The Huguenot Bartholomew Dupuy and his descendants

THE HUGUENOT WARS. 66
Politiques and Huguenots: — for the latter, introd .
free worship throughout France, except Paris,
without restriction as to time and place, unless
the nobleman on whose lands it was proposed
to meet should object; for the former, to
Aleucon, a large central district; to Conde,
Picardy; and to Henry of Navarre, Guyenne.
The Guises, thus frustrated in their political
schemes, now organized (1576) an association Hoiy
called the "Holy League, ^^ for the defense of league,
* ^^'
the Romanists' interests. It was supported
by the King, the Pope, the Parliament, the
Monks and King Philip 11. of Spain, but not
by the liberal minded Catholics. The head of
the League was Henry, Duke of Guise, who
hoped to succeed to the throne of France,
either by deposing the corrupt and feeble
Henry HI., or by seizing the throne when the
King's debaucheries should have brought him
to the grave. The high Catholics, especially
the Jesuits, now in the first flush of credit and
success, supported him warmly. The headquarters
of the League was at first in Picardy,
in opposition to the establishment of Conde as
governor of that province. It was soon found,
however, that Paris was its natural center;
from which it spread all over France. The
States refused to furnish means to carry out
the measures of the League.
At the convocation of the States-General, at
Blois, 1576, opinion was found to be as much
divided therein, as in the country, and no relief
was brought to France. At that convocation
the King was induced to proclaim himself
head of the League. This gave rise to the Sioxh
sixth civil war^ which lasted only a few months, war.
^"7.
(1577).