious actors utilised different
urban spaces in France to project their own authority and promote religious toleration and co–
existence amid religious warfare.